The track reportedly marks the first single from the London-based singer’s official debut album.
2021 has been a pivotal year for Obongjayar. The British-Nigerian artist returned to Lagos and teamed up with producer Sarz on Sweetness, a sultry four-track EP at the intersection between 80s-sounding synth pop and Afrobeats. Then, he got a feature on “Style & Fashion,” by none other than Pa Salieu, followed by “Point and Kill” by the equally prominent Little Simz. The young singer had already made a name for himself in previous years, notably through an appearance on Richard Russell’s very ambitious Everything Is Recorded project in 2019, or through his second EP, Which Way is Forward?, in 2020.
“Message In A Hammer” opens the most ambitious chapter in Obongjayar’s young career. The track has been announced as the first single from his debut album, a project whose title and release date are yet to be revealed. The track is accompanied here by a spectacular, highly-cinematic video directed by the talented Rollo Jackson (Danny Brown, Jamie xx, Future…). Obongjayar plays the role of a vengeful master driver targeting an organised crime figure.
Listen to “Message In A Hammer” in our Songs of the Week playlist on Spotify and Deezer.
