Nigerian singer-songwriter Khaid – Sulaimon Shekoni Solomon – balances the booming bass and heaving drums of Amapiano while blending the freedom of trap with local inspirations as he reflects on his streetwise background through the project.
“The EP shows how I lived in the past while diversifying into different genres of music,” Khaid tells Apple Music. “Each of us is made up of many parts – discover them all and enjoy the diversity.”
Notably, Khaid is establishing himself as a promising wonderboy of Afropop, a goal he decently stresses throughout the Diversity EP.
Let us go through the 6-track EP, a track-by-track review.
Full EP review
“WITH YOU”. This song is about a guy who is having relationship problems, with an emotional imbalance – a lot of smiles and frowns. It’s not a heartbreak song; it’s more of a cheerful vibe – though it’s mixed since he’s neither heartbroken nor overjoyed.
Khaid and his manager, Sydney Talker, wrote the lyrics. Khaid wrote the song with a completely different beat in mind. He sent the vocals to the producer, Ozedikus, after he finished recording. He was genuinely seeking a rhythm that would set him apart from the crowd – one with a mix of Afro and Trap elements – and he did fairly well with it.
“SKI” is emo-trap music. The word “ski” has a catchy melody to it. It could also indicate that the artist is simply having a good time and taking a vacation while ensuring that society’s standards do not define him.
“AKPAKO“. The term ‘akpako‘ refers to someone who comes from the streets. It is more of a bragging right for Khaid, he owns up to the streets so the streets got his back.
He made the decision to compose the lyrics about the type of life he had previously experienced. Kudos to Ozedikus for infusing it with a spiritual tone.
“BLESSED”. As the title implies – this song is simply Khaid adding a godly vibe to the Diversity EP. This is a beautiful show of thanks to God. It is really nice seeing an Afro and Trap fusion come out this good. This is one for the street gang hustling out there.
“FIRE”. This is the perfect track to play at a party to get people dancing. Khaid recorded the vocals and sent them to the producer, Yung Willis, to give it that groove-worthy vibe. You know Amapiano has a bass that smacks you in the face and gets you jamming, and this is why everyone loves the sound.
“BAD MAN”. The “Bad Man” is a reflection of the kind of guys Khaid used to hang out with on the streets. He gives off the impression that he sees himself as merely one of many because he can’t really stand out.
Critic Review
Khaid really has all the makings of a superstar with his applaudable ability to blend emo-trap with Afropop. At the age of 17, his melodic TikTok freestyles gained him a lot of traction, and he became the marquee artist at Neville Records which is founded by online comedian Sydney Talker.
You will find that the Diversity EP is the culmination of Khaid‘s 18-month artist development plan, during which he grew as a composer, performer, and fine art devotee.
This project is not a test run by a random upcoming artist, it is an intentional work of art by a creative. If you really enjoy the new generation sounds, Khaid is one for your ears.
The Diversity EP is a beautiful project by Khaid and its rating is well above “mid”. Maybe a solid 8/10 will do. When it comes to diversity, Khaid proved that and even more.
You can listen to the Diversity EP by Khaid here;
