By Chinonso Ihekire
Rappers are not literally wordsmiths alone; they contribute immensely to African culture and its image abroad. Skillful among contemporary Nigerian rappers is Gaiya Moses Obedience, popularly known as Deemoe. Deemoe is a creative Nigerian rapper, and storyteller whose base is in the United Kingdom. “Gifted Baby,” his album released on January 31, 2023, is a sonic collage that reveals the artist.
The album opens with “INTRO,” the first track. A mom on the call with her son on his birthday, with showers of prayers, a few words of encouragement, and a response riddled with firm belief as the beat accompanies all. At the 0:43 mark, Deemoe sets the minds of his listeners to spin, leaving a sharp rap immediately after the prayers. “Rapping my heart out is what I do best / Do that shit until the day that I’m dead.” He’s 25, found purpose, and brags about it as he is gifted. Explosive opener. Pure aggression and confidence. Sets the tone perfectly.
“AS-SALAMU ALAYKUM” starts with some piano chords and ad-libs. The title means “Peace Be Unto You.” Yet, Deemoe asks, “… what’s on the menu?” This is a symbolic representation of paybacks. He serves people what they serve him on the same platter. The booming bass leaves a leap on the hearts of listeners, making them learn and also luring them to dance.
“BIGGER THAN BIG” is a hustle-themed song from a gee who knows the worth of money. Unlike some who love to squander on girls, Deemoe notes that, “A hundred thousand isn’t money, my gee.” While he might have loved to waste his time, also, he ducks his head and works on himself to turn thousands into millions. The chorus, “I hustle for it cause ain’t nothing for free,” passes a message about moments and gifts.
“DINERO” starts with advice, “Look, whatever you do, never stop making money,” then he tells a story of how his nigg*s became millionaires in 2020. With calmness and flowing lines on the beat, Moe educates even without going to any class. Speaking of consistency, “And in the school of hard life, we had perfect attendance.” These lines among others give a young listener the charge to make money. While this is a push, it might lead youths to Internet fraud, as Deemoe should have hinted at rightful gigs.
On “MONACO,” Deemoe changes from rap to Afrobeats. The 2:40-minute-long jam rests on a punchy kick bass, some piano chords, and the percussion. Here, he didn’t deviate from his rap genre alone, but also in the content of his songs. He professes this love to a girl, who makes his heart beat race. Yet, all these are riddled with betrayal, heartbreak, regret, pleas, and promises. “Baby girl, make up your mind. / I want to be yours; do you want to be mine?” These are lines that show his emotional state and vulnerability. Properly because this is not rap, Moe still has a bit of issues with the structure of the song.
“INTERLUDE,” serves as a pause for DeeMoe. It is a gift to Moe from his nieces. The first sings beautifully well with a tiny sonorous voice. After, she wishes, “Happy birthday, Uncle Moe.” The little niece whispered the words, but still, her voice makes the soul of every listener joyous.
“F U 2” opens with piano chords and DeeMoe’s ad-libs but immediately crushes his haters, saying, “If you say fuck me, then it’s fuck you, too, my nigga; no hard feelings.” On this rap song, Moe wants actions instead of words, clarity instead of cunning. It is an expression from a good boy whose naivety or kindness is taken as a weakness. “I was nice yesterday, but nigga, not today” shows the depth of his pain and how stripped he is of his kind heart. While Moe’s emotion is understood, the use of the “F” word keeps some listeners uncomfortable. Few artists balance street energy and emotional honesty this well.
“MY BROTHER” opens with an intro with a heart-trippling kick bass, then the reassurances start at about the 0:29 mark of the rap. It’s an ode to his brother. He calls him names, “There goes my day one / There goes my homeboy.” He tells of confidence in his brother and his certainty in his brother’s faith in him. This rap song, with an EDM-made beat, touches the soul of listeners as it throws everyone the punches of introspection about the essence of friendship and blood.
“NEVER THAT” is another heartbreak track off the album. He still pleads to his lover: “… please don’t be like that.” His lover doesn’t trust in him, and it pains him. All she thinks is it’s never that. The beat is gentle, and Moe’s voice adds to the mellow aura. This is the cross of most men, and through the lens of Moe, men who are listeners would relate more.
“GIFTED BABY,” an eponymous track and the last track of the album, is a hardcore rap with lyrically mad bars. Moe puts in all his creativity. He tells his story, “…In 1998 my mother got what she was praying for.” As a bundle of joy, the devil hovers around and wants him devoured. He praises his resilience and appreciates his comebacks after his fall. He notes this so strongly: “You can never know my pain / If I don’t rap about it.”
DeeMoe’s “Gifted Baby” is not just a birthday present to himself but a pointer to his growth as a rap artist. The 10-track album, even with Moe’s skillful writing skills and creativity, needs to have clear structuring of verses for some fans who find his wittiness too difficult. Deemoe’s strength is emotion, not complexity. His wordplay is simple, rhymes are less intricate but he makes up for it with delivery and honesty.
His album still stands its ground as a defining project
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