Ghanaian multi-lingual rapper and singer, Worlasi is out with another project. A six-track work of art – no surprise as the musician also has a love for the paintbrush and canvas.
This time around the paintbrush is his voice as he colours and brings to life his thoughts on this personal project.
Let us all find a comfortable place to sit, breathe in and get ready to go on a soul-searching journey with Worlasi.
ALBUM TITLE
THE.RAP.Y, pronounced therapy takes us into the musician’s therapy session, a way for him to understand himself and his thoughts. The reason why many of us may shy away from these sessions is being afraid of looking in the mirror and seeing our true selves, at the same time it is the reason people attend therapy.
Alternatively, it can be pronounced like the rap y, letting the listener know it’s a rap project.
ALBUM COVER
A bold red background. At the forefront, Worlasi is seated in front of a long table with different kinds of fruits, and red roses on it. He is wearing different kinds of animal masks. An eagle, wolf, rabbit, man, bull, and dog.
A representation of his different personalities? I will leave that up to you.
The cover looks like a scene from the Last Supper of Jesus and the twelve apostles. Is this the final meal before the old Worlasi is crucified and the new one is resurrected? Does he betray his ego as Judas did to Jesus?
Will he deny himself of the pleasures of the world to truly become the highest version of himself, the same way the disciples denied that they would betray Jesus? Still on the bible theme, one can say the fruits on the table represent the Garden of Eden.
Unfortunately, a few weeks before the e.p release, Worlasi’s grandmother passed away. In a bid to honour her, the musician added a beautiful portrait of Asame and blacked out his masked face.
Breakdown of Songs
PERFECTION
Our therapy session begins with Perfection, six seconds into the song you feel like you are in a Latin dance studio or a salsa class, your waist is rotating, and your eyes and hands are locked in with your partner and they go by the name Perfection.
Perfection takes over Worlasi’s body, in the first verse, for the purpose of the article, we will refer to perfection as she.
She is talking to Worlasi, and telling him that without her he is nothing and that because of her involvement in his craft, his passion has become a money-making agent, “Cos I’m perfection, forgot to mention I gave you direction, I’m feeding your passion now, your passion is feeding you cash.” Perfection continues to speak about the fact that because of her everything the musician will release will be awesome.
“Wey if I leave you go start regret…Perfection is what you wanted you no fit lie to me…I embody your body, your mind is mine, and I’m the only kind that is kind enough to stick to your grind.” Being a perfectionist means you don’t care how long it takes to do something; perfection will stay till the end.
Patience runs out, hard work dwindles but perfection lasts long after the full stop has been made, the song has been released, the paintbrush has been dropped, and the artwork has been sold.
In the second verse, a fed-up Wolasi stands up for himself, “You know what, fuck you perfection, sekof of you I no finish any of my albums…I am tired of second-guessing…Whatever I do is never enough.” This a clear depiction of what happens in the mind of perfectionists; never finish whatever they start because of their overly critical self-evaluations.
Back to our dance studio because this looks like a never-ending dance between Perfection and Worlasi.
LUCI
In this therapy session, we are introduced to a divine being named Luci. This deity is offering Worla all his hearts desires, he also tries to persuade him by telling him that all the legends have tapped into Luci’s powers and if he wants to be one, he should take up the offer:
“You for Dey choose me
Truth be legends dey use me all time…Tell you for good days to come by
And goodies my guy you go Dey need me.”
This deity like the devil continues to tempt Worla with the things he knows he likes saying:
“I know you like pu**y fat ass and firm boobies
I get cookies and people to serve cookies
I got money and clothes and gold and huge rubies”
In the same way in the book of Matthew 4:1-11 in the bible, Jesus is tempted by the devil in the wilderness, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread”. This is the second bible reference we see.
In his response, Worla turns down the offer, “I’m a priest I don’t need a dark reverend”. The listener is made to know that this is the devil as the musician, refers to the deity’s place of residence, the inferno, what we call, hell:
“First of all, you sound thirsty as hell
My uncle too txt me say you txt am as well
Be like you no get Netflix or data for hell”.
