Big Bad World captures Ajebutter22 growing in confidence, not only as a songwriter and vocalist, but especially as a rapper, with noticeably sharper penmanship and technical ability.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Ajebutter22 has long occupied a lane distinctly his own within Nigerian music. While many of his contemporaries have built their identities around grandiosity, intensity, or relentless hit-chasing, the Lagos artiste has consistently thrived through effortless cool, understated charisma, and a conversational songwriting style that turns everyday experiences into charming, memorable records. Across more than a decade, that easy-going personality has become one of his greatest strengths, allowing him to navigate Hip-Hop, Afro-Pop, R&B, and Alternative influences with remarkable ease while cultivating a catalogue that has quietly shaped contemporary Nigerian music.
His latest project, Big Bad World, finds him returning with that familiar laid-back confidence while reflecting on life, love, success, and the changing world around him. Rather than reinventing himself, Ajebutter22 leans further into the qualities that have always defined his artistry, using the project as another showcase of his relaxed songwriting, melodic instincts, and unmistakable personality.
The opening track, “Everybody Guide”, immediately establishes Big Bad World’s Hip-Hop leanings. Smooth electric piano flourishes glide over a simple two-chord progression before Ajebutter22 enters through a pitched-down chorus, only for thumping kicks, sizzling hi-hats, sharp claps and a rich acoustic bassline to firmly anchor the record in rap territory. Ajebutter22 returns with the familiar auto-tuned melodic flow that has long defined his style, but there is a noticeable sharpness to both his pen and delivery, as overlapping rhyme schemes and a more forceful cadence reveal increasingly refined rap chops. “I been money making/ Never many faking/ Got their money shaking/ Bread I’m breaking/ Rising faster than the fucking bread you’re baking”, he fires off before the song pivots through a beat switch into a harder Hip-Hop instrumental driven by pounding kicks, a ripping 808 and a filtered sample. There, he launches into an engaging storytelling passage, painting vivid snapshots of Lagos and its dream-killing realities through clever punchlines that never lose sight of the song’s thematic throughline.
Rich strummed guitars, soft electric piano, layered female choir vocals and intricate Latin percussion immediately transport “Polanco Dreams” into a warm Salsa-inspired groove, with shakers, Tresillo kick patterns, bass guitar and tasteful brass and saxophone accents constantly adding movement to the instrumental. Over this colourful backdrop, Ajebutter22 delivers one of his strongest lyrical performances on Big Bad World, filling the song with flexible flows, overlapping rhyme schemes and relatable observations about aspiration and the hustle required to attain it. “Every day we thinking and making a choice/ When you living in a jungle, thinking of a bundle/ Everywhere you turn they are making a noise/ If you like no go hustle get that bag for Polanco/ Then you be having a voice”, he raps, capturing the record’s central idea with characteristic wit and clarity.
The beautifully layered backing harmonies that close the song only reinforce what is one of the project’s most fully realised compositions, making it easy to understand why Ajebutter22 has described it as his favourite song on the album.
The title track, “Big Bad World”, shifts comfortably into Afro-Pop, pairing shimmering electric keys and bright pads with energetic drums, clacking syncopated percussion, pounding kicks and a weighty 808. Ajebutter22 responds by embracing melody, his singing shaped by the rhythmic instincts of a seasoned rapper as he wraps catchy cadences around the beat’s synth accents. Characteristically witty wordplay remains central to the writing, with lines like, “O le ma Whatsapp mi lo ri Fax [You cannot WhatsApp me, send me a fax]/ I dey hustle my way no time to relax/ Indian hemp in my hair that’s dax/ Remember when my problem was how to get knacks/ Now it’s seven figures when I wanna pay tax”, balancing humour with personal reflection.
Although the song reflects on navigating a difficult world, it does so through an uplifting lens, offering anecdotes and quiet words of wisdom before a rapid-fire closing passage hands the spotlight back to the instrumental.
“Format” injects a welcome burst of energy through a booming electronic synth bass, buzzing saw lead and pulsating four-on-the-floor kicks that borrow from Jersey Club while retaining an unmistakable Afrobeats pulse. The lively production perfectly complements Ajebutter22’s playful writing as he humorously explores the various “formats” people employ to get ahead in everyday life. “Mama lack of funds na im make me sey na quiet night/ Balling is a privilege e no be my human right/ You’re sexy, and I know it/ O ya come and show it/ And if I no get money I know how I can borrow it”, he jokes, delivering satirical observations with effortless charm. It is a light-hearted record throughout, but one whose clever punchlines and relatable humour prevent it from ever feeling superficial.
