Hot on the heels of another Headies nomination, Bayelsa-born, Lagos-bred rapper Payper Corleone delivers another stunning tribute to the Nigerian hip-hop scene with his 5th album Fly Talk Only. Supported by a clever ensemble of talented feature acts and producers, Fly Talk Only picks up from where he left off with 2021’s In Don We Trust; delivering a Godfather-style illustration of life on the fast lane.
Love, lust, and luxury form the centrepiece of the album, exploring these themes with a lacerating lyrical depth that investigates the complexities of these subjects. The album opens with the eponymous track “Fly Talk Only”, where Corleone makes a bold reaffirmation of his street cred and humongous bank statements. He expands on the latter in many other songs (“Dior N Gucci”, “Ashluxe”, and “ILWTW”), examining his relationship with the paper chase and luxury. On the other half of the album (“NMJV”, “She Rocks”, “Mob Wife”), he explores the lascivious tryst between love and lust, and the transactional vanity that binds them together. This climaxes in the track “Mob Wife”, where he delivers an intimate, yet startling exposition on the intricacies of a romantic relationship between a gangster and his woman over chilling soul beats.
He sheds some of his gangster facade and shows his emotional frailty while imploring a love interest to give him some reassurance in “Sunmo Mi”. On “For Your Love”, he takes turns in giving reassurance to a love interest.
There are six producing credits on the album, as well as six featured acts. While 7thwonda and 22kthecloutgod put their blazing-blue flames on the trap beats of ‘Dior n Gucci’ and ‘She Rocks’ respectively, London-based vocalist Moelogo delivers a silky hook on ‘Sunmo Mi’; with fast-rising talent Quiries wrapping up the vocal energy of the album on the song ‘For Your Love.’
With another “Lyricist on the Roll” nomination in his bag of many critical nods, Fly Talk Only is a gritty but buoyant ride into the mind of one of Naija hip-hop’s most gifted pen slingers.
