I Told Them”: Burna Boy’s Audacious Evolution or Missed Mark?

This 15-track ensemble takes us on a journey of Burna Boy’s self-acknowledged genre, Afrofusion. But does it hit the mark?

Today began with the familiar hum of Lagos’ bustling Computer Village, my phone nestled in the skilled hands of a technician amidst a sea of gadgets. But as evening draped its shadows, it was ThePlace restaurant that offered a peculiar twist to my day — a soup mix-up that paralleled my feelings about Burna Boy’s latest studio album. The mix-up? An unintended Eforiro instead of the desired Afang soup. The parallel? The anticipated Afrobeat brilliance, marred by an unexpected evolution into Afrofusion.

Burna Boy’s “I Told Them” is as audacious as the title suggests. Riding on the glory of two outstanding albums, notably his Grammy-winning “Twice as Tall”, the stakes were high. This 15-track ensemble takes us on a journey of Burna Boy’s self-acknowledged genre, Afrofusion. But does it hit the mark?

It’s indisputable that Burna Boy thrives on controversy, using it almost as a promotional tool when “album mode” activates. This strategy is evident in tracks like “Thanks”, featuring J Cole, where he takes a defiant stance against the condemnations he faced, following a violent incident that took place at Cubana club in 2022. “Is this the motherfucking thanks I get, For making my people proud every chance I get?” he bellows, audaciously challenging the court of public opinion. It’s brazen, it’s Burna.

“Thanks” isn’t the album’s only high note. “Cheat on Me” with Dave emerges as a sonic magic, reminiscent of the rich Afrobeats essence that brought Burna Boy into the limelight. “G7”, too, offers an intriguing blend, flaunting Burna’s geographical prowess.

Yet, for every peak, there seems to be a valley. A majority of the album hovers in a grey zone, showing the distinct transition to Afrofusion but missing the arresting enchantment of his earlier Afrobeats masterpieces. Much like my soup debacle earlier in the day — Eforiro is indeed a vegetable soup, but it wasn’t the Afang I craved. Burna’s Afrofusion is indeed African music, but it isn’t the captivating Afrobeats I’d come to expect.

One can’t help but ponder: Is “I Told Them” a courageous venture into a new dimension of his musical journey, or is it an audacious reminder of the height from which he’s descended? Featuring powerhouses like 21 Savage and J Cole, the project had the ingredients for transcendence. Yet, by the time I returned home and allowed myself to drift into slumber, the album left me with mixed emotions, similar to the resignation of settling for fried rice after a soup mishap.

However, it’s essential to acknowledge the metamorphosis of an artist. Change, whether welcomed or not, is inevitable. Burna Boy has tasted global success, been embroiled in controversies, and faced both adulation and critique in spades. All these experiences are bound to seep into his craft, as “I Told Them” plainly shows.

“Sitting on top tha world”, a collaboration with 21 Savage, is an evident manifestation of this evolution. There’s an undeniable fusion of styles and cultures within the track — a blending that might not sit well with purists, but will certainly find a home among those appreciating a more international flavor.

However, juxtaposed against the legacy of Fela Kuti, the maestro who Burna Boy has often been paralleled with, there’s a palpable divergence. Where Fela’s songs were piercingly political and consistently Afrobeats, Burna’s recent trajectory, especially in this album, feels like a meander through myriad influences, sometimes at the expense of core identity.

Yet, isn’t that what evolution is about? The shedding of old skins, the exploration of new terrains, and sometimes, the challenging of self-made molds. Burna Boy is clearly not content with being pigeonholed, even if it’s within a genre he once ruled with aplomb.

By the time my day culminated, two things were clear: one, ThePlace restaurant owed me a bowl of Afang, and two, Burna Boy owes himself the freedom to evolve, even if it risks polarizing his fanbase. As a reviewer, while “I Told Them” might not resonate with the magic of “Twice as Tall” or “Love Damini”, it’s a stark reminder that artists, like all of us, are on a journey. Sometimes, the path winds unexpectedly, and we must either adapt or yearn for what was.

Tomorrow, I might venture back to Computer Village, perhaps revisit ThePlace for the right soup. But for Burna Boy, the road ahead is unwritten. Let’s just hope that as he navigates his Afrofusion phase, he doesn’t lose sight of the Afrobeats brilliance that many of us fell in love with.

In the grand tapestry of Burna Boy’s career, “I Told Them” will surely be a debated chapter — bold, but perhaps not as iconic as its predecessors. One can only hope that, much like my quest for the perfect vegetable soup, Burna Boy’s journey back to pure Afrobeats essence isn’t too far off the horizon.