This is a conversation between Worlasi, his temptations, and the devil that lives within. The devil lives inside all of us, will you listen to him? What temptations are you fighting?
JEALOUSY
Beginning with a saxophone and in 20 seconds changes to an Amapiano log drum kind sound, and quickly the tempo slows down to allow, Worlasi to rap.
This song confronts an emotion many of us, especially in the social media era have wrestled and that is jealousy. The feeling of insecurity, and wanting what someone else has.
Worlasi wrestles with this emotion:
“I’m jealous that I’m rapping in English and Ewe
And you rapping in Twi so they can’t even see
How dope my shit is”
But at the end of it all wins this match when he says, “Might want yours but I don’t need your…I’m too special so please” which shows that although the rapper might have wanted what the other person had, he has come to accept that he is special and would rather be himself.
Like American rapper J Cole said in his song ‘Love Yourz’, “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours (love yours)”.
WHO THE F
This song has 7 verses and they represent different people in the rapper’s life. We will only focus on three of them.
The first one is the Creator, asking Worlasi who he thinks he is after the Creator has answered his prayers, how dare he disregard him. Typical human behaviour once God has answered your prayers, you forget him and take the glory for yourself.
“I made you I’m the most high
Don’t ever raise your voice high
I give you flower give you trees
Give you power give you greens
So you feel say you reach”
The third verse is about a mother figure who feels like the son is not appreciating her efforts, after carrying him in her womb, making sure he is comfortable and protected, the son goes to disrespect the mother in return,
“I had you nine months in my womb
Not a single day I never thought of you
…And making sure you never get abused
like I was.”
The fourth verse is the girlfriend’s point of view, frustrated that after all the years they have been together, the rapper still doesn’t appreciate her. She is verbally abused and the rapper makes the situation worse by using his job as an excuse.,
“I gave you nine years of my life
December ego be ten
I give you my body give you my time
…If you in pain ebi me wey I ago take am away
See I’m aware you dey job , but me too Adey Job
So mind you your tongue.’”
FUTURE SELF
The whole point of therapy is to heal your past traumas, fully live in the present and come out from the sessions better for your future self. In this song, Worlasi speaks to his Future Self.
He also tackles a very serious topic depression and but also gives light at the end of the tunnel that sometimes it’s the little things like brushing your teeth, cleaning your room, looking outside a window that takes you out of the deep dark pit.
That may not be a permeant solution but it’s the start, and sometimes that’s all you need to do, just start by doing the small things.
WHEN I’M GONE
This song is Worlasi’s way of telling his fans about his struggles as a musician and some of the things he goes through, this is probably the most vulnerable we see the rapper:
“Another night another meeting
I hope I get this funding or next month I’m not eating.”
At the same time, we see the rapper encouraging himself, “Stop being hard on yourself and focus on what you can be.” In another line, “You for shun Dey give your body, too much pressure novi”.
This is also a way to tell his family, friends and fans how they should celebrate him when he dies:
“ See when I’m gone key then know that I was different
Everything wey I Dey touch Dey come different
When I’m gone let them know that I was bold
…When I’m gone don’t tell them that I’m a genius
Tell them I was working hard every second on my business.”
He also leaves his music as a gift. So that long after his death his music can live on and heal people, “When I’m gone take my music do therapy…Cos I know therapy Dey cost me sef this Be my therapy”
ABLA’S SYSTEM (THE CONVO)
A conversation between friends, about therapy.
Have you ever thought about attending therapy? Have you been to therapy? How is therapy viewed in this part of the world? How is it viewed in your family?
What does therapy mean to you? Is it talking to your mom, is it music, is it turning down the lights and staying in bed for two days, or binge-watching your favourite series?
Well, whatever therapy looks like to you, keep on doing it. It might be the very thing keeping you alive.
Our therapy sessions have come to an end, I hope like Abla’s System you can have a conversation with your loved ones about the things that keep you up at night, I hope Perfection and Jealousy never drive you into the arms of Luci, I hope for the sake of your FUTURE SELF you remember Who the F you are so that WHEN YOU ARE GONE, they remember you are The Man and The God. Waaaska.
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