Buju is one of the new generation artistes steadily embracing his potential and his latest project “Sorry I’m Late” further highlights his musical talent.
Embracing his talents paid off! A major collaboration with Zlatan on “Spiritual (2019)” made Buju grow quite famous, expanding his fan base, which led to collaborations with heavyweight stars like Wizkid on “Mood”, Ladipoe on “Feeling”, Timaya on “Cold Outside“, Blaqbonez and Amaarae on “Bling” in 2021. “Sorry I’m Late” sees Buju truly release himself as a solo act after abandoning an earlier recording contract to go independent.
“This EP is my personal apology,” Buju explains on Apple Music. “I used to get a lot of messages asking When are you dropping your own material? There was even a voice note from somebody demanding music. I’d never felt like that before. To see people react to the music like that, and the delay, I felt very obliged to say something about it. Sorry I’m Late could not be a better title.”
Fans and music lovers have been waiting for the rising star to prove himself in a full body of project. Buju did not disappoint as his charisma, explicit lyrics, and rhythm on ”SIL” embody everything we signed up for. I have to say, this is one classic project from the Afrobeats star.
Remarkably, Buju decided to go solo on most part of the 7-track EP, the only feature he brought on “Sorry I’m Late” is a collaboration with the Highlife band “The Cavemen”. A worthy feature I must admit. Buju takes his fans on a musical trip and treat that lasts about 19 minutes.
Buju artistically leads his listeners on, from a track on self-acclamation to one with a party jam. Notably, the project enjoyed productions from Timi Jay, Rexxie, Denzel, Steph, and Pertz.
Hop on the ride…
“Daniel Benson”— the introductory track connects listeners to Buju as he narrates anecdotes about himself, his brand, and his childhood while pointing the middle finger at the skeptics. Notably, the track was produced by Steph and Timi Jay.
Yes, Buju‘s real name is Daniel Benson, and the song is a literal description of him as a person and how he feels about his talent. Like yo! He’s telling you straight up – “My name is Daniel Benson and when I sing, I’m going to make you dance like Michael Jackson.”
On the second track, “Never Stopped,” the serene vibe was maintained. However, the lines of the song are overpowering; Buju tells us that there’s a lot going on – obstacles that artists encounter – but that’s not going to stop him. Buju speaking about his art also reminds his fans about his uniqueness which makes him stand out despite any obstacle.
“Kilometer” is the perfect party jam with a dance command that had the Amapiano sound blended into it. It’s a song where Buju is trying to get money from a show promoter but isn’t sure how to go about it. Flowing from pidgin to Yoruba, it’s almost as though he’s saying – he takes it to the highest kilometer when he’s moving so fast. It’s a beautiful tune set to an outstanding beat produced by Rexxie.
“Something Sweet” is a sensual track that urges you to just be in the moment and enjoy good vibes. Buju brought the charm here, bringing listeners a delightful sensation accompanied by the drums and strings. The lyrics went well with the rhythm with Buju demanding assurance from his lover – “Put a claim on me if you really think I’m what you want.” Buju really got the girls giggling with this tune.
“Ogechukwu” (feat. The Cavemen).. If you know The Cavemen, you know the kind of rhythm to expect here. Yes, that surreal highlife vibe (that even the younger generation embraces), that wasn’t a miss on this track and Buju lived up to the task too. The sounds and instrumentals playing were all live, and that made it more beautiful.
Notably, “Ogechukwu’ means “God’s timing”. This record emphasizes the value of time and patience when it comes to trying to achieve anything in life. You know, just let God do his thing. “Ogechukwu” is one record every The Cavemen fan would love to hear, and I believe they will find more lovers through this record too. The only feature on this EP, and it didn’t fall below the bar.
On “For Here,” we see the return of lover boy, Buju. This is yet another exciting track, where Buju teases about rejection from a girl – conjuring up a scene in which he’s trying to chat to a female who isn’t paying attention to him. Nonetheless, it’s a very gentle and sweet song.
“I Do” – This is one blissful tune where Buju lowers his guard, expressing some insecurities. What he’s literally saying on this record – you have to want it bad; if you want it bad enough, you can get it..Is it something you want? Do you truly desire it? You have to fight for it all the time. Incredible how he was expressing how he felt after watching a UFC fight.
Final Verdict
Buju has kept his fans thirsty for a main project – an EP/Album – since his name became popular in households. “Sorry I’m Late” is a decent chance for him to please his listeners as he has always done in his singles and features, and moreover, to shut his critics up.
However, some might argue that the EP doesn’t slap as hard as they anticipated but music out of the genre “Afrobeats” has evolved so much beyond dancehall. The EP shows Buju knows what he’s doing, the tunes show musical genius – a classic musician. He went solo on every track except one in which his choice of collaboration still depicts a certain musical class.
Buju dropped a classic, and this is a project that shows he’d be in the game for a long while.
Listen to the full EP of “Sorry I’m Late” by Buju here.