As a rap album, Industry Machine invites scrutiny of its lyricism. Odumodublvck’s chest-thumping is a defining trait, but in a genre that prizes sharp wordplay, some moments fall short. For an album positioned as a manifesto of dominance, a few verses feel underwhelming.
By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro
Tochukwu Gbugbemi Ojugwu, known to most as Odumodublvck, has built his career on audacity. Whether through his boisterous social media presence, unfiltered interviews, or genre-bending sound—which he dubs as Okporoko music—he has positioned himself as both architect and agitator within Nigeria’s Hip-Hop resurgence.
Quite frankly, for years, the country’s Hip-Hop scene has fought for its footing in an industry dominated by Afro-Pop spectacle. But amid the noise and nostalgia that have carried conversations, Big Kala has emerged as the genre’s most unrelenting disruptor.
His newly released and highly anticipated album, Industry Machine, fulfills the prophecy laid out in his earlier stylised mixtape, The Machine Is Coming, and attempts to raise the stakes beyond his 2023 breakout project, Eziokwu.
True to form, Industry Machine (which doubles as the rapper’s nickname) doesn’t seek validation from the industry; it rewires it, treating listeners to a potluck of genres while reaffirming his dominance on the scene. And what better way to assert it than by assembling a behemoth of emerging stars and sonic heavyweights from home and abroad. Wizkid, Davido, Skepta, Reminisce, Modenine, Saweetie, Tobe Nwigwe, and Phyno all make appearances.
The album opens with its title track, one he has teased since 2024, and he wastes no time confronting his critics, turning mockery into momentum. “Them say na rubbish we dey talk (Yes)/ Them say na jargons we dey spit (Dead!)/ Some say na hullabaloo lingua (Hahahaha)/ But na my music them dey chop (Fact)”, he raps over a mid-tempo production helmed by longtime collaborator, Ucee. For some, his lyrics may be difficult to grasp, as they embody the brand of Nigerian Pidgin English that is commonly spoken in the South-South region. Still, his music, carried by the pulse of the streets, has steadily grown too loud to dismiss.
“Unaware” pairs Odumodublvck with British-Gambian rapper, Pa Salieu, for a blistering exchange that is cathartic. Odumodublvck adopts the persona of a watchful predator, warning his detractors not to get too comfortable. “Catch man slipping unaware”, he chants repeatedly on the chorus, his voice carrying equal parts threat and triumph.
On the DaneeMoe and DECSTER-produced mid-tempo “Baby Reindeer”, Odumodublvck strips his usual maschismo, revelling in desire and devotion for a muse whose beauty leaves him disarmed. “Her leash e dey my neck, my G/ She can use my money, take my car, I don’t care”, he admits, balancing swagger with sentiment. On the bouncy “Banza Boy”, the self-styled industry machine moves between reckless abandon and self-assured pride, delivering the chorus like a drunken chant: “I just wanna ride, like die/ My hands in the sky, high high/ Talk to me like you’re mine, my wife/ The look in your eye, so fine”. Odumodublvck is defiant and unrepentantly alive.
One of Industry Machine’s gems unfolds on “Grooving”, a record that succinctly samples Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe’s 1996 classic, “Ka-Anyi Jikota”, and sees the rapper joining forces with Afrobeat luminary, Seun Kuti, and Afrobeats superstar, Davido. The mood is exuberant; Davido delivers his usual charm with finesse; Seun Kuti injects a sense of identity and pride, and Odumodublvck’s swagger comes to the fore. Each artiste leaves a piece of themselves in the music; yet, it is the Highlife production that holds it together.
In what is considered his best feature verse of the year, Wizkid appears on “Big Time”, a record that blurs the lines between survival and stardom. Odumodu takes first watch, reflecting on his past, but he is no match for Wizkid, who changes the atmosphere as he mulls over fame, indulgence, and escape. “Yeah, you know say me, I’m addicted to the late life/ And na the music been save me from the street life”, he sings, his vocals landing with quiet gravity.
