If 2020 “Made in Lagos” served as Wizkid (born Ayo Balogun) reintroduction to the world of music domination, 2022 More Less, Less Ego, the fifth album in his discography reaffirms what he started two years ago, that is, the fusion of African sounds and production, aided by collaboration with fellow Africans (the world over) to takeover the world through music. The 13 tracks on the album prove this commandingly.
P2J who has grown to be Wizkid’s go-to beat-maker serves as his right-hand man for the percussive, deep base, synths and light Amapiano-infused production of More Love, Less Ego. He produced and co-produced at least 70 percent of the songs on the album including the lead singles, Bad To Me and Money & Love.
Like every new album, Wizkid seeks to work with relatively new acts and established artistes he has not had the privilege of jumping on a track with before now; Ayra Starr (2 Sugar), Jamiaca’s Skilibeng and Shenseea (Slip N Slide) and the talented creator of sound through instruments, P.priime (Pressure) are blessed with a feature or producer credit. Naira Marley (Wow) and Don Toliver (Special) are the established artistes working with Wizkid for the first time on a sonic base. Skepta (Wow) reprises his role as the indisputable MC, being the only established artiste who has previously worked with Wizkid to feature on More Love Less Ego.
The subject matter of this album is nothing new compared to what Wizkid has delivered on previous projects, which is the congenial ballyhoo of the woman’s body and her other adorable feminine features.
With More Love, Less Ego, Wizkid’s vocals sound more refined and suitable for the soundscape of Afrobeats than ever before. Tracks such as Deep, Flower Pads, Frame (Who’a Gonna Know) and Pressure attest to this development; Minimalist lyrics but maximum riding of the beat with euphonic melodies is one of Wizkid’s greatest abilities, More Love, Less Ego is just another show of such strength.
If there is one takeaway every listener should receive from More Love, Less Ego, it should be the intro to the fifth track Everyday, the perfect personification of the album’s title, the message is: “I am grateful / To be have been loved / And to be loved now / And to be able to love / Because that liberates, love liberates / It doesn’t just hold, that’s ego / Love liberates”.