Review: Yung L - Yaadman Kingsize [ALBUM]

By far, this is Yung L’s best album yet.

After the release of his 2020 EP, ‘Juice and Zimm,’ Nigerian artist and GRIP boy extraordinaire returns with another album, ‘Yaadman Kingsize.’

In Patois, a ‘Yaadman’ is braff; a boastful, boisterous personality with color and confidence. On the album, Yung L is boastful and bashful in his consistent adulation of his sexual prowess while articulating the album’s central theme; women.

Sometimes, Yung L’s Yaadman tendency is about self. On the incredible Killertunes-produced Reggae Fusion track, ‘Bwoy’ Yung L roundly hails himself.

Central to the album’s overarching conversation around femininity is ‘Womanizer’ featuring British act, Tiggs Tha Author. A line from the song reads, “Say me too like girl, me na womanizer…”

Sometimes, Yung L he’s amorous and romantic. On ‘Eve Bounce (Remix)’ featuring Wizkid, Yung L is a loverboy who expresses his feelings through vain language. The original version of the song which samples Eve’s 2000 smash hit, ‘Blow Your Mind’ appeared on Juice and Zimm EP.

But on ‘Puna,’ he’s raw and explicit and ‘Puna’ is a slang for vagina. Sonically, the album fuses elements of African pop music with elements Caribbean pop music as Yung L largely delivers his lyrics Patois.

On ‘Rasta’ featuring Grammy-nominated Afrobeat act, Seun Kuti sees Yung L deliver highly Nigerian content in Patois while he merges slowed down Ragga with quintessential Afrobeat. A Yung L creates an adulation to the marijuana counter-culture, Kuti supports him with some Saxophone madness.

A few times though, the production can entirely mirror one region or genre. The production to ‘Puna’ is highly African while the production to ‘Opp’ is highly reminiscent of British Afro-swing. That line; “The thing like Ikeja bomb blast…” from ‘Opp’ is actually really wild.

On ‘Cool & Ease,’ Yung L discusses his ambition and on ‘Police & Thief,’ he’s a political commentator who discusses police brutality in Nigeria. It’s amazing how the two songs which end the album are slower and more methodical.

Final Thoughts

By far, this is Yung L’s best album yet.

Ratings: /10

• 0-1.9: Flop

• 2.0-3.9: Near fall

• 4.0-5.9: Average

• 6.0-7.9: Victory

• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10

Album Sequencing: 1.5/2

Songwriting, Themes and Delivery: 1.7/2

Production: 1.6/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.7/2

Execution: 1.6/2

Total:

8.1 - Victory