Album Review: Show Dem Camp - Clone Wars Vol. IV

Show Dem Camp (SDC) returns with their fourth (4) installment for Clone Wars and this album is dubbed ''These Buhari Times'' Clone Wars Vol. IV. So with a subtitle like that we should expect to hear a lot of content based on the recent recession the country Nigerian has been faced with. The duo are no strangers to our reviews and it it exciting to see them keep the tempo going by being back again with a new body of work. The Clone Wars Vol. IV ''This Buhari Times''  was released on the 1st January, 2019 by Show Dem Records and Fatherland and it consist of thirteen (13) tracks with one (1) bonus track. The journey of this review starts now!

(Intro) Center of Excellence: Ghost kicks off the album with the introduction of his verse on this glorious sound and he did a good job in keeping listeners glued to what they had to say on the record dubbed (Intro) Center of Excellence. The producer Spax did an amazing job with the production and the progression and arrangement of the record. He laid the foundation of this song on the keys of the grand piano giving it the classical touch which gives listeners an opportunity to hear the lyrics of the song in all its clarity but still maintained that hip hop vibe with the choral music concept on the chorus. 

Savage (feat. Ladipoe): The Savage record has to be one of the best diss records i have heard and one of the best song on this album.The track gets you hooked from the start and with those witty lines and wordplay of both Tech, Ghost and of course the icing on the cake, was a Ladipoe verse. The grit and soul in the sound is the purest form of hip hop anyone can get and it certainly abetted the flow of the rap, giving it that all round solid hop hop record. 



Respect, Loyalty and Honour (feat. M.I Abaga): A mid-tempo and chilled sound of Spax on a song title like Respect, Loyalty and Honour we can expect nothing but a piece of conscious rap in a whole world of different realities and who else to help them deliver on this responsibility? other than M.I Abaga himself. The track gave us a glimpse of all three rappers experiences/perspective in a society like Nigeria which added depth to the record and this can be considered as one of their best hip hop records produced till date. Great concept!  


Duade (feat. Cina Soul): Tec kicks off this record with a narrative of what a typical African (Nigeria in particular) society expects of us which is pretty much stereotyped as opposed to what we/you feel inside as a person. This narration sets off the tone for this beautiful hip hop/soul song with Cina Soul as her name implies, lending her soulful vocals to the chorus that gives it that richness a fusion of genres deserve. SDC's story telling on this record is such an amazing blessing to Nigerian music and as an average citizen who would listen to this record  and can relate to their stories on so many levels. Duade shows how dynamic and brilliant this duo are and they certainly know how to make the perfect feature on a record.  



Shadow of Doubt (feat Tems): Tems brings a different vibe to the track Shadow of Doubt with her alternate sound on a Spax's dark expression of sound to depict an equally dark story of different experiences in a country like Nigeria where hope can be bleak every now and than and of course Ghost and Tec delivered brilliant bars to bring this vision to life. This is a solid conscience record that gives listeners proper enlightenment right from the intro of the record which had an Artificial Intelligence (A.I) poetry excerpt to the concept and it really added depth to the record.  


Epigenetic (feat. Ozone): This is a perfect title for a song that reminds us about the distorted mindset/orientation we got as a people and it definitely feels like it is part of our DNA but should certainly not be. This has to be an alteration maybe due to the high level of poverty in the land and the quest for survival. The record is a perfect ingredient for Tec and Ghost to re-emphasis the crux of the Clone Wars Vol. IV 'This Buhari Times'' and what better choice for a feature other that Ozone? who brought his A game on the record to remind us of who we can be as a people with the use of metaphor to drive home his message. 



Packaging: This is one chilled out record off the LP that is characterized with some witty lines and a twist of humor attached to the storytelling of the rap. Packaging in a typical Nigerian context is usually refereed to as making an impression of what you are not just to get ahead in life, it is kind of like a survival strategy in a difficult environment. Solid track!


