Kakes On - Moon Rave EP - ThatWeirdMusic

Nigerian rap star Kakes On closes out his musical trilogy with the brand new EP, “Moon Rave.”

For Nigerian rapper and artiste, Kakes ON, music has always been an integral part of his upbringing, and life in general. From idolizing renowned acts such as Drake, Lil Wayne and fellow Nigerian musician, M.I Abaga, to crafting cringey rap group names back in high school, Kakes ON has walked a familiar path that ultimately led him to a career in music.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Kakes ON is an artiste who never fails to tell stories through his music. He visualizes the process of putting records together as an act of expression, which can summon joy and spark meaningful conversations that can leave an impression on the listener, and more importantly bring about change. It’s no wonder that his genre of choice is predominantly Hip-Hop, a style of music known for its impact on lives with its life-altering lyricism (most of the time). Asides being a fan of that particular brand of music, the rising artiste has also shown a developing and probably understated love for Afropop, as well as the sub-genres that are constantly associated with it.

His latest five-track EP, “Moon Rave” could be considered as a conclusion to the “Moon Series,” which includes the projects, “Before I Japa to the Moon” released in 2021 and “MOON TALK,” dropped in 2022. The new body of work sheds light on several topics, such as self-examination, love, heartbreak and fun, culminating in an exhilarating journey.

Kakes ON, who has been releasing music professionally since 2018, opens up the new record, with the track, “Welcome to the Moon.” Coming with a duration of just two minutes and forty-four seconds, the song is one of the shortest pieces on the EP. Muffled vocals imbued into an expansive soundscape welcome listeners, right before the energetic beat takes over. There’s an interesting outro to the song, as a narration of twenty-five seconds centered on the objective of the project leads us to the next track on the EP. Despite its “larger than life” production, the single comes across as one of the weakest pieces on the record. It’s tame and anemic lyricism combined with the opaque vocal arrangement do not help the composition in any shape or form. Kakes ON probably wanted the track to have a bit of uniqueness to it, but this ultimately is its undoing. The message here seems totally lost in translation and listeners might find this piece a tad confusing.

“Free Your Soul” comes in as the second song on the EP and sees Kakes ON tapping up the well established Zilla Oaks for a verse. With this assist, the track does not disappoint, coming in as a breath of fresh air, dissipating the lul of the previous musical offering. The production on “Free Your Soul” is one of the best things you’ll hear before the year runs out. Merged with a trap-like beat, keyboard and piano chords run wild on this one, as Kakes ON goes to work, delivering a hard-hitting verse and matching the soundscape stride for stride. As if that wasn’t enough, Zilla Oaks turns it up a notch with crisp and clear vocals, further amplified by his sharp lyricism. Both acts deliver effortlessly, letting listeners into their headspace, cementing the fact that they do this, not for the money or the fame, but for their souls and their shared untainted love for music. A proper piece in all its glory, and a standout track on the EP.

“IGS (I Got Smoke)” comes in as the third song on the project and is a certified freestyle. With a runtime of two minutes and twelve seconds, “IGS” stands as the shortest track on the EP. The brief narration at the start, perfectly highlights the subject matter at hand. Kakes ON sends out a warning on this piece to anyone who dares to try to challenge him. Despite its brevity, the rising act passes his message across, with the aid of a banging beat.

Coming in at number four is the ever catchy “Delilah.” The wicked tune makes its mark as the most radio-friendly composition on the “MOON RAVE” EP. Stemming from an unresolved heartbreak, “Delilah” ticks all the boxes of a sure hit, from well thought-out verses to a mouth watering chorus. It also features Kakes ON’s most enticing delivery, backed by a solid production sequence. He fully embraces his experiences here, going into detail about failed romances and heart eaters. “Delilah” concludes as arguably the most well-crafted song on the record, a big win for the artiste.

Rounding off the collection of songs is track five, “Run It Up.” After giving it his all as a musician over the years, Kakes ON picks this moment to demand for a return on his investment. He analyzes the situation and realizes this is the time to strike, dominating the airwaves with a lack-back beat, merged with wicked electric guitar strums and a smooth melody. He’s ready to cash out and asks everyone to “run it up” for him. The track begins with another narration and concludes with an energetic and brilliant electric guitar riff, closing out the EP.

Kakes ON might not be a familiar name to a lot of music lovers, but on this display, he certainly deserves to be. There’s a logical concept behind the project and although, not every track is a hit, he does more than enough to ensure that this record comes with strong replay value. Kakes ON isn’t an artiste to watch, he’s one you should be watching already.

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Our extensive interview with Kakes ON opened us up to rare information about the artiste. Get to know more about him with the videos below!