Igwe Aka has always possessed a playful side, his relied-upon parlor trick that shrouds his childhood afflictions with crude banter and goofiness. There’s no need to lay his hands on them, just as much as there is no need for you to carve and prod him for answers as if you are performing an autopsy. Sit back and let him talk; he’ll eventually tell you everything you need to hear.
His latest single, ‘Magic,’ is the kind of self-destructive fun only a saboteur leads. Short-lived yet long-affected. Igwe’s gauche writing blends well with the amusing production. Muddy chords alongside thrashing 808s and thumping kick drums subdue the wailing background vocals when he’s disgustingly selfish, “In love with my bitch/she’s a resource,” and permitting the vocals to cut through when he’s overly curt, “I know I ain’t shit/I don’t think she gonna do shit about it,” but only for a short time. He’s oblivious to its influence, but by the end of the second verse, his arrogance leads him back to destructive tendencies. “I love you, but I’m scared of getting close/and I’m prepared to go.” Even on his best day, he finds himself at his worst. The worst kind of balance, but damn, it’s a blast while fucking your life up.
