“Cause the doctor said I burnt my liver!” This iconic hook by Omah Lay feverishly took hold of Nigerian music lovers; it spread like a contagion through air waves, infecting listeners with good vibes while we were all under lockdown, sheltering from the more infectious Covid-19 pandemic.
If you are familiar with the popular memes used on Twitter to illustrate individuals passionately and ecstatically screaming at the top of their voice, the lyrics of the hook in their favourite hit songs, you’ll know that Omah Lay really hit the sweet spot with that hook.
It’s Time to “Get Layd”
If you still haven’t experienced the varying melodic strokes of Omah Lay’s music that is guaranteed to leave you aching for more, then you’re missing out because everyone has, and who wouldn’t want to “Get Layd” with Omah Lay’s sensual and extremely titillating sound?
The first track of the EP, DAMN, is both befitting of its title, and perfectly suited for setting the tone of the whole project. The cool melodic beats and sounds used on the track, introduces listeners to the rhythmic pace used all through, and it has a surprising feel when listening, like the first few moments after having a bite of an appetizer, only to realize that it tastes way better than expected.
The scenario painted by the lyrics of the tracks chorus is so enticing:
“She loves me when I’m drunk
She loves me when I’m jobless
She loves me when I’m wrong/lost
Even when I no need love yeah
She loves me like damn, like damn, damn, damn!”
Omah Lay describes the loving character everyone desires of their picture perfect partner, a partner who loves wholeheartedly, regardless of their lovers shortcomings.
He goes on to list other things that might hinder some from loving such an individual who society would label as good for nothing: “I know I’m a bad boy, I no get work, I dey smoke cigar, I dey blow skunk, and I know I get boys wey dey do wrongs…but she love me die she no hear word.” It leaves you amazed that despite all that, she still loves her man, damn!
Even though finding such a lover in present times is like finding a needle in a haystack, Omah Lay makes it look possible by laying down such good vibes that leaves the thought lingering in your mind, and has you smiling anytime you think about it.
LO LO, the second track, begins with a serene sound playing in the background as Omah Lay slowly chants about his desire to love:
“I just wan lo lo, I just wan love you
I just wan lo lo, I just wan love you”
At the end of his chanting, the serene sound immediately switches to a much more vibrant Afro-fusion sound as the main beat. A perfect switch from the cool slow-paced sound of the first track to a groovier vibe spiced with the rich blend of a solo guitar sound, as well as other sounds and beats.
Omah Lay goes on to display his prowess with sexually suggestive/descriptive lyrics on this track:
“Can you get yourself inside my room?
Let me show you something, something you will appreciate oh oh
Let me show you something, something you might never wanna say no
Let me show you something, something that will take away your sorrow”
and sings about a steamy session with a lover:
“Can you get yourself inside my room?
Let me take you up, take you up
Let me take you down, lay you down
Let me show you off, let me turn you on
Let me show you some good lo lo lo lo.”
Omah Lay leaves nothing to imagination about how good his technique is; just to make sure we are all still on the same page here, it is important to state that, “technique”, simply refers to his lyrical technique.
The top notch transition between the sounds of each track is evidence of the quality music production put into the creation of this EP, and it comes out again as the next track, YOU, eases listeners out of the up-tempo Afro-fusion sound of LO LO, and takes it down a notch to a calmer tempo.
YOU is an earlier released single off the EP that enjoyed significant play on radio, and other media outlets. Omah Lay switches to the lover boy professing his unadulterated love to a lover.
The lyrics give off a classic lover boy image, as declarations of undying love easily roll out to fit with the popular label of one who is described as having a “sweet mouth”.
So far, one could come to the conclusion that Omah Lay’s music, laced with his velvety hedonistic lyrics, can definitely influence his listeners, and this is reinforced by the next track, BAD INFLUENCE. It is the other single earlier released off the EP, and it was a massive hit.
BAD INFLUENCE has very cool sounds and beats that make it the perfect fit for a very calm and relaxing evening vibe; it is the ideal music to be played while chilling alone, or with a lover, and of course with some good wine to set the mood.
However, his lyrics seem like the words of a lover drowning in alcohol to kill the pain he feels:
“I’m drinking Hennessey now, I hope you see now
Say you don burst my eyeglass, you don scatter my plans
See my eyes I don prass, you put me for ambulance…see what you’re doing to me.”
This build-up made the hook a perfect stroke because he followed through with the only logical result of binging on alcohol:
“Cause the doctor said I burnt my liver
I’ve been drinking, smoking cigars
Used to sing and play my guitar
Now I’m lost in this Sambisa.”
There is also a hidden message here about over-indulging in vices, although, we can’t be sure if that was his intention. The message is to drink responsibly, and indulge measurably in any vice so as to avoid ending up on the doctor’s examination table.
The EP rounds off with a track filled with innuendos that will produce an exclamation of YE YE YE! Despite his use of suggestive lyrics all through the EP, nothing would prepare you for the way he came all over this final track.
Deep bass drum beats used on the track made it have that familiar hard feel common to Rap songs, and of course it made so much sense when coupled with his lyrics:
“She say make I put am, in her kalakuta…If I pull it out she say make I cool down
She say she like it north, but she really love it south, she say my finger long, and it come out for her mouth
She say I keep it spinning like Lekki roundabout, she don’t know when she screaming, she no know when she dey shout
The way I lick her clean she think I’m a hungry man, the way I eat her thing…she go ye ye ye ye ye!”
Omah Lay sure knows his way around, and doesn’t need any directions on how to get you to what I call an “eargasm”.
The Doctors Diagnosis
It is very rare to listen to an EP which would easily pass for an album if it had more tracks, and that is what this five track thriller by Omah Lay is. He shows his versatility on the EP with his ability to jump on different sounds, and the ease with which he varys the moods affecting his listening audience.
His lyrical content, though provocative, cannot be critiqued negatively; he proved that he has the ability to paint vivid pictures with his lyrics while singing with a smooth velvety tone.
The transition between tracks was top quality, and the overall sound shows that if Omah Lay can keep working with the type of quality sound production used on his EP, then he is bound to be a big success.
However, the five rounds of orgasmic music are bound to send one to the doctor where it will be discovered that you’ve had far too much pleasure than your body and mind can take, if at all that is even possible.
Listen to Omah Lay’s “Get Layd” here :