T.D.V (Trust The Vibe): SDC towed the path of that early 2000's hip hop vibe on T.D.V and as we  see the record being complimented by their brilliant wordplay, it made it a likable and easy to listen record with a very catchy hook. T.D.V is an appropriate track to have been selected to make the album  but i wouldn't say its the best record they have made. 



4th Republic (Feat. Dap The Contact & Vector): The rapper Vector takes the lead on this brilliantly produced record by Spax and the track is dubbed 4th Republic, with what sounds like a freestyle by the dope rapper in his lines like; ''Many claiming This Buhari Times/if you only carry rhymes/you go soon carry arms/its a cold world and you can't afford a cardigan/ but the Siberian husky has really taught you to chill and adapt.'' Excellent flow to get the record started and to keep the pace going, Dap The Contact did not disappoint either with his mellow and crystal flow that gave the record some form of balance and of course Tec and Ghost closing up with an excerpt of what sounds like a government official/politician who seems to have no clue what's most important to move his constituents forward. This is by far one of the best record off the Clone Wars Vol. IV and a rustic visual telling this story will be the icing on the cake for this track.  



+234: This is one upbeat record that rarely took a mainstay on this project and we are loving +234. This is certainly a great way to rep what we can call our area code, a code used to reach Nigerian's on the phone from overseas. The Nigerian spirit is always proud and resilient regardless what they go through and SDC just laced it on this record.  




Hunger Cries: This is indeed a heartfelt record as the title of the track implies, hunger certainly cries in Nigeria and it always seems our leaders are making no effort to make a difference for the common citizen. SDC did poured out their heart through their lyrics on Hunger Cries and you can tell that this record maybe be one of the crux of this entire project and we are loving it. There is no better way for this duo to have delivered an impressive conscience/revolutionary record than in Hunger Cries.  


 Everything I Love: This record pricks listeners with that consciousness about what matters to them the most with excerpts of what appears to be a female voice note on the lush sounds of a piano and the horns of the trumpet giving the record the jazzy touch and trill. Tec kicks off Everything I Love with bars for his love for Lagos, friends and everything in between and Ghost kept the space going on this record with his experiences that lead to his love and passion for what he does. This is one great record produced by Spax. 



No White Flags (Feat. Phlow, Tems & Rotex): Producer Spax took us to church with that heavy influence of the organ giving it that inspirational touch. And we also see SDC featuring Tems for the second time on this project with a dope female MC Phlow and Rotex of course. I must say all three features added so much depth, quality and that positive vibe the record requires and what better way to end the Clone Wars Vol. IV ''This Buhari Times'' with No White Flags. 

Bonus: 


Tipping Point (Boogey): The bonus track which wraps up this project featuring prolific rapper Boogey and all three rappers outlined problems that lead to a Tipping Point in our/their lives in This Buhari Times and of course some proffered solutions to get out of this state of mind/situation by the rappers. This is indeed a perfect way to end a conversation that pretty much dominated the content of the body of work and i must say Show Them Camp nailed it. 



Here are my final thoughts on the album review of  ''Clone Wars Vol. IV These Buhari Time'' I enjoyed listening to the project and it was certainly a reminder, wake up call and revelation of the things we face in our society on the daily basis and a need to come out of it stronger as a nation. SDC  have succeeded in putting out a very SOLID concept album that reflects their present state of mind and that of the country as well and they pulled this off with only Spax on the production and he understood every record as an individual tracks and did not give us a stereotyped or similar sound that could have easily bored listener out. The duo also did a great job in their featured selection with appropriate verses from the likes of: Vector, M.I Abaga, Tems, Ladipoe, Boogey, Rotex, Phlow, Cina Soul, and a host of others. Therefore, based on all that has been said I would rate ''Clone Wars Vol. IV'' a 9/10 on this review. 

In case you haven't listened or downloaded Show Dem Camp - Clone Wars Vol. IV Album please download it for free here: DOWNLOAD HERE