Kobi Onyame Releases ‘Gold’ Standard On New Album
Kobi Onyame releases third studio album ‘Gold’.
Back in 2012, Glasgow based Kobi Onyame was named MOBO unsung winner, and the years since have seen Kobi’s style and lyricism bloom. Kobi teamed up with DJ Dummy (MD and DJ for J Cole and Common) on the single ‘The Real Part 2’ – taken from his 2013 album ‘Glory’ – following his award win and has continued to go from strength to strength calling on Sway, Emeli Sande and M.anifest as he explored the bounds of contemporary Hip-Hop.
His brand new ‘Gold’ LP is the culmination of a life spent surfing two nations. Ghanaian born and British raised, ‘Gold’ is the opportunity to blend Hip-Hop with rhythmic Afro traditions. A consummate performer, Kobi has brought his modern takes on Hip-Hop on tour dates with some of the greats: Kanye West, Nas, Wu Tang Clan, Oddisee and De La Soul.
Flows abound as Kobi entwines Twi and English across 11 tracks, the percussive lead on ‘Darling’ leaving the listener in no doubt that this is an album that has been designed as a celebration of heritage; but a closer listen reveals an artist on a quest for truth. ‘Chosen Ones’ (featuring Manifest), ‘DMCRZY’ (a play with the notion of Democracy) and ‘Still We Rise’ (featuring Wanlov the Kubolor) play as explorations of fame, love and the realities of dream chasing.
Kobi says of his new album: “I wanted to create a body of work that sonically captured the feel of Highlife music but I didn’t want to lose the Hip-Hop undertones. I love the textures of the 60’s and 70’s. Marrying Osibisa and Fela Kuti vibes with almost Trap rhythms meant I could appeal to every bit of the music lover in me and challenge myself. That’s why I called it ‘Gold’, it’s my gold medal so I’ve won regardless.” Kobi deploys a heavyweight brass section with abandon and huge success most prominently on ‘Wedadi’ (featuring Heir of the Cursed) but the album is filled with dynamic flourishes of live instrumentation throughout. This self produced LP is effortlessly contemporary blurring the lines between worlds, nations and genres commenting on our society, our dreams and questioning the future.
