As I laid on my bed this morning, my body battling my mind for the power to rise up, shower and head to the office, I was uncomfortable in my spirit. Somewhere else, another battle was raging, and it had everything to do with love.
I had gone to bed the night before, with one song on repeat, and as I rose up this morning, I was a new man in my heart.
When was the last time I sat down or lay on my bed and allowed the concept of love to flow through me? When did I allow love to penetrate my thick heart and find happiness from caring about another person?
But this song has achieved it. I am thinking of love again. And it is all down to that one song. The song I forgot to mute before I was embraced by sleep. The song that pervaded my bedroom, and sent messages to my unconscious, ridding me of all the pain that love has caused me, and given me belief again in finding happiness in the arms of a woman.
That song is Phyno’s latest love song ‘Pino pino’. What a surprise!
It’s difficult to believe that this man is one of Nigeria’s finest rapper’s. It’s been many months since he came through with the superhit ‘Fada fada’ together with Olamide, mostly because it has proven to be one of those songs with evergreen potential.
Since December 2015, the King of The East has been receiving mad love from making nigh-religious aspirational and thanksgiving music. ‘Connect’ was the first, which ensured that he went through the winter months with a hit ringing all around. ‘Fada fada’ came next and proved to be a bigger hit than its predecessor. His amazing follow-up ‘E sure for me’ is yet to receive the same acceptance and love shown to the rest.
But Phyno is moving on with a love song, as the Penthauze hit maker is on a very romantic path right now. He switches the narrative with ‘Pino Pino’, a new track off his forthcoming album “Playmaker P” (which is scheduled for a November release.)
Just as the three singles before it, ‘Pino Pino’ distils the sonic magic of old Eastern Highlife music, and places it in a contemporary context. The song is produced by Benjamz, with the guitars being the most prominent of all the percussions on it. Played by Soularge, it carries the song effortless, complimenting every vocal from the singer. This fits in perfectly as a ‘wedding’ song template.
With ‘Pino Pino’, Phyno further strengthens his foray into singing, as each song brings a new dimension to his singing prowess. This makes it four straight singles without a rap line shared or a bar destroyed. What’s being killed are vocals and notes. As with the previous singles, Phyno is cherry-picking the best parts of the vibrant old Highlife movement of the east and turning these elements into fresh song. He even shouts out the Oriental Brothers at the end of this one.
I woke up feeling mushy, like someone had carried out a surgical operation in my heart. This was the heart that had laid rotten since 2014, after my last heartbreak. Once upon a time I was a hopeless romantic, one who sat through office hours daydreaming about my lover, and made sure she woke up to a random text about how she is God’s work on earth.
But she ruined my world, and eloped with a richer, more handsome asshole, and I was stranded with very little in form of hope. I still recall that day like it was today, when she met up at a restaurant in Ajah, Lagos, and said the words.
“I think we should end this relationship. I’m no more in love with you”.
My world crashed all around me as I begged to be loved. Seeing a grown ass man kneel in public in a last ditch attempt to win back the love of his life has to be the most pitiable view you will ever see. But she refused, broke my heart and rode into the sunset with that asshole.
I hate that asshole!
I had closed up my heart to love, and frustrated every effort by many women to get me to love. Love for me had become wicked, an excuse to hurt people. How can something so beautiful in theory, hurt so much in its application? So I trudged through life as a loveless entity, devoid of warmth and the blessings of romance.
But as the first words from the song filtered into my heart this morning, I confirmed the change. Tears streamed down as the years of darkness fell away. By the time it got to the chorus, I was a complete emotional mess, with tears and all streaming from my face.
“Baby you idi bad oh, the way you catch my heart (pino pino), just make up your mind oh, Make I play my part,” Phyno sang lustily.
At the end of the song, as the last words faded out, I rose from the bed a better man than I slept. I felt lighter, and deep down, there was a pleasant, overwhelming warm feeling that radiated from my heart all through. As I stepped through the streets in search of a bus to board to work, a pretty lady was at the bustop.
“Hi,” I offered, eager to share my newfound joy, and bring her into my world.
I got her number, and all through the ride to work, we were giggling like lovebirds. This weekend, we have already planned a date, something romantic, that will be held at a venue where love can flourish. After two years of the darkness, I believe in love again, and surprisingly, I have Phyno to thank for that.
