Thursday, December 10, 2015

KB Lays It All Down In His Diary: My Diary Album Review






Review Author. Sir Kempson Ari Mabuluki We Yulu Jaffe Joffer
@ZambiazHarshTag   @KempsonAri 






Visual verbatim: @killa_kamy  




One time for my boy @killa_kamy congrates on your new album "My dairy"



On 14th November the endorsement (via Facebook) of My Diary pt.2 by Zambian veteran rapper C.R.I.$.I.$ aka Mr. Swagger @hiphopcrisis: “The Zambian #HipHop joint that I’m feeling right now! Good looking out to KB, B-Mak, Thugga @Iam_Thugga, K.R.Y.T.I.C @Kryticismusic and Wezi @Wezi_heartsound. Thanks for the shout out too!!” went viral veteran as did the track which is sits at 15272 downloads (at the time of this review) make it 15273 because I also just hit download. On 15th December Mr. @killa_kamy himself made it official: “Listened to my diary part 2 14 times straight.. this felt like listening to One Mic by Nas.. the hip hop we grew up listening to..” My Diary Pt.2 is not on the album, perhaps it will appear as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of My Diary. However hardcore fans can still download this trill master piece from the link at the end of this article. I see this single making a few song of the year lists and hitting serious download figures.  


I was steady rolling down Kafue road with some undammed hooligans, when suddenly @CleoMulenga & @ThisisUrbanHype Turn Up the situation which is track one on the album and sets the tone for a rollercoaster ride. I knew the first single of My Diary was official when the home girl @leelabee tweeted the track was Dope! Summer party and festivities written all over it, the RnB trio slays the hook and the Ice Queen goes trigger happy with some feel good verses.  That throw back vintage K-Amy sound can be heard on Ninani ft. the seasoned veteran singer/hook man/songwriter Izrael (formally known as Exile). No one record is similar to the other, you get I diverse feel of the labels founder’s vision but also a sense of who KB is as a producer. This versatility is further experienced on track 2 Yanka Phone where he switches up and raps. KB has something for everyone including old skool diehards.



My Diary features an array of Zambian musicians both old school and new school including the gifted Chef 187 @Chefy187, each contributing to making the project dissimilar but cohesive in the same breath. The idea of features can work in favor of or against the producer who may over experiment which is not the case with this album. The participation of the K-Amy roaster such as Ben also gives the album another dimension, much like when rappers who own labels have their artists actively feature on their albums. Most notable was the return of the prodigal Alpha Romeo who raps Nabwela futi mu barrack on Where Have You Been, a poignant reminder of just how many careers the label has spawned and also highlights growth. Wezi burnishes the hook of the stirring story with the rich soulfulness of her voice bellowing the essence of the entire album which is the struggles of the industry and its soldiers but also a celebration of the great efforts thus far. It is easily my favourite track of the album. Mr. Eddie Black @Eddieblackbaby goes in deep on his verse on the original My Diary and also has some rhetorical questions of his own. Despite the all star cast in his diary, KB reminds the masses why he is relevant to Zambian music as an artiste and expresses just how vast his repertoire is.



The initial interview/listening session was suppose to go down before the album dropped, during the build up to the main event on Thursday the 12th of November 2015. However I wanted to experience the album for myself however in the environment it was created, and interact with Killa Beats away from the noise and bias of the public. Thus we sat down like grown folk in his modest studio (nothing modest about the sound though it beams out), and listened to the album track for track after the dust had settled and hype had muted down with clarity.



This review as is My Diary is long overdue, perhaps also a befitting tribute to the late LBC who spurred on his compadre KB to release an album. Everyone I met during that tragic first week of December remembers seeing the legend at the album listening session, supporting his comrade as time had ordained

Shout to & for sharing a stage last nite at media launch. A win for Hip Hop

#LBCForever respect to the OG, thank you for cheering on My Diary, the album that has brought the music industry together again in and out of the studio. I see this LP making the list of nominees for various awards and taking home a few along with the pack of accomplices who contributed to this tour de force. A varied album with a classic feel, yes I have a favourite cut on the record (I’m impartial and won’t tell you what it is) it makes the grade of top 5 albums of 2015, salute KB @Killa_kamy lays it all down in his diary and gets an 8/10, its out of the park.





Check in here for the exclusive KB Interview: Word From The OG: KB’s Diary Session


Go NOW get a copy from Sounds, its’ also available on iTunes @iTunesZambia and Amazon. Treat yourself to some real music and treat someone else with the gift of music this festive season.  

Click Here to Download My Diary Part.2 

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