Odumodublvck’s love for football—and its stars—once again finds expression in Industry Machine. Tracks like “Vinicius”, “Maradona”, and “Baggio” extend his fascination, delivering breezy, swagger-laden records steeped in his trademark bravado. “Maradona” glistens with the lively interplay of Justin Quiles and Saweetie, who add a layer of cosmopolitan flair, while Giggs and Prettyboy D-O charge through “Baggio” with grit and poise, blending streetwise confidence with effortless cool.
Wireshark and Ankorbeats helm the production on “Tiffany”, a bop that features rap artiste, PyschoYP, on a record that celebrates hedonism, high fashion, and fast fashion. While Odumodublvck flaunts his wins and near-untouchable status in the game, PsychoYP injects polished nonchalance. “Adenuga”, a track that channels his hustler’s ethos into a gritty anthem of triumph, features Fatboy and Reeplay, members of the Antiworld Gangsters, and Skepta. Named after Nigerian billionaire, Mike Adenuga, the record brims with the energy of ambition and street perseverance.
“Pay Me” finds Odumodublvck in playful yet commanding form, teaming up with British heavyweight, Stormzy, and Nigerian hitmaker, Zlatan, for a swaggering, club-ready banger. Sampling Mama G’s 2006 hit, “Make We Jolly”, which is a rework of VIP’s 2003 classic, “Ahomka Wo Mu”, the track balances nostalgia and urbane swagger with effortless ease. Stormzy attacks the song with self-assured lyrics, while Zlatan brings his signature Street-Hop charisma to the mix.
“Layi Wasabi” is one of Industry Machine’s coldest cuts, a Drill record that wears its hostility like armour. Here, Odumodublvck reaffirms himself as the unamused adjudicator, amused only insofar as his superiority is on display. He delivers a sharp diss to detractors: “December time it was only us/ Fine minutes of fame all gone, now they’re back to square one”. Rap luminary, Reminisce, takes over, infusing his rapid-fire bars laced with native Yoruba swagger, adding grit to the narrative.
While “Too Spoilt” is a glossy, tongue-in-cheek ode to having made it and the careless pleasures that follow, “Candy Music” explores his audacity, indulgence, and unshakable faith. “Odumo, you para London and that’s tomorrow/ Lagos, Italy then France/ I don’t need you to grant me favours/ Even bricklayer know my labours”, he spits. On “If You Like Gym”, which was repurposed from his previous release, “2:02 PM in London (Freestyle)” , Odumodublvck taps the assistance of rap maestro, Modenine. OD’s cadence teeters between fury and flair, packed with sly humour and violent imagery. “If you like gym, Odumo’ go pull up with his pin, burst your muscle, burst your bubble”, he warns, a boast that doubles as a threat and a metaphor for his creative force.
Odumodublvck trades grit for groove on “Do Yanga”, a vibrant Dancehall-infused number powered by whimsical piano chords, staccato drums, and groovy basslines. His verses mix flirtation with swagger, while Patoranking’s cameo grounds the song in singalong, island-flavoured warmth. There’s an offbeat, jarring verve in the way the chorus of “My Angel” is delivered, so much so that the inclusion of Chike does little to salvage it.
The production on “Bombastic Element” and “Ghetto Man Yute” deserves a stronger lyrical showing, as both tracks come across as fillers on an otherwise packed album. Over delicate acoustic guitar chords and soft drum pads, Odumodublvck delivers a ballad about a love interest on “2 People” featuring American singer and record producer, Cash Cobain. “My baby fine like 2 people/ Her body mad like Portable/ I nor dey hide am, peekaboo”, Odumodublvck croons, serving up one of Industry Machine’s more tender moments, even if his delivery still carries the gruff charm that defines his rap persona.
