If you ask PayBac, he has the best album of 2018. The Biggest Tree, his debut album released in the wee hours of the year, was warmly received upon arrival. In a new career high, TBT found PayBac contemplating and dissecting his mortality in the most candid way possible, a bird’s eye view into the very entangled and messy life of the artist also known as Iboro. And he did it over innovative, boundary-pushing music, a synthesis of soulful folk with smidges of hip-hop.
In a year where artists have had their time on earth cut short as result of their demons, most notably American rapper Mac Miller, concern for artists, whose music I genuinely like, has become a preoccupation of mine. (Be like me and start praying for your favourite rappers.) The Biggest Tree, an album that has been in constant rotation for me, is the type of album causes me some worry, its creator is obviously dealing with personal pains that have the power to submerge him. But the upside is that music as a form of outlet seems to help PayBac. He seems a lot more chippy on social media and the illustration of him on the cover of Autopilot, his new 8-song project with masked producer Charlie X, is downright vivacious.
I didn’t expect a new PayBac project so soon, but I’m happy Autopilot is here. From the brightness of the album cover, and the bustling energy of the earlier loosie “Gas,” which makes its appearance here, there’s every possibility of a very upbeat project, a stark contrast to the morose overture of The Biggest Tree. Also, Charlie and PayBac have fantastic synergy, they put out the cult favourite The Other Side Of Radio in 2015, so I fully expect Autopilot to coin in their dynamism together. Let’s get into it.
As it’s a 1-listen review, all you’ll read from here on are my first reactions to each song in real time, no pauses, skips or rewinds.
Gas f/ ODC
I really fuck with this song, it has the infectious bounce you can lose yourself to while driving in a city that is not as traffic-riddled as Lagos. “Tell your girl to call me hulk/cos I wan smash” always makes chuckle, every time. Paybac sounds like fun like he drank a mixture of Capri Sonne and D’usse before entering the booth. This beat is irresistible, minimalist but slappy. ODC also came through with his verse. That chinchilla line makes recall secondary school and a few dry yarns we used to say. “Life’s a bitch, I gas blow” is a motto. Paybac’s skrr skrr is remarkable. Round of applause for CHx people, I wish this beat could ride out for like twenty more minutes.
Flight Mode f/ Djaji
OH SHIT! THIS IS A FILTHY BEAT! WHAT?! This is TAY KEITH nasty, guy!! Woooooo, Paybac is on this beat like a surfer on a wave. Gaddemit! “Back again like Superman,” I don’t think Superman can ride this beat like this. Paybac just corrected niggas on the correct pronunciation of his name and I’m here for it. Great flow, too mad. That patois flow is pretty cool too. Fam, my shoulders are finding it hard to sit still. Djaji just swung in with some autotune. That froze-ice line is nice. “I’m the greatest rapper in any room I’m in.” Okay! That’s a brag. Man, this beat is a tremor for a massive earthquake. FILTHY!
Chris Aire
Another trunk rattler. Wooo! What’s that distorted sound? I hope it’s intentional. Paybac in with a rather slouchy flow, relaxed but definitely not lazy. This man is rapping his day’s activities to him and I’m paying attention like it’s a lecture. He sounds really happy, and it’s infectious. “I like smoking weed at weddings” Hahahaha! Okay, that “my heart is a black hole” line just jarred. Hook brought the brightness. “Madafuck Buhari” is a big ass mood right now. Paybac has listened to so much trap music, it shows. This guy is more Fela than your fave mainstream guy, well, except Burna. Debatable. Paybac purposely mispronouncing Aire is funny.
N.C.B.T
Fam. These drums are thumpers, like elephants doing stomp the yard in my ears. “Niggas can be bitches too,” I’m crying haha. “I been making fire before the emoji” talk your shit, young man. There’s so much joy and my heart is full. Jazzz appeared and slipped away before I could even type her name. The radio edit of the song would be a long bleep, that’s how much shit Paybac is talking, and I love it. CHx really gave Paybac the pack full of slappers, wow. Who’s the voice submerged under the beat on the hook? “Paybac is a bitch o” Hahaha.
U Luckee
Nice keys, feels very summery. Hi-hats ticking faster than a bomb detonator. Woah! Bass just dropped like Thor using his hammer to play whack-a-mole. Paybac is Milly rocking the pocket of this beat. Trap music is art, tell that to your neighbouring purist. Shout to Hausa roadside cooks saving men’s lives since the dawn of time. “I’m Oliseh back in ’98” Okay, these non-sequiturs are fire. This beat should be charged and arrested, a felony is happening to my ears. Paybac is talking so much shit, fam. “I’m Azikiwe in 1963” is a bar. I don’t know why, but it’s a bar. Trap might be regarded as simplistic by some people, but “U Luckee” is a great example of why it’s effective in making great music.
Ground Up f/ Gigi
These keys are from space. Paybac is singing with some of that earnest, reckless abandon. An apology to a lover, I assume. “Still think with my penis,” and we still wonder why men are scum. Gigi, I think, is harmonizing with him on the hook. This is the first beat that isn’t a thumper, quite a mellow vibe. Paybac can muddle his words when he doesn’t check himself. This whole song is like leaving a voice note on a girl’s WhatsApp while punch-drunk, preferably off the vodka.
Long Kiss Goodnight
Nice bounce, this one. Those keys are really gorgeous, Zaytoven would be proud of CHx right now. Paybac just said he sold his soul and I know I’m never playing this song if my mom is in the car with me. Drums are low-key bonkers. “All love lost, see it in my eye” Fam, where did the sunshine on this project go? I think he’s referring to his sister. She might be to Paybac what Donda is to Kanye, except Paybac isn’t supporting a trash president.
Energy For Life
Dolapo just couldn’t shut up about this song over the weekend. Pon pon sound will never die, this sounds like a single. I like the resurrection undertone here. Psych. The darkness just leapt out, wow. Who’s this singing? Nice Falsetto, guessing the person is from the south-east with the way he’s singing the words. Following up a shaku shaku line with something about demon is a wild switch up, but I totally get. Looked at my phone again just to be sure, no credited guest and I can’t place the voice. You know what, I suspect Charlie X.
CHx & PayBac Autopilot 1-Listen Review Final Thoughts
A significant portion of the load on Paybac’s shoulders has been lifted. It may not be much, but it’s still significant because of how vibrant Autopilot is. On this project, Paybac is clearly in a better headspace, and it shows in how sunnier he sounds on three-quarter of the songs. For someone who’s often reiterated his affinity for trap music, Paybac dips himself into the jigginess of the hip-hop subgenre and he absolutely enjoys every minute of it – he’s clearly in a space where he’s enjoying creating music.
In his role behind the boards, Charlie X delivers unequivocally. He lays down one rumbling beat after the other for Paybac to roll his way through, anchoring Autopilot while his other half explores. This project is also lending further credence to the fact that CHx does a lot of his best work with Paybac, the two are a duo made in Nigerian hip-hop heaven.
Toward the back end, where things get grimmer, Paybac still as candid as ever but somewhat much lighter. You get the sense that things might be just fine even if there are no outright assurances. By loosening up on Autopilot, Paybac creates a body of work that captures the duality of his current headspace, where happy and sad co-exist. Considering the threatening, swallowing capacity of sadness, the fact that there’s happiness means Paybac is making progress, which is all anyone can really ask for, artist and fans alike.