Nigerian rapper A-Q surprised fans with the release of his new album, just a day after celebrating his birthday. This 10-track project follows the success of his 2023 album, God’s Engineering 2, and showcases A-Q‘s lyrical prowess and versatility. The album spans a diverse range of sounds, from introspective songs to hard-hitting rap tracks, and features collaborations with notable artists such as Blaqbonez, Wizard Chan, Cheque, City Monster, Bkay EastGaad, and Evelle.
With Purple Doesn’t Exist, A-Q continues to solidify his position as one of Nigeria’s most gifted lyricists. The album’s varied themes and skilled execution make it a must-listen for true hip-hop enthusiasts.
“3rd John” featuring Wizard Chan is a song about being carried by the grace of a spiritual entity. Chan’s unique vocal texture induces a must-love feeling for the mellow chorus as A-Q goes hard on his verses. On “Old Head,” A-Q calls out the rest of the hip-hop industry in Nigeria for their backstabbing, face-value love, and neglect of the art they claim to love.
“John Travolta” featuring Blaqbonez sees A-Q boast to his love interests about how much he can help them achieve if they aren’t chasing immediate rewards, while Blaq extols his woman, describing what she makes him feel and what he’s willing to do for her.
One of Nigeria’s biggest melodic rappers, Cheque, is featured on “Flex on You,” a song best described by its title. Both artistes get into their rap flexing bag as they detail just how much above regular folks they are. Still in touch with that boisterous side of his, A-Q spazzes on “Down on My Knees” as he once again calls out the industry and their sneaky, shady dealings.
On “Colour Blind” featuring City Monster, A-Q describes the few pros and many cons of being involved in technological development (read AI development) very intricately. On “Colour Blind II,” A-Q embodies the persona of a citizen who supports the very government that’s doing everything in its power to make things difficult for him.
“Already Rich” features the super-talented BKay EastGaad, known for his ability to switch flows and styles. Here, he and A-Q talk about their life struggles and how making money has not always been easy, but they did it regardless and now can navigate life more easily.
“Purple Rose,” featuring soulful singer Evelle, is an emotional song where A-Q describes his mental state after the loss of his mother, following the loss of his dad and two brothers. In the song, A-Q makes direct statements to his late mom about things he would have wanted to say to her if she were still around, the situation surrounding her burial ceremony, and his hope that she has reconnected with those she lost and is proud of him.
The last song on Purple Doesn’t Exist is “All Boys Out,” a song that describes what it felt like to be a teen in his years… the societal norms, expectations, and injustices. He also describes his adult life and all the expectations and realities that come with it.
A-Q, being one of the most intricate and intelligent lyricists in the hip-hop game, did not fail to satisfy us with witty lines and superliminal messages. According to a tweet from A-Q, he hopes that his music helps us to challenge our uncompromising perception of reality.