There is a lot of self-aggrandisement on the album, and on “Ejor”, Odumodublvck, once again, sets the record straight. “The game is begging me, I need some enemies/ They started it, but now their heart is very weak/ My music heavenly/ Vis-à-vis, who’s he with?/ Who’s with Wiz? Who’s with David? What is it?”, he boasts. Smada and Ayo Maff ramp up the energy with youthful exuberance, matching Odumodublvck’s bravado with slick flows and catchy ad-libs that amplify the song’s verve.
Odumodublvck maintains the tradition of saving a gem for last, as the Mizzle-produced “Hallelujah” sees the rapper giving thanks to the divine for his life and success, in a tune that doesn’t stray too much from Catholic settings in Eastern Nigeria. For a track of this nature, it is only proper to feature Phyno, Jeriq, and Tobe Nwigwe: all sons from that extract. Their verses intertwine faith with grit, painting gratitude not as quiet reflection but as triumphant testimony. Over soulful piano chords and rhythmic percussion, “Hallelujah” feels like a homecoming; a tale of grace, survival, and purpose.
Industry Machine delivers on two fronts: it establishes Odumodublvck as one of the leading voices in Nigeria’s Hip-Hop scene, who has made it commercially viable in recent times; and serves as a referendum on what it means to build an empire from chaos. Where The Machine Is Coming hinted at ambition, Industry Machine delivers it loudly, defiantly, and on its own terms.
Across the album, Odumodublvck explores themes of dominance, indulgence, love, and spirituality with ease. A huge part of this is credited to the constellation of features on the project, working within the overarching theme of power and identity. These voices, from different geographies, converge on a project that insists on his ethos. Sonically, the production is a triumph. Crafted by a roster of skilled producers, it elevates Odumodublvck’s delivery and sharpens the album’s emotional pulse.
Albeit, as a rap album, Industry Machine invites scrutiny of its lyricism. Odumodublvck’s chest-thumping is a defining trait, but in a genre that prizes sharp wordplay, some moments fall short. For an album positioned as a manifesto of dominance, a few verses feel underwhelming.
On “Bombastic Element”, for instance, his boast of being “the new 50 Cent” quickly collapses into lines like, “Industry nor fit give me ela/ I dey wear native just to chop eba.” On “Unaware”, which is supposedly a diss song, lines such as “All the talk-talk, we thought you were a pundit/ Baba drop gbedu, make you no go fade like A-Q” come across as bland and uninspiring. These flashes of lazy, comical phrasing contrast the project’s otherwise bold energy.
In Hip-Hop, parading a gruff, larger-than-life persona means little if you can’t actually spit bars, and Industry Machine makes this evident. Where one might expect Odumodublvck to deliver with lyrical bite, he settles instead for bravado. That in itself isn’t a flaw, but when an artiste constantly parades himself as “Hip-Hop Legacy” every five minutes, the bars need to match the boast, at the very least.
More so, Industry Machine suffers from its own excess. At 23 tracks long with a runtime of 65 minutes, it occasionally drifts into a lull that dilutes its impact. In an era when listeners’ attention spans are short and the music scene is crowded, a leaner project could have delivered a sharper statement. Songs like “Ghetto Man Yute”, “Tiffany”, “Candy Music”, and “Too Spoilt” could easily have been shelved without weakening the album’s narrative. Their removal might have created a more focused and potent listening experience.
In all, Industry Machine is a commendable effort; bold, textured, and unafraid to declare Odumodublvck’s place as a force reshaping Nigeria’s Hip-Hop landscape. Whether that transformation is for better or worse remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Odumodublvck has made himself too impossible to ignore.
Lyricism – 1.2
Tracklisting – 1.4
Sound Engineering – 1.5
Vocalisation – 1.4
Listening Experience – 1.5
Rating – 7.0/10
Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro is a content writer and journo with an insatiable knack for music and pop culture, with bylines on Afrocritik, PM News Nigeria, Tribune, ThisDay Live, Vanguard, and The Guardian. When he’s not writing, you will find him arguing why Arsenal FC is the best football club in the multiverse. Connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads: @BughiLorde.