Playboy Album: Doings Of A Fire Boy

Damola Badmos 

Today, Friday 12th August 2022, marks exactly a week after the release of the third studio album of renowned OAU English graduate, Adedamola Adefolahan, popularly known by his stage name as Fireboy DML. This project titled PLAYBOY is a 14-track album with hits upon hits, featuring the ‘disturbance of the last year festive season’ titled Peru. In this article, we will be dissecting the album in review as well as discussing the ‘Doings of a Fire Boy.’ To me, a Fire Boy is a Whiz in what he does.

The 26-year-old Ogun State-born award-winning artiste is signed to top Nigerian artiste Olamide’s YBNL record label as well as foreign-based Empire label. He has featured with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Olamide, D Smoke, Wande Coal, Rema, Chris Brown, Euro, and fast-rising act Asake. The OAU graduate has been opportune to shut down and perform at renowned arenas all over the world, with a protective fan base that rallies around him on social media platforms.

The Passenger-inspired artiste has bagged a lot of nominations and awards in different categories and has whopping 3 studio albums to his name. This feat is so crazy for such a talent to achieve the release of 3 studio albums in less than 4 years. Well, no need for a debate, we all know the superstar is ‘goated’. His debut album titled ‘Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps’ was released on the 29th of November, 2019. His second album titled ‘Apollo’ was released on the 20th of August, 2020, and featured his megahit ‘Champion’ which was played at the UEFA Super Cup final celebrations by German football giants, FC Bayern Munchen. 

His newest and third studio album titled ‘Playboy’ was released on the 5th of August and has amassed a huge number of plays on streaming platforms alongside massive wide play across the country and beyond. It has also received wide recognition and a lot of positive reviews online from fellow artists and listeners. Here is a dissection of this top-notch album starting with the first on the tracklist.

Track 1: Change 

Every album has an intro but every extraordinary album has a super-standard intro and such is the case of this track. ‘Change’ as the first track depicts a transition in the life of Fireboy and how he has managed to adapt to this new lifestyle. It is a very sonorous track with inspirational lyrics that has won the hearts of many. I interviewed Oluwafemi Olabode the EIC and he has this as his main favorite.

Track 2: Bandana (featuring Asake) 

Released on July 15, 2022, the Asake-featured track blew into the scene and found itself at the number 1 spot for some time. The notable lyric in this track is ‘Bandana lori bi ti 2pac’ which depicts a sound inspired by the 2pac style of dressing back in the 90s. Asake’s prowess coupled with the Fireboy we know created magic and this is a top contender for awards by the end of the year. As of now, the lyrics video of this track has amassed over 1 million views. Is this not crazy? I interviewed Feranmi Adewojo the Creative Director, and he has this as his main favorite.

Track 3: Ashawo 

This sweet track is the third off the album and denotes his love for a lady and how everybody is bound to love at one point in time. His lyrics show his apology for the girl he loves while blaming it on ‘shayo’ which means getting drunk. The notable lyric in this track is ‘Wetin I dey find for Fatima wey my Chima no get’. Fireboy from the days of LTG is ‘goated’ when it comes to singing love songs.

Track 4: Playboy 

His first single of the year, Playboy was released on the 24th of March, 2022, and garnered massive airplay across the country. This track interprets his playboy attitude with his gees cruising in clubs and always on the road. He further states his girl wants to be with him despite his playboy attitude. Fireboy is classy no doubt and attracts a lot of girls on a normal level. The video was later released and top Mavin star Rema was featured in it. I, Damola Badmos, have it as my main favorite of the album.

Track 5: Adore (featuring Euro) 

Fireboy engaged the services of Dominican-American rapper Euro to dish out this slow tempo sonorous tune. Fireboy’s message in this track is a reference to what his girl has done for him in the past and how he can’t get over her. He displays how he still adores her despite all that has occurred. Euro’s presence in this track is also crazy as his bars sounded out of this world.

Track 6: Sofri 

Definitely in the top 5 tracks in this album. The sound of this track is extraordinary and the lyrics match to the core. Here, he tries to convince his girl who we now know as Sofri that he is ready to dedicate himself and promises all he has but she seems not to agree. Fireboy tried his best on this track and we hope Sofri grants his wish.

Track 7: Diana (featuring Chris Brown and Shenseea) 

Chris Brown’s effect on this track cannot be underestimated. Here, they try to convince Diana, another of Fireboy’s girls not to leave. Is Fireboy finding it difficult to pick between Sofri and Diana? Or is Diana also Sofri? We never can tell. Fireboy states here that he’s approached by many girls but he still doesn’t want Diana to leave. Jamaican dancehall singer, Shenseea’s bars and tune completed the fire this track needed and her influence towards the end is unmatched.

Track 8: Compromise (featuring Rema)

Two GOATS of their generation on this track is one of the sweetest things fans want to see. This healthy competition and love they have for each other is something worthy of emulation. Here, Fireboy tries to keep his girl from going and promises to compromise for her. Is this the point where we agree that Fireboy was a playboy? Let us keep moving.

Track 9: Timoti 

Fireboy here is trying to reflect on what he has gone through. He is indirectly showing his experiences in the lyrics. Now he further states how he navigated through it and achieved his success.

Track 10: Peru 

Definitely my number 2 track of the Playboy album. Released on July 20, 2021, this track ruled the second half of 2021 in Nigeria and spread all over the world while it caught the attention of the almighty Ed Sheeran. The lyrics ‘Peru Peru para’ and ‘Won ni won wa mi Won ni won wa mi, I’m in San Francisco jamming’ turned into slang, and this Peru-inspired (country) track earned him an award from the country itself. To date, I feel that Wande Coal sang the second verse of this song. Sounds crazy? That’s how I feel, not that that’s what it is.

Track 11: Afro Highlife

The intro of this track is no doubt the best on the album. Here, he tries to establish his presence in the music scene. He talks about his entry into the industry and how they welcomed and accepted his sound in grand style. He titled this sound ‘Afro Highlife’ and credited Zaki, the magic finger behind the production. This is a very great piece on this playboy album.

 Track 12: Havin’ Fun

Here, he mentions how he started and how the journey was for him. He gave acknowledgment and gratitude to God for where he is now. He further states that his music is now at the top and he is now having fun at this stage of his life. He calls for celebration and credited his family, peers, and fans for his current stage.

Track 13: Peru (featuring Ed Sheeran)

This Ed Sheeran-assisted track was released on December 24, 2021, and found its way into Billboard instantly after release. This feat is a very huge one in the industry and its emergence is similar to the way Drake hopped on Wizkid’s ‘Ojuelegba’ in 2015. This established him finally on the global scene and since then, the Fire Boy has been doing wonders all over the world with his Afro Highlife sound.

Track 14: Glory

Last on the track list, ‘Glory’ signifies that he remembers the struggle and what he has achieved after years in the journey. A notable lyric here related to OAU is ‘Then I really went from hustling for free bed space to investing in real estate.’ Obviously the fans' favorite. With the release of this album, Fireboy DML has undoubtedly established his sound and himself as the Fire Boy of the Nigeria music scene. Obviously the best among his peers, the OAU graduate is a pride to the institution and a talent to watch out for. We congratulate our Fire Boy and legendary act Olamide on the release of this third album and wish them well as always.