TOBi dropped what he’s calling a “3 Pack” last friday on Oct. 30. For those unaware, TOBi is a Nigerian-Canadian artist who both raps and sings. He reminds me of artists like Smino and Mick Jenkins, and I gave one of his songs a shoutout here. TOBi has one a JUNO, and I recommend checking out his previously released projects.
This small bundle of songs features three songs: “Too Hot (prod by the great !llmind),” “How Many?,” and “Shall I Continue?” respectively.
“Too Hot” features the type of beat I could see Drake on, but I actually think what TOBi did with it is better than what Drake would’ve. When he switches between his talk-flow and smooth, semi-falsetto, it sounds refreshing. The only crime is the song’s length… I want more! But the upside to a short song is the high replayability.
“How Many” is a gem and a half. Vibey, groovy, and chill. I can sway to this easily. I love the boom bap (ish) drums, shimmering keys, and TOBi’s effortless vocals. Lyrically, he’s poetic but not too heady, using metaphors that are easy to grasp (giving them more impact).
“Shall I Continue?” is very interesting to me. It’s undoubtedly the fullest of the three. It’s music video also dropped on YouTube a couple weeks ago. The beat is hard, old school, new school, grimey, and clean. TOBi raps like he has something to prove. There’s braggadocio (Head in the sky/Feet in the soil/Unlimited growth), wordplay (It’s funny how I brought the pencil out/’cause life is testin’), personal moments (I know my brother looking down on me/Is you proud of me?), and great flows.
TOBi spoils his fans, but hey, I’m already eager for his next release, whatever that may be. So yes TOBi, please continue.
UNEARTHD 