“If Burna [Boy] pulls off 2019 as predicted, Afropop will be witnessing a back-to-back annual dominance we haven’t seen since Wizkid’s 2013/2014/2015,” NATIVE’s Dennis Peter writes.

Burna Boy is showing plenty signs he won’t fail hopefuls. “Dangote”, “Killin’ Dem” and “Location”, these are positive signs.

Don Gorgon’s latest work is with DJDS, for the surprise project, Steel & Copper EP. The project is a 4-track potpourri exploring Burna Boy’s different musical capacity.

For a good part, Oluwaburna rolls off on the trap side of things. The bouncy DJDS beats fit Burna right in zones he actually flourish in.

“34”, a track he had initially freestyled on episode of “Behind The Barz”, sees Burna Boy kicking off the tape to a strong start. The self-proclaimed “African Giant”, groggy as he sounds, grips the handlebars with enviable conviction.

He then proceeds to “Innocent Man”, which has him pushing things up a notch. The song is befitting of windy-drive on a porthole free road.

This DJDS x Burna Boy collaboration has one attribute. Smoothness. There is no noticeable sonic glitch in any of the songs. What this probably says loudly — or hush hush — is they did not make this music for Nigerian roads.

Should you listen in a car, while driving through Lekki-Epe, you could feel the breeziness Steel & Copper inspires. But by the time you get to Sandfill and the red light shows, heat would have enveloped you.

“They only just a sinking boat, only the real will float.”

Depending on what Burna you prefer, “Darko” gives you the original Burna, the Don Gorgon, Burna Boy with Ivy League education. The patois flows freely out of Burna Boy’s mouth and before you know it, you are closing your eyes for prayers. Spiritual thing.

Burna Boy checks himself on “Thuggin’”, after opening chest down in earlier tracks. This hard life is not for him. He is only in it for the money and when he realises this life has taken his brother, he returns by saying “I’m still thuggin’ anyway”. “Thuggin’” completes the slightly eclectic numbers on Steel & Copper EP.

Seeing as the “African Giant” will commence his US tour next month, this project will find a space in the hearts of his captive audience in the US and help him acquire new set of audience.

Nigerians, your access to this project is all thanks to the internet.

Listen to DJDS x Burna Boy Steel & Copper below:

Photo credit: @burnaboygram