EP Review: PsychoYP’s Euphoria Is Concerned with Both the Good & Bad Sides of Fame
The Nigerian rapper lays out his emotional highs and lows on certified bangers.
PsychoYP, one of the leading hip-hop acts in Nigeria, began his career at 18 with his 2016 debut EP Lost In The Sauce. On the project, the Abuja-based rapper, born Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi, exhibited confidence that belied his age and won him teeming fans. He followed that up with his 2018 debut album YPSZN and his 2019 sophomore album YPSZN2, which featured acts such as LADIPOE, Blaqbonez, BOJ and Skales. YPSZN2 was nominated in the Best Rap Album category at the 2020 Headies. PsychoYP’s music is an effortless mix of hip-hop and afro-pop.
Euphoria, PsychoYP’s latest offering, is a nine-track follow-up to YP & Azanti, Vol. 1, his collaborative project with up-and-coming singer Azanti. It features production from BTG, Malik Bawa, Big Fish, JAYLON, SCXTT, Remy Baggins, Jabani, Shadow and Ramoni. Some of the songs were recorded while PsychoYP was studying for a master’s degree in the UK. For most parts of the project, PsychoYP is in braggadocio mode, flaunting his wealth and taking shots at perceived enemies.
On opener “Big Moves,” PsychoYP informs his listeners that while his haters are busy hating, he is making big moves: making money and travelling around the world. The track is a chaotic yet tidy blend of heavy bass, warbled vocals and electric guitar riffs. At a point in the song, a male voice issues a piece of advice to all up-and-coming singers and rappers: “The best thing you can do, right now, is to go and hustle for a YP feature.”
PsychoYP retains his confidence on the grime-influenced “+234 (Daily Paper).” “I know they hate that I’m famous/I know they hate cus I’m blessed/Starboy I make daily paper,” he raps and proclaims that he is striving despite the negativity he faces. In a not-too-subtle tone, he warns his enemies that he can return their energy in kind. “My man don’t smoke but he do toke opps on the block on a daily basis/And I swear it’s no joke/Go splash up your folks if I do get caught I’d face it,” he raps.
On “Industry N****S,” PsychoYP is disgruntled with the insincerity in the music industry. He raps about his dislike for folks who only associate with him because of his fame. The song bounces with infectious energy backed by a mean-faced bassline and flute melody. On “Guapane$E,” which is a rap slang about a conversation that involves moneymaking, PsychoYP, UK rapper Rasstokyo and Ireland-born Nigerian rapper Trill Tega declare that they have no time for discussions that don’t fatten their bank accounts.
South African rapper J Molley and PsychoYP mix the braggadocio on the project with a dose of vulnerability on “Target.” Both artistes narrate how their fame makes them targets of violence and gold diggers. “I just wish I can be honest/Signing papers in the office/Lot of people out of pockets/I haven’t had peace in the longest,” J Molley raps.
On the drill-patterned “Smoke 4 Free,” PsychoYP casts aside the vulnerability and calls on his enemies to approach him and face his wrath. “Heard somebody trying to fuck with my slate/I don’t want to talk too much right now/So bring me his head on a plate,” he raps. On “In Peace,” PsychoYP serves opposite energy: he just wants to stay in his lane, focus on making money and music and “roll in peace.”
Nigerian afro-fusion artiste Alpha P and Zambia-born, Johannesburg-based rapper PatricKxxLee produce exquisite verses on “6 Feet Deep”; they brag about their wealth and women and at the same time fire shots at their foes. Alpha P and PatricKxxLee’s singsong vocals glide over the instrumental, their pain and pleasure simultaneously spilling out on the record.
On the title track, PsychoYP is in a carefree, dreamy state aided by weed and pills. “I don’t feel myself I like it,” he raps. His fears and anxieties are on the back burner; he is having a good time, reminiscing on his rise to fame. All seems fine until PsychoYP punctures his ballon of comfort, revealing his peaceful state to be a hoax. “I don’t feel myself (I like it)/I just feel a way (like it)/I’m asking for help/I need all the pain to go away,” he raps. The song is a fitting ending for a project that entertains the benefits of fame as well as grapples with its consequences.
With a rich discography of three solo projects and four collaborative projects, Euphoria is evidence that PsychoYP has matured over the years as an artiste. His choice to stick to his core as a rapper is admirable; he adds to that doggedness influences from around the world and creates impressive music.
Go HERE to stream Euphoria.