Bryan The Mensah discusses resonant topics on 'Not Going Outside' [EP Review]

On June 26, 2020, Ghanaian rapper, Bryan The Mensah released his fifth body of work in less than three years. 'Not Going Outside' follows the line of previous Mensah projects that shows the rapper as someone in touch with his feelings and inner formation - even though topical and thematic conversations might be different.

Friends With The Sun addressed introspective issues of love and mental health. Just So I Could Shock Everybody felt like a compilation of songs that portray Mensah's aspiration by addressing Bryan The Mensah and his formative years. WILDLIFE is slightly risque in its attempts to examine life through Bryan The Mensah's lens.

I Don't Feel Like Going Outside was a tale of reluctance driven by aspiration and focus. It's also a precursor to Not Going Outside, the completion and the certainty of a journey.

On it, Bryan The Mensah documents the effects of similar issues like ambition, money, love and mental health, but this time with a more aspirational background. Instead of resting on his laurels, he wants to go for more and that’s why he’s Not Going Outside.

Perhaps the most illuminating song to the overall spirit of Not Going Outside is the Alternative Hip-Hop, Gym Class Heroes-sounding sung-rap of 'No Time To Flex.' If you are unwilling to go outside, it means you don't have time to flex because you are either busy chasing your dreams or too engrossed with other important issues or both.

While the soul of the track feels authentic, it doesn't exactly seem like a direct picture of Mensah's life - at least, not totally. The admittance of having "racks on racks" feels aspirational, but the part of not having time to flex due to busier schedules seems true.

Asides the message and lyrics though, the song feels musically deficient - only salvaged by drums. More of the melody at 2:35 would have made this more musical.

The lack of truth to the topic on 'No Time To Flex' is reflected in the album intro, 'Big Money,' a trap-based tale of aspirations and dreams. Bryan The Mensah and Kojo-Cue set themselves apart from the crowd - instead of spending the little they have on vanity, they are intent on getting more.

‘Seeing Is Believing’ is a topic of focus because of important things like family and success. Mensah makes the music conversation as he interacts with people in the first person. He also urges himself not to focus on what people believe or don’t believe. But that shot at critics… Ouch.

‘Walls’ is a Trap&B track about heartbreak, which might be another reason Mensah is not going outside and is focused on his dreams - depression. Still on the topic of love is the R&B song, ‘Easily’ which features BULLY. Mensah and BULLY play the role of lovers who are looking to work through their issues and just love each other.

‘Promo Code’ uses the symbolism of mobility to tell the story of how money is a precursor to upward movement. This is impressive and creative. ‘Macrowave’ features Romeo Swag in a story of progress as Mensah and Swag brag their way through it all.

Final Thoughts

Bryan The Mensah knows how to convey authenticity even when he’s not telling his own personal story - that’s a gift that only a few people have. Asides that, Bryan The Mensah is blessed with an ability to spit the real about any topic he chooses for a song - this man has so much potential.

On the flip side, that seems like a slight problem. Not Going Outside has a problem of alignment. Bryan The Mensah seems too focused on what he’s saying that the production and melodies don’t quite match up to his lyrical quality.

While the message is resonant and will endear Mensah towards the typical millennial and Gen Z audience because he’s basically speaking our truth on wax, it could be a problem for his true permeation with other demographics.

To Pimp A Butterfly is good music because it discusses sensitive topics and complex symbolism with enjoyable music. Equally, except Not Going Outside has a different connotation, some songs feel slightly risque to the overall, aspirational and conservative spirit of this album.

The fact that ‘Easily’ comes after ‘Walls’ creates a problem of creative and topical alignment for this project. The other question is how does ‘Easily’ play into the topic of not going outside? The only answer is maybe the problematic relationship on ‘Walls’ is what Mensah seeks to work through on ‘Easily,’ but that’s left to the listener to decipher - there’s no nexus.

This could have been solved with the tracklist, by making ‘Easily’ come before ‘Walls,’ thereby telling a story of love gone sour and leading to more reasons to not go outside.

Whatever the case is, Bryan The Mensah will probably never produce average music and Not Going Outside is another win - albeit with imperfections. Take a bow, mate. Africa is watching.

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

Tracklist: 1.3/2

Content and Themes: 1.4/2

Production: 1.0/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.4/2

Execution: 1.4/2