Before anything else, it’s safe to say Davido has already made the best impression of his international vibe when earlier this year, he released “Blow My Mind” featuring popular singer, Chris Brown. So, this doesn’t really affect his credibility anyhow.
But David is one of Africa’s brightest stars, and save Wizkid, there’s really no other person on the continent who holds a candle. Instead, they’re all holding his beer. He shut down O2, sold out Lagos, went platinum in SA and he’s still one of the hottest around here.
This year, 2019, though has been quite a year, for everyone. The young kids took over and there wasn’t too much activity from the DMW camp and although Davido still managed to make a few hot records, it really wasn’t enough. So, when “Risky” a song that features one of dancehall’s biggest, Popcaan came, the reception had to be crazy. That explains the hype.
But let’s pause for a second and talk about the music. How good is “Risky” critically? Probably not important, but if our GOAT is going to be doing a collaboration with some people’s GOAT, then we should be talking about the kind of music they make. So, how good, when we look at it, from a neutral and critical perspective?
The instrumental comes across as some kind of dancehall Wizkid used on the Drake-assisted “Come Closer”, and it was Speroach on the beat. Cool, but not minimalistic enough for what is being portrayed. It’s supposed that kind of afro-influenced dancehall that guys like Drake and other foreign guys turned to back in ’16. But it really doesn’t strike any chord.
Davido jumps in, making some sounds (read: noise) and you could think he was gonna rap or something. Well, he came in, sounding notes different from the one he used on the ad-lib he started with. With time, it will get better, you’d think. But as the song progresses, what’s really what becomes scattered. Is that the hook? Oh, no, not this. Maybe this? Oh no, can’t be this.
Popcaan comes in, singing exactly like Patoranking and he did a wordy and shabby verse that doesn’t really build on what Davido has done. Then David comes in, delivering the most catchy part “kilo kan mi, I get money, who be this kid?” But all these don’t really say anything about how ‘your body risky’, or do they?
As it appears, Davido had been dragged earlier this year for a whack freestyle where he said some of the exact words he now used on this Risky track. Could he be trying to take control of the narrative? I doubt it, that’s more of a Wizkid thing. Davido moves on quick. So, there is no excuse for why “Risky” isn’t so good.
Upcoming artists have been jumping on it, doing covers and IG has been on fire. But all that doesn’t really matter, ain’t? Whatever your conclusion is about the song, maybe you like it or not, the truth is Davido could have done better with “Risky”.
This is just a waste of Popcaan!