A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl
A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 24, 2018 | |||
Genre | Hip-hop | |||
Length | 39:54 | |||
Label | Chocolate City | |||
Producer |
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M.I Abaga chronology | ||||
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Singles from A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl | ||||
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A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Denzel (commonly shortened to Yxng Denzel or Yung Denzel) is the fourth studio album by Nigerian rapper M.I Abaga.[1] It was released on August 24, 2018, by Chocolate City.[2] The album features guest appearances from , Cina Soul, Lorraine Chia, Odunsi the Engine, Lady Donli, Niyola and PatrickxxxLee. Its production was handled by M.I, , Chopstix, Major Bangz, TMXO, Doz, G Clef, Chillz, GMK and PatrickxxxLee. Yung Denzel addresses topics such as depression, mental health, disloyalty and cultural repression.[3] It explores themes of self-introspection, self-doubt and reassurance.[4] The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at The Headies 2019.
Background[]
M.I Abaga recorded Yung Denzel before Rendezvous and announced plans for its release in May 2018.[5][6] During that time, he executively produced a few albums and announced the WAHA hip-hop festival.[5] The album's release date was postponed because all of the samples used had not been cleared.[5] M.I derived the album's title from a badly received joke he made about having a physical resemblance to actor Denzel Washington.[5] Yung Denzel explores themes of self-introspection, self-doubt and reassurance.[4][7] It contains skits and interludes from sample interviews conducted by other people.[8] M.I employs a journal-style approach for the album, giving all the songs on it lengthy names.[8] He also disguises his voice and ends every song with snippets from his therapy session.[8]
Composition[]
In the album's opening track "Do You Know Who You Are? Take Some Time and Meditate on You", M.I talks about the importance of self-worth.[7] In "Stop! Never Second Guess Yourself", he displays aggression and cynicism; the song's lyrics cheers a woman and speaks to the person in the mirror.[7][8] In the bass-infused track "I Believe in You, You should too, Believe in You", M.I considers himself to be the best rapper regardless of whether or not he's applauded.[8][7] In "Another Thing! Do Not Be a Groupie", he brags about all of his accomplishments and criticizes rappers who do not work on their craft.[9][8] In "You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives", he expresses his feelings about the current state of Nigerian hip-hop.[9]
In the romantic track "You Are Like Melody, My Heart Skips a Beat", M.I expresses relatable sentiments and confesses to learning everyday.[8] In the album's title track, he opens up about his demons and battle with depression.[7] In "Last Night I Had a Dream About a Hummingbird", M.I speaks about the hummingbird, a metaphor for people who are caged and held back by boundaries of their own making.[9] In the album's closer "Love Never Fails, But There Are Prophecies Love Will Cease to Remain", Tay Iwar and M.I paint a riveting image of the reality that mental health patients endure.[8]
Singles[]
The album's lead single "You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives" was released on October 20, 2017.[10] The song's release triggered an online debate about the current state and decline of Nigerian hip-hop.[11] Several Nigerian rappers responded to M.I, including N6, Payper, Blaqbonez and Vader.[12] M.I won Best Rap Single and Lyricist on the Roll for "You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives" at The Headies 2018.[13]
Critical reception[]
A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl received positive reviews from music critics. Twitter reactions to the playlist were also positive.[1] Pulse Nigeria's Ehis Ohunyon awarded the album 4 stars out of 5, characterizing it as a "watertight project that is well conceived, thoroughly executed and perfectly served to cater for both his young and old fans".[14] A writer for Nigerian Entertainment Today, who goes by the moniker Smish, described the album as a body of work "you turn to on gloomy days, searching frantically through its cornucopia of sounds, lyrics and cuts, hoping to find yourself".[3] Debola Abimbolu considers the album to be M.I's "most thoughtful LP till date" and acknowledged him for "tying the mental-health awareness anthem with his personal journey and insecurities".[8] Ernst Motsa of New Frame said A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl "speaks to the various factors that contribute to the rapper’s depression—our dark history of dealing with oppression, celebrity in the era of social media and the self-doubt that comes with it".[9]
Accolades[]
Year | Awards ceremony | Award description(s) | Results |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | The Headies[15] | Best Rap Album | Nominated |
Track listing[]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Do You Know Who You Are? Take Some Time and Meditate on You" (featuring Tay Iwar) |
| Tay Iwar | 4:54 |
2. | "Last Night I Had a Dream About a Hummingbird" |
|
| 2:24 |
3. | "You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives" |
|
| 4:30 |
4. | "Another Thing! Do Not Be a Groupie" |
|
| 4:02 |
5. | "Stop! Never Second Guess Yourself" (featuring Cina Soul) |
| Doz | 3:33 |
6. | "You are Like Melody, My Heart Skips a Beat" (featuring Lorrine Chia) |
|
| 3:23 |
7. | "+-" (featuring Odunsi the Engine and Lady Donli) |
| Doz | 5:06 |
8. | "I Believe in You, You should too, Believe in You" |
| GMK | 2:52 |
9. | "The Self Evaluation of Yxng Dxnzl" (featuring Niyola) |
|
| 4:17 |
10. | "Love Never Fails But Where there are Prophecies Love Will Cease to Remain" (featuring Tay Iwar and PatrickxxxLee) |
| Tay Iwar | 3:59 |
Total length: | 39:54 |
Release history[]
Region | Date | Format | Version | Label |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | August 24, 2018 | CD, digital download | Standard | Chocolate City |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Chux Odoh (August 24, 2018). "How The Internet Is Responding To The 'Yxng Dxnzl' Album By MI Abaga". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "A Study On Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl by M.I Abaga". Apple Music. August 24, 2018. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Smish (August 30, 2018). "Review: "Yxng Denzel: A Study Of Self Worth" Is Reflection Music For Gloomy Days". Nigerian Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Tonton Nelson Raymond (August 28, 2018). "" A Study on Self Worth: YXNG DXNZL" — One Listen Review". Medium. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "MI Abaga releases long-awaited Yung Denzel album". Music in Africa. 24 August 2018. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Oluwatobi Ibironke (February 8, 2018). "MI Abaga Announces "Yung Denzel" Album Release Date". TooXclusive. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Sabelo Mkhabela (August 24, 2018). "M.I Abaga Preaches Self Love In His New Album 'A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl'". OkayAfrica. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Debola Abimbolu (September 5, 2019). "Essentials: M.I's 'YXNG DXNZL: A Study on Self Worth'". Native Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Ernest Motsa (20 February 2019). "MI Abaga: a study in self worth". New Frame. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives - Single by M.I Abaga". Apple Music. October 20, 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ Chidirim Ndeche (22 October 2017). "MI Abaga Tells Rappers To Fix Up Their Lives In His New Song". Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "Here are the best rap replies to "You rappers should fix up your lives"". October 23, 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ Billy Praise (5 May 2018). "The HEADIES 2018: Full List Of Winners". Guardian Life. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ Ehis Ohunyon (August 24, 2018). "Yung Denzel is MI Abaga's most human and vulnerable project yet". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Gbenga Bada (October 20, 2019). "Headies 2019: Here are all the winners at the 13th edition of music award". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- M.I albums
- 2018 albums
- Chocolate City (music label) albums
- Albums produced by Chopstix
- Albums produced by Major Bangz