The Evil Genius Album
. Pressed on 180g heavyweight splatter vinyl
. Limited edition of 1000 copies
. Art Direction: Daniel Obasi
. Physical Release Date: October 20, 2023
. Digital Release Date (Streaming Only): October 27, 2023
In his latest solo album, The Evil Genius, international star Mr Eazi presents a captivating and dynamic reintroduction to his artistry. Departing from his typically jovial sound, this album takes listeners on an intimate journey through the artist’s life over the past few years, exploring themes of grief, depression, politics, and love, all while incorporating elements of reggae, gospel, highlife, and Afropop.
Mr Eazi's musical evolution is beautifully complemented by individual visual pieces from talented artists across Africa, each commissioned specifically to capture the essence of every track. This makes The Evil Genius not just an album, but a unique exhibition of the artist's life and experiences. As Mr Eazi stated, "This album is not just a music album; it's art. It's meant to be displayed in museums and galleries."
Featuring collaborations with renowned artists such as Angélique Kidjo and the Soweto Gospel Choir, along with contributions from a diverse array of producers, The Evil Genius showcases Mr Eazi’s versatility and deep appreciation for the transformative power of music and art.
MR EAZI is a musical innovator, business leader and philanthropist. As a recording artist, the Nigerian multihyphenate is the voice behind seminal afropop hits “Pour Me Water,” “Skin Tight” and “Leg Over,” as well as groundbreaking collaborations with the likes of Beyoncé and J Balvin, and the creator of Banku Music, a fusion of Ghanaian and Nigerian sounds and culture. To date, he’s clocked over 4 billion streams of his songs across DSPs, making him one of the most streamed African artists worldwide. A serial entrepreneur, Mr Eazi founded emPawa Africa in 2018 as a talent incubator program designed to accelerate the careers of African artists. Hailed by CNN, Rolling Stone, Billboard and Forbes for its innovative approach to expanding African music’s global reach, emPawa Africa has since grown into one of Africa’s largest independent music companies, with a track record of breaking global stars like Joeboy and Major League Djz. He's since gone on to fund numerous African tech start-ups through Zagadat Capital, his venture capital fund launched in 2021. After spending the last several years focused on business ventures and expanding opportunities for African creatives, 2023 sees Mr Eazi returning full force to his own music, with two new full-length album projects. The first, Chop Life, Vol. 1: Mzansi Chronicles, is the debut album from ChopLife SoundSystem, his new dance music group with DJ Edu, out now. The second is his already critically-acclaimed debut solo album "The Evil Genius".