Can Mama make Mayorkun a popstar?

Kiss Daniel’s 'Mama' thrives on a pacy Young John beat; Mayorkun's rides on a mid-tempo one produced by Kiddominant, a regular producer for artists under Davido’s DMW record label.The first line of Mayorkun's 'Mama'—“I go take care of you pass a nanny”—is cheesy but endearing nonetheless. But the next one is insensitive.

“All your problem I know say solution na ego” is a declaration you wouldn’t be surprised to hear from his boss Davido, the one Nigerian pop act who can hardly serenade a lover without mentioning his spending power.

In real life, that might be an offensive statement, but it’s a Nigerian pop song—normalising the ridiculous is what the genre thrives on. And the line serves as an interesting avenue into the Mayorkun’s fortunes since he first came on the scene.

On his first single, the better-written ‘Eleko’, he is less cocky, pleading “Igba ti ma lowo, Oluwa lo Mo” (Only God knows when I'll make money). But with money comes arrogance. Supposedly now rich, he tells the lady he is courting: “Na you…go chop all my money o.”

The magical properties of poverty might make rappers boast about being the best without an album out, but with pop singers, it brings humility. It is why Wizkid couldn’t have sang a line like “Are you gonna dance if I show you my money?” by his first album, but by his second, he asks just that and titles the song 'Show You the Money'.

A year after joining Davido’s label, Mayorkun seems to have mastered the secret of staying relevant in Nigeria's pop music sphere, a secret that involves the consistent release of easy to sing-along songs with groovy beats. The downside to this is a lack of a yearning for the creation of lasting pop art and good songwriting—a situation that has arrested the careers of such talents as Orezi, Sean Tizzle, Lil Kesh and Skales.

Others like Tiwa Savage and Niniola have found the balance between good songwriting and giving the people what they want. So when Mayorkun sullies the lyrics to ‘Mama’ with Scooby Doos and bamboos, he fails to find that balance, and instead ruins his own chance at pop music greatness.

Buy Mama on iTunes

Artist: Mayorkun
Song: Mama
Label, Year: DMW, 2017