Since getting his break in 2018 with ‘Mamiwota’, Blaqbonez has remained one of Nigeria’s most consistent rappers, releasing two EPs and two studio albums in five years. Whether for his braggadocious claims, marketing antics, or bold fashion choices; Emeka The Stallion, as he's fondly called has hacked how to be a newsworthy sensation. This popularity has also reflected on the charts, enabling Blaqbonez to combine commercial success with the critical acclaim that he earned early on in his career. At the 16th Headies, Blaqbonez won the coveted Best Rap Album of the Year award for his sophomore album, ‘Young Preacher,’ a career highlight for the talented rapper. He is now looking to build on that success with his new album, ‘Emeka Must Shine,’ which is set to drop this Friday, 27th October 2023.

What To Expect 

Blaqbonez’s evolution over the years has been nothing short of sensational. While he started out as a hardcore rapper known for his bars and excellent delivery, he has since transformed into a well-rounded artiste who isn’t scared of experimenting. On ‘Young Preacher,’ his award-winning sophomore, Blaqbonez explored genres like Highlife, rap, Afropop, and Dancehall. It also featured brilliant samples from Nigerian classic songs, ‘Forever’ by Paul Play and ‘360’ by Asa. 

One can therefore expect a blend of rap and pop with added experimentation, on ‘Emeka Must Shine,’  and the lead singles ‘Cinderella Girl,’ ‘Like Ice Spice,’ and ‘Bezos’ are clear indicators of this. 

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More Collaborations

A quick look at Blaqbonez’s previous albums shows that he is big on collaborations. This is not in any way surprising, as his successful collaborations have been a catalyst for his continued success. His highest charting singles on the Official Singles Chart, are ‘Bling’ featuring BNXN and Amaarae which peaked at No. 3, and ‘Back in Uni’ featuring JAE5 which peaked at No. 5. ‘Emeka Must Shine’ follows the trend of collaborations, as he enlists a wide range of artistes including Black Sherif, Young Jonn, Victony, Zlatan, ODUMODUBLVCK, Projexx, Ludacris and more. The African artistes on the list are high flyers on the charts, and will bring added stardust to Blaqbonez’s quest to top the charts. Also, this lineup of diverse artistes promises to give the album a broad sonic tapestry, by complementing Blaqbonez’sversatility. 

First Week Streaming Projection

The expectation is for ‘Emeka Must Shine’ to amass between 6 to 8 million streams in the first week, indicating that the album is set to match or surpass ‘Young Preacher’ which amassed 6 million streams in its first week. 'Young Preacher' also peaked at No. 5 on the albums charts. Interestingly, rap music has experienced a resurgence on the charts, with Olamide's 'Unuly' and ODUMODUBLVCK's 'EZIOKWU' both peaking at No. 1 on the albums chart. This momentum is sure to serve Blaqbonez's 'Emeka Must Shine' in good stead.