Merchants, Dealers & Slaves
Studio album by
Brymo
ReleasedOctober 20, 2013
Recorded2013
Genre
Length32:00
LabelIndie
ProducerMikky Me
Brymo chronology
The Son of a Kapenta
(2012)		 Merchants, Dealers & Slaves
(2013)		 Tabula Rasa
(2014)
Singles from Merchants, Dealers, & Slaves
  1. "Down"
    Released: October 1, 2013
  2. "Eko"
    Released: October 21, 2013

Merchants, Dealers & Slaves (abbreviated as M, D & S) is the third studio album by Nigerian singer Brymo. It was made available for purchase as a digital download on October 20, 2013, and was released six days after Chocolate City filed an interim injunction against Brymo.[1] The album was produced entirely by Mikky Me Joses and features guitar work from David.[2] It was supported by the singles "Down" and "Eko". Physical copies of the album were not allowed to circulate as a result of the injunction. The album's physical release was issued on March 26, 2014, a few days after the injunction was lifted.[2]

Background and contractual issues

Brymo recorded M, D & S in 2013. He enlisted Mikky Me to produce it entirely and worked with guitarist David to compose "Money".[3] While recording M, D & S, Brymo announced on Twitter he parted ways with Chocolate City.[4] His announcement was quickly refuted by Audu Maikori, the CEO of Chocolate City at the time.[5] In August 2013, Brymo signed a distribution deal with Spinlet, enabling the digital media company to distribute M, D & S online.[6] In October 2013, Spinlet discontinued the deal after Chocolate City made them aware of its existing contract with Brymo.[7]

On 14 October 2013, Chocolate City filed an interim injunction against Brymo, restraining him from partaking in musical ventures beyond the confines of his contract.[8] On October 20, 2013, Brymo released the album despite reports about an injunction.[9] He revealed the track list for the album two days prior to releasing it.[10] The following day, Brymo was restrained from releasing and distributing any musical work, pending Chocolate City's lawsuit against him. In March 2014, the Federal High Court of Lagos lifted the restraint it put on Brymo.[11]

Composition

M, D & S opens with "Truthfully", a slow tempo ballad that tackles themes of love and devotion. The reflective afrobeat-inspired track "Grand Pa" talks about a troubling grandfather with misplaced priorities. "Down" is a metaphor for the current political climate in Nigeria; the song addresses corruption and other problems plaguing Nigeria. The carefully crafted "Eko" has been described as a "chronicle of Brymo's arrival in Lagos". The reggae-tinged "Everyone Gets to Die" talks about the fickleness of life. "Purple Jar" has been described as a "poetic song that speaks of hurt". In the Yoruba ballad "Se Bo'timo", Brymo talks about one being deceived by people closest to them.[12][13][14]

Singles

The album's lead single "Down" was officially released on October 1, 2013. Its music video was uploaded to YouTube on September 30, 2013. Brymo dedicated the song to his family and country.[15] According to a report by Nigerian Entertainment Today, undergraduate students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale did a lyrical decomposition of "Down" as part of their case study project.[16] Brymo was invited to the school to attend the case study presentation.[17] On October 21, 2013, "Eko" was released as the album's second single.[18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Nigerian Entertainment Today[19]
TooXclusive[3]

Merchants, Dealers, & Slaves received positive reviews from music critics. Yetunde Ogunleye, writing a review for Jaguda.com, described the album as a spiritual experience and called it "genuinely beautiful, classic and progressive".[20] Reviewing for YNaija, Wilfred Okichie comments, "M, D & S is a near masterpiece, the kind of album you listen to and place the artiste at the top of your classics list. You want more immediately but music like this takes a while to come around so you contend yourself with repeat listens".[13] Serubiri Moses of Bakwa magazine described the album as the "coming of age album for Brymo" and said it is "equally an impressionistic take on the historical injustices in Lagos".[21]

In a review for Nigerian Entertainment Today, Ayomide Tayo praised Brymo's vocal performance and described the album as a "soulful masterpiece that is emotionally charged with amazing production".[19] Fab magazine called M, D & S a fusion of "Yoruba adages, current Nigerian situations and passion".[14] Ogaga Sakpaide of TooXclusive rated the album four-and-a-half stars out of five, applauding Brymo for delivering an "emotional, mysterious and poetic masterpiece that will stand the test of time".[3] Obi Ejiogu from YNaija said the album "feels evocative of a different time and place, one far removed from the influences of current music industry trends".[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Olawale Ashimi and produced by Mikke Me Joses

No.TitleLength
1."Truthfully"3:16
2."Money"3:30
3."Dear Titilope"0:14
4."Eko"2:35
5."Grand Pa"3:11
6."Down"3:06
7."Cheap Wine"3:19
8."Purple Jar"4:01
9."Everyone Gets to Die"3:23
10."Se Bo'timo"3:56
11."M, D & S"1:23
Total length:32:00

Release history

Region Date Format Version Label
Various October 20, 2013 Digital download Standard Independent
Nigeria March 26, 2014 CD

References

  1. ↑ Alonge, Osagie (25 October 2013). "NET Special Report: Chocolate City vs Brymo, see you in court guys!". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 Abimboye, Micheal (29 March 2014). "Nigeria Entertainment Roundup: Brymo releases new album". Premium Times. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Album Review: Brymo - Merchants, Dealers & Slaves (M, D & S)". tooXclusive. 28 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "Brymo leaves Choc-city label". Vanguard. 28 May 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Ogunjimi, Opeoluwani (1 June 2013). "Brymo still with ChocolateCity, says label boss". Vanguard. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Osagie Alonge (7 August 2013). "Brymo gets new manager, boycotts Chocolate City to sign new deal". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Osagie Alonge (20 October 2013). "Brymo boycotts Chocolate City, Spinlet, drops new album on iTunes". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 26 February 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Alonge, Osagie (25 October 2013). "NET Special Report: Chocolate City vs Brymo, see you in court guys!". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Brymo announces new album 'Merchant, Dealers and Slaves'". Nigerian Entertainment Today. 15 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Brymo reveals album tracklist". MTV Base. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Court lifts injunction on Brymo". The Nation. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  12. 1 2 Olapoju, Kolapo (10 October 2014). "Album Review: Brymo's 'Merchants, Dealers and Slaves' is the best album you never heard". YNaija. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  13. 1 2 "Album Review: On 'Merchants, Dealers and Slaves', Brymo is in a class of his own". YNaija. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 July 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  14. 1 2 Ade-Unuigbe, Adesola (31 March 2014). "FAB Album Review: Merchants, Dealers & Slaves – Brymo Olawale". Fab Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  15. ↑ "VIDEO Premiere: Brymo – DOWN". NotJustOk. 30 September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  16. ↑ Sanusi, Hassan (29 May 2014). "US University students study Brymo as project course". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  17. ↑ Olonilua, Ademola (4 October 2014). "Brymo set to release album". Punch. Archived from the original on 4 October 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ↑ "Brymo Releases His Third Album "Merchants, Dealers & Slaves"! Listen to his New Single "Eko"". BellaNaija. 21 October 2013. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  19. 1 2 "Album Review: Brymo's Merchant, Dealers and Slaves is about broken promises, deception, hypocrisy and unfaithfulness". Nigeria Entertainment Today. 27 October 2013. Archived from the original on 15 May 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  20. ↑ Jaguda, Ayo (27 October 2013). "Album Review : Brymo – Merchants, Dealers & Slaves". Jaguda.com. Jaguda. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  21. ↑ "[Music Review] Reading Brymo's Lagosian Fiction in Merchants, Dealers & Slaves". Bakwa Magazine. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
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