There are artists known solely for their music, and others known for not just their music, but other aspects of their life, which most times intersect with their music and influence it. For PrettyBoy D-O, the latter category best describes him. He is an artist who prides himself as a distinct breed, and one who explores the gamut of his creativity in music, fashion, art and other contributory aspects of his branding.
Since his breakout into the Nigerian music industry, Prettyboy D-O has done things in his own way and to a large extent, been expressive about it. This level of confidence led to his classification of the kind of music he does as Culté music, which is a merger of the word cult and alté music.
He has released several songs and albums including; Everything Pretty (2018), Wildfire (2020) and Love is War (2021). These albums are testament to his range as a multifaceted artist, and proves he can be whatever kind of artist he wants to be. PrettyBoy actively explores a wide range of genres including hip-hop, afropop, reggae and alternative music.
In our usual fashion, we will recommend some of the songs from his creative catalog we think you should hear, and we hope you love them!
Jungle Justice
Exclusively released for the German music performance platform; Colors, Jungle Justice is one of PrettyBoy’s emotional songs. Released in 2020, this song sheds light on the political situation peculiar to the artist’s country, and creates a metaphoric comparison to the Nigerian music industry, and how brutal it could be towards emerging artists.
He narrates his struggles in the past as an artist on the come up, in the lyrics; “I was struggling, I had nothing, I was living with my cousin” and how he, who was the underdog, has grown to be a respectable person in the music industry. It is an interesting song that exemplifies his ability to fit into multiple genres and create beautiful songs while at it.
Dey Go Hear Wehh
The outro to his Wildfire album, this song has a mid-tempo beat, and Pretty Boy’s rap overlay, which creates a feel good song. It is layered with pidgin and English language, and back-up instrumentals that rhyme properly to create the perfect jam. It is his way of reminiscing how far he has come as an artist, and telling whoever cares to listen, that they would eventually hear about him.
If you live in Nigeria and ever feel the need to be confident before making inconsequential decisions like struggling for fuel, you need this song to be on the highest volume.
Belly Of the Beast ft. Nissi
This is another PrettyBoy D-O song we recommend you add to your playlist. In this song, PrettyBoy taps the renowned singer-songwriter, Nissi, for a beautiful rendition. It is an interesting collaboration that has Nissi open up the track with her melodious voice and PrettyBoy’s follow-up with a vibrant and energetic delivery.
When next you listen to the album, do well to leave this song on repeat!
Confam (Boj ft. PrettyBoy D-O)
If you were among those who repeatedly listened to Boj’s Gbagada Express, this song should have been on your playlist by now.
On Confam, PrettyBoy does what he knows best, as he delivers a brilliant verse on the track to compliment Boj’s subtler tune. PrettyBoy, away from his default nature and slightly “off brand”, fills-in the position of a loverboy with the lyrics; ‘Girl, when I am with you, it’s like a holiday / And if you leave, I no go pass today’.
It is interesting to see our energy-infused heavyweight leader crumble at the feet of love. This only points to one thing, Fear women!
Pull Up ft. Santi
An interesting one off his musical debut; Everything Pretty, Pull Up is a song that lightens up your mood. By default, PrettyBoy’s songs come with heavy strains of energy and upbeat elements, which are evident in this song. Cruel Santino comes through to balance out PrettyBoy’s grit and give you a softer listen.
Pull Up is definitely the jam to get you pumped for the weekend, and we highly recommend you keep that in mind, ahead of your next weekend getaway.
Korokoro
This song has PrettyBoy D-O strapped in his Drill bag. Korokoro is a song delivered on a drill-type beat; a sound peculiar to the UK rap scene. In this song, PrettyBoy once again showcases his range as a genre bender and music professional. If we ever witnessed fan wars among the numerous fan bases in the Nigerian music industry, the only song that should play loudly in the background is Korokoro.
Worthy mentions on this list include Police n teef ft Zlatan, Chop Elbow ft Falz, amongst others.
Chukwuebuka Mgbemena is a writer focused on the Nigerian & African entertainment industry. He loves fashion, art and is a staunch chess player.
