With 'Get Layd,' Omah Lay proves his star potential [EP Review]

On May 22, 2020, Nigerian new kid on the block, Omah Lay probably rudder-stamped endorsements of his talent with a letter to star power. In that letter, there are only four simple words, 'I'm coming for you.'

At the start of the year, Omah Lay was just a Port Harcourt boy with talent. By May, Omah Lay looks to have sealed his Rookie of the Year win at the next Headies - maybe even a Next Rated win. 'You' was the song that got everybody's attention, but 'Bad Influence' is coasting towards a big win for Omah Lay and his team.

From its title, Get Layd feels equal parts creative use of words and equal parts a cocky statement of introduction just like James Bond would introduce himself as, 'Bond. James Bond.' While the EP is not exactly a lewd show of sexual predilection, it contains themes of sex. What Get Layd means though is, 'Here I am, I am Omah Lay' - hence the creative spelling of 'laid' as 'Layd.'

The EP opens up to 'Damn,' a reggae fusion song with a beautiful use of bass. The beat threatens to steal the spotlight, but Omah Lay recovers in term for his tale about a badboy-loving girl. 'Lo Lo' is an Afro&B declaration of intent to love and be loved. And oh, there are also deft hints of sex while this Hi-life beat is also amazing. But 'Tell your friends' though? Omah Lay, chill o. COVID is around.

In the news article for 'You' earlier in the year, Pulse Nigeria wrote, "A lot of times, the music is good, but it lacks resonance. Built on an R&B rhythm that rides dancehall progression and percussion, Omah Lay sings his heart out in his pungent vocals.Asides the very defly produced beat, Omah Lay is a master with everything associated with this song's hook.

"It doesn't matter what the verse represents, Omah Lay kills the bridge and the hook as he 'washes' a faceless woman with the 'demonic' throes of lyrical poetry. The message is also central, "I Love You."" The message is still valid. Then comes the Afro&B vibes of 'Bad Influence,' it's echoes of 2018 Wizkid and amazing songwriting - a common denominator throughout this project.

'Ye Ye Ye' is a trap-based cloud rap song. While this song might not really matter in seven months, it will be like what 'Why' is to Rema when Rema EP dropped. It's a needed show of versatility - something that sells new age Nigerian artists like nothing else. On it, Omah Lay is Port Harcourt Abel Tesfaye as he discusses toxic sex with patriarchal tendencies and beautiful 'scum-itude.' Future would be proud of this lewdness.

'Ye Ye Ye' is this writer's favourite song on Get Layd. If many didn't understand the Omah Lay hype machine before, they definitely do now. That said, the engineering on 'Ye Ye Ye' could have been better. The drums feel muffled.

Final Thoughts

Get Layd is not an exceptional project - at five tracks, there's only so much an artist can do. What this EP is a beautiful introduction to yet another momentous talent in the Nigerian change of guard. One that looks to be a key player from here on out. Asides that, nobody will care about the faults of this project, we will all be too drunk on shock value to care.

Omah Lay's greatest gift might seem his technique or his lyric tenor vocal, but it's not. His greatest gift is his type of songwriting that merges echoes of Fireboy's creative penmanship with Wizkid's vibes. .Omah Lay, the world is watching now - go on and dominate.

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

7.5 - Victory