Ladipoe is the foremost rap act signed to Mavin Records and he has released his debut body of work dubbed Talk About Poe (T.A.P) . Poe who has finally come into his own with the release of his mixtape is one perceived to have no room for compromise for quick fame. So now we get to hear Ladipoe on a full-fledged project and feel the essence of his craft upon the release of - Talk About Poe (T.A.P). The mixtape was released on the 5th of October, 2018 and consist of Ten (10) tracks with notable features from Seyi Shay, Funbi, Ghost of (SDC), Sir Dauda and Tems. The Talk About Poe mixtape is one worth checking out if you are a big hip hop fan. Therefore, join us as we take a listen and review this project by Ladipoe.
''Intro'': The introduction to this mixtape by Poe has that instant connection of intimacy with the voice note from probably a close family member or friend, which is a great way to kick off the Talk About Poe (T.A.P) project. There is no greater motivation than when you have family members encourage you by them believing in your craft as an artist and that is my interpretation of Ladipoe's Introduction. I must say this is a great way to let listeners into your world and this truly shows the essence of Poe's artistry capability.
''Voices Feat. Efya'': This is technically the first track off the mixtape and we see Ladipoe recruit Efya from Ghana on the chorus who did a marvelous job with her vocal prowess by sounding like the perfect match for this song and of course she was the right pick for Voices. Poe went further on how he has personified this project with the excerpts/voice note at the end of the record of either a family member or friend. The multiple combinations of the different elements infused to the record along side his brilliant wordplay gives it so much positive energy and this makes it one of the best tracks off the Talk About Poe (T.A.P) project.
''Double Homicide Feat. Ghost of (SDC)'': Double Homicide is a record that features Ghost of (SDC) and we see both artist flip the script from their usual style of rap to something more fast paced like that 80s/90s style of rap. And both Ladipoe and Ghost delivers lines on a solid/crisp vocal texture making Double Homicide an instant hip hop classic .The feeling i get listening to this record shows that both artist had a great time recording this track. Great job!!!
''Red Light Feat. Seyi Shay'': Ladipoe and Seyi Shay came together on this record dubbed Red Light and after my first listen i was sort of underwhelmed but on the second listen it sounded better, so i am guessing its that kind of record that grows no you. Seyi Shay definitely brought the pop vibe into the song (a little something for the club) and it is also nice to see LadiPoe display a witty side of him on the Red Light track. I must say an appropriate record to have made the tracklist but not necessarily a big record for me on this mixtape.
''One Step Closer Feat. Funbi'': The One Step Closer featuring Funbi is a great love story that slows down the pace of the mixtape and it is certainly a good thing. I must confess Funbi's vocal skill gives such sweet melodious vibe and it is unmatched, unforgettable and he did just that on the chorus for One Step Closer.And i must add that the production level of this track is beautiful because of all that lush sounds of the horn layered on such a soulful vocal delivery making it one of the best track off the tape.
''Falling Feat. Tems'': Ladipoe kicks off this record with an interesting and brilliant conversation about boys to girls which sort of like reminds me of a similar conversation Ms Lauryn Hill had on her classic debut solo album; The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill about love. Therefore, this creative concept held me sway on how deep this record is and how i enjoyed the content even though the record might be perceived to be boring, based on the tempo or vibe of the song but the track gives that atmosphere were opposite sex can connect, or more like a place of understanding of each other and Tems with that unique vocal texture added great depth to the record.
''Mood'': Poe slows down the tempo on this record dubbed Mood and he expresses his mixed feelings about his everyday experiences and he does it brilliantly well. This track personifies the conscientiousness that Ladipoe's adds to his skill and style as a rapper. However, the record feels like something that could have been an interlude of some sort and not a four (4) minute track. Overall, Poe proves once again his quality as one of the best out here.
''Win Win'': The production of this record is fantastic because it has that hardcore old school baseline with a very solid modern trap twist to it. This gave rise to Ladipoe's Win Win storytelling layout of how you can win against all odds most especially in a country like Nigeria. It is important that Win Win had made the tracklist of the project T.A.P because the record represents our everyday life which i think it the essence or direction of this project and the contrast of it was beautifully delivered by this rap genius.
''Hello Goodbye Feat. Sir Dauda'': The Hello Goodbye record features the highly talented act Sir Dauda who kicks off the record with his powerful vocal deliver layered on the serenading sound of the guitar and the rhythm of the talking drums and horns, giving the song that wholesomeness it deserves on a beautifully written song by both Poe and Sir Dauda. This record in my opinion has the best production output on the T.A.P mixtape period. A well executed video will bring this record to life.
''Revival'': The Revival track is a closure to the Talk about Poe (T.A.P) as he announced sadly. The Revival record, we get to see Poe switch it up again to a fast paced style of rap and as usual he killed it. I like the fact that Ladipoe followed through the concept of the mixtape as we see more talk about him on the mixtape, a typical life of an artist full of criticisms, praises and whatnot but in the end you need to put all that into perspective as an artist to get to where you want to be. Indeed Poe is the ''Last of the dying breed.''
This is solid debut project by Ladipoe and Talk About Poe (T.A.P) is definitely worth the wait. The ''T.A.P'' project is one out of a few hip hop body of work i have heard this year that commands my respect. The project had a great song arrangement, good buildup of concept, appropriate features and a high quality of production. The project had guest features such as: Efya,Funbi, Sir Dauda, Seyi Shay and Tems who all added quality and depth to the project. It its rare in the Nigerian scene to see a mixtape with such high quality lof work aimed at achieving perfection and based on the above I would rate ''Talk About Poe (T.A.P) '' an 8/10.
In case you haven't listened to Ladipoe's - Talk About Poe (T.A.P), please check on it here: DOWNLOAD HERE
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