Planet Pluto is an introduction to the chaotic planet of Shallipopi.
What a year 2023 has been for Shallipopi! He has scored two smash hit singles with Elon Musk and Ex-Convict, gotten cosigns from Davido and Wizkid, gone number one on the Apple Music Nigeria charts (singles and albums), and quite importantly, he was convicted for Internet fraud after being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. How does one person have so much going on at once?
Well, that’s the sort of chaos Shallipopi exists in. He does well to introduce his audience to this chaotic planet he calls Pluto, where he reigns supreme as the Obapluto, or, in clearer terms, the King of Pluto.
To open the project, he takes us to the ancient city of Benin, where he announces himself as the King of Pluto. The record is a celebratory record. Shalli has arrived; he was a servant before; now he is king. He gives shout-outs to accomplished people, which include Oba Ovurame and Dapper Dan, and refers to them as men. He then includes himself in that prestigious list to affirm his new status as king.
To become King, one has to go through hurdles and obstacles before attaining royalty. For Shalipopi, A brief run with the law was necessary in his journey to kingship. He discusses his experience in a cell and confirms that there is no joy in prison. He accepts the punishment for the crimes he allegedly committed as he sings, Who collects money must chop payback; I dagbo money; unto men in red, I gats pay them back’.
Speedometer follows the same template as the previous records. The use of the flute at the end of the record is appreciated, but the melody is too similar to the melody Tempoe used in Victony’s Soweto.
Sharpiru and Ahead Ahead are underwhelming records that this project could have done without, while Fireboy’s unnecessary verse was the only smear on the Elon Musk remix that closed out the project.
While this project is a good debut that has done well to solidify Shallipopi’s run, A lot was left to be desired. The track listing for one could have been better. The project goes downhill and becomes boring after track 3. The songs are also monotonous. All the songs sound the same. As singles, Four of them have smash-hit potential.
When put together as a project, it becomes problematic because no one wants to hear the same song over and over again. The project lacks the sonic diversity needed to create a true album experience. The beats feels like it’s the same beat that has been reworked six times. The lyrics are also repetitive, and it feels like he is saying the same thing in every song. It is now important to see which direction Shallipopi heads in on his next song or project.
However, the project displays Shallipopi’s hit-making potential. He may not be able to put together a cohesive and timeless project like Burna Boy or Brymo, but it seems like he can create songs that become national or even continental smash hits. The most important thing about the project is that it retains its entire essence, which is chaos. The use of the log drums, his style and even the lyrics scream chaos, on speedometer, he sings ‘it was nice to meet ya but it was really not nice to meet ya, it was really not nice to meet ya’. How?
Rating: 4.5
As compiled by Phil
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