Blakkayo is an artist and an activist. His fourth album came out in February. A whole eleven years after Love N Respect, Orizinal Blakkayo is back with "Soz serye". Twenty-two songs on this new album. This is the perfect occasion for expats to get to know this singer.
Blakkayo is back with a new album, a whole eleven years after his last one. This fourth opus is already shaping up to be one of the albums of the year. The first single ‘Solo' has already reached over 2 million views on YouTube, and it has only been a month. One must admit, Orizinal Blakkayo, Jean Clario Gâteaux, has made his fans wild with enthusiasm since the announcement of a new album a year ago. He began his communication campaign with ‘Mo solo' in December, then with ‘Kontrole' in June. From then on nothing was left to chance.
Flashback to Blakkayo's debuts
Music has always been Blakkayo's passion. He made his debut on the music scene with his friends in the 90s. But it is not until he meets Bruno Raya that his career is taken to the next level. He joins the Otentik Street Brothers (OSB) with Bruno Raya and other singers and immediately seduces the OSB fandom. His commitment on stage, his charisma but above all the lyrics of the songs he performs, have allowed him to stand out to this day.
Blakkayo is above all a lyricist. He talks about everyday life. Poverty, family, faith, friendship, drug abuse but above all, his lyrics are political and do not shy away from putting the responsibility back where it belongs. Even today, his three previous albums are known by heart by fans from all generations. These messages are still relevant today. These words still resonate…
Soz serye, a gem of an album
“I wanted this album to talk about family values, how valuable parents are, how valuable children are. I wanted this album to be different, but the same. I collaborated with my "soldiers", they gave me a hand with the writing of this album, “ says Blakkayo.
His fourth album is actually a double album. No cover for this double album but a booklet where he looks back and takes his fans through his writing process. He collaborated with several local artists on some songs, including Jason Heerah, Laura Beg, Murvin Clélie... This double opus has also been a chance for international collaborations. The tracks for the album were mastered by Grammy Award-winning Chris Athens, who has worked with Coldplay, Usher, Beyonce and Jay-Z. But also by Pieter de Wagter, who worked with Stromae. Not to mention, Bonzai Caruso, six-time Grammy Award winner. He has collaborated with the famous names, like Damian Marley, Chronixx, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys, among others.
Harrison Stafford from Groundation also features on the song ‘Kontrole', an unapologetically political song.
Blakkayo reinvents his brand with this new album but remains nostalgic. Going from reggae, to afro beat or even ragamuffin, he takes us through a musical voyage. He has worked with musicians from Otentik Groove for this new allbum. “My musical style remains reggae, ragga and seggae. But we have added a few new things. African beats, for example. I love African music, she's part of me," says the artist.
Below are his two first singles from the album "Soz serye":