A nostalgic sample of jazzy piano and vintage vocal chops introduces “Lagos City Hustler”, before rattling shakers and Afro-Fusion drums gradually settle into an easy groove beneath smooth bass and Ajebutter22’s signature melodic rap cadence. Taking on the role of the titular hustler, he becomes increasingly introspective, allowing personal storytelling rather than melodic embellishment to drive the song forward. “Things that make me smile I no dey wait to get/ Things that weigh me down, hate and debit alert/ I no dey like comment I keep to myself/ Wait for the right moment to offload my chest”, he reflects, revealing a more vulnerable perspective as the steady delivery and thoughtful lyricism carry the emotional weight of the record.
That introspective mood continues into the closer, “More or Less”, where sombre piano samples and chopped vocal textures establish a reflective sonic palette before cool, Timbaland-inspired drums arrive with metallic percussion, smooth kicks and crisp snares. Ajebutter22 sounds measured and mature, weaving personal anecdotes together with observations on the state of the nation and everyday life through his conversational writing style. “Ọ̀n là ti kọ́gbọ́n [Wisdom comes with age]/ Oníjàngbọ́n [One who behaves as though they know everything]/ Ó rò pé ó stubborn [Who thinks they are stubborn]/ Common sense ò ti common [Common sense is no longer common]”, he muses before extending the song’s central motif into the hopeful closing refrain, “More inspiration less inflation/ More celebration on vacation/ Less explanation more elation”. It is a fitting close to Big Bad World, one that favours perspective and quiet reflection over grand declarations while demonstrating the thoughtful side of Ajebutter22’s songwriting.
One of the first things longtime Ajebutter22 listeners will notice about Big Bad World is who is not on it. Frequent collaborators such as BOJ and Falz are absent, leaving Butter to shoulder the project entirely on his own. As he explained during the EP’s listening session, releasing a featureless project had long been a personal artistic ambition, a chance to prove he could carry the full weight of a body of work while realising an uncompromised creative vision.
It is an inherently risky decision, but one that ultimately pays off. Big Bad World demonstrates that Ajebutter22 has reached that point in his career where his artistry alone is compelling enough to sustain an entire project. Beginning with a concise EP also proves a smart choice, allowing him to present a tightly focused statement without stretching his ideas too thin. The result is a project with a clear artistic direction, explored through different sounds, moods and perspectives, all confidently held together by a single voice.
Perhaps the most immediately noticeable evolution across Big Bad World is Ajebutter22’s songwriting. His playful wit has always been perfectly suited to Afrofusion and Afropop, but his pen has grown considerably sharper, particularly on the project’s more rap-oriented moments. His rhyme schemes feel more intricate, his flow patterns more adventurous and his cadences more varied, developments that are showcased almost immediately on the opening tracks. Narrative writing, punchlines and personal anecdotes are woven together with greater discipline than before, allowing him to remain thematically focused even when the occasional throwaway line adds colour or humour. Equally impressive is the delivery itself.
While his melodic singing retains the familiar tone and easy-going charm listeners have come to expect, his rapping introduces an altogether different dimension, embracing harder, more direct performances filled with confidence and bravado, while still leaving room for quieter, more introspective moments where emotional nuance subtly enhances the strength of the writing.
Much of that growth is supported by production that consistently gives Ajebutter22 room to thrive. With the bulk of the beats supplied by the increasingly impressive KC Freely, Big Bad World comfortably traverses Hip-Hop, Afropop, Afro-Fusion and Jersey Club without ever sounding disjointed. Simple chord progressions leave ample melodic space for Butter’s vocal performances, while dense instrumental layering, tasteful counter melodies and vibrant rhythmic textures ensure the productions remain engaging in their own right.
Despite their richness, the arrangements never overcrowd the frequency spectrum, allowing his vocals to remain front and centre while the engineering preserves their clarity throughout. The result is a collection of instrumentals that are simultaneously energetic, colourful and understated enough to serve the project’s primary focus: Ajebutter22’s performance.
Ultimately, Big Bad World feels like an important milestone for Ajebutter22. It captures an artiste growing in confidence, not only as a songwriter and vocalist, but especially as a rapper, with noticeably sharper penmanship and technical ability that he wisely chooses to lean into throughout the project. Those improvements give rise to a collection of thoughtful, entertaining and often deeply relatable songs that speak to both the contemporary Nigerian experience and broader social realities without sacrificing the effortless charm that has always defined his music.
The EP remains unmistakably Ajebutter22, but it is also a more mature, more assured version of the artiste, one willing to take meaningful creative risks and capable of carrying them successfully. Whether he returns to collaborating with his familiar circle or follows Big Bad World with another solo outing, this project makes one thing abundantly clear: Ajebutter22 is still evolving, and that makes whatever comes next an exciting prospect indeed.
Lyricism – 1.6
Tracklisting – 1.6
Sound Engineering – 1.6
Vocalisation – 1.5
Listening Experience – 1.6
Rating – 7.9/10
Yinoluwa “Yinoluu” Olowofoyeku is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative who finds expression in various media. His music can be found across all platforms, and he welcomes interaction on his social media @Yinoluu.