A review of 'Naughty By Nature' by Nigerian music star Laime

Laime is one of the artists out of Abuja's creative hub whose music offers insight into the talents budding in the capital city and showcases the different approaches to Afrobeats.

On his latest project 'Naughty By Nature', Laime shows his cool approach to Afrobeats and his remarkable versatility, but he also displays an unavoidable sonic similarity to Burna Boy, which for him, is both a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because his music might get the attention of listeners who may mistake him for Burna Boy with whom he shares the same local government and a curse because those listeners might make a 180 upon finding out he's not the Grammy winner.

On 'Naughty By Nature', Laime explores Hip Hop and Pop variants within the Afrobeats framework.

Although some listener's first introduction to Laime is the Drill record 'Where Dem Dey' his collaboration with Hip Hop and star and fellow Abuja talent ODUMODUBLVCK, Laime has been around for a while. He pointed this out on the opening record 'On My Life', where he said he has been around since M.I. Abaga sang his hit single 'Anoti'.

If at all there's a basis for the sonic comparison to Burna Boy, 'Aye Ole!' where he restates his desire to lead a worry free life underscores this similarity as Laime's melodies, delivery, and Adlibs on the Swing record mirrors that of the Grammy winner. This similarity is also on display on 'Signs' where he wears his heart on his sleeves.

Laime explores Afropop on Spellz produced 'Ololufemi' (Wole)' where he lays melody like a Popstar for a feel-good love tune that shows his ability to make easily enjoyable music. The ability to craft a Party-starting record is an essential ingredient for commercial success in Afrobeats and Laime fulfills this requirement with 'Away' where he interpolates D'Banj's famous 'Mo gbona Feli Feli' line.

His cadences and versatility shine on the slow burner '7 In the Morning' with Lojay who continues his sensational run of features in 2023 and in 'Signs' where he interpolates melodies from Davido's 'For The Road'. Switching between Pop rap and mid-tempo flows, Laime promises to take off the playboy robe for a lover boy cloak as he offers himself to his lover on songs where he shows his ability to morph from rapping to singing.

An artist from Port Harcourt repping Abuja's creative Hop, Laime has his feet in different parts of Nigeria's music hubs and he embraces this in the remix of his single 'Where Dem Dey' with Dan Dizzy and Psycho YP repping the PH and Abuja hubs respectively.

Overall, 'Naughty By Nature' presents Laime's cool approach to Afrobeats as he displays range and an unavoidable similarity to one of Nigeria's most gifted music acts Burna Boy.

Although listeners will continue to draw comparisons between his music and that of fellow Port Harcourt-born star Burna Boy, Laime is a fine artist in his own right and his music is capable of someday earning him a deserved time in the limelight.

Ratings: /10

• 0-1.9: Flop

• 2.0-3.9: Near fall

• 4.0-5.9: Average

• 6.0-7.9: Victory

• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10

Album Sequencing: 1.5/2

Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.5/2

Production: 1.6/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.5/2

Execution: 1.5/2