Offica - Hokage: Pt 1 (Album)
Nigerian-born, Irish-raised rapper Offica announces a highly anticipated two-part album entitled ‘Hokage’, with Part 1 out 27th October on MOVES Recordings, alongside focus track 'Have Fun'.
The project draws inspiration from Offica’s unique musical and cultural background, as he seamlessly pulls from Yoruba mythology, Irish energy, UK Rap sonics and his love of the Japanese Anime series ‘Naruto’ - with the theme and title being based around a Naruto character called Hokage, the king of his village.
Part 1 entitled 'Hokage in Drogheda' focuses on his ‘classic’ rap sound and relates to life in Ireland, whilst Part 2 entitled ‘Hokage in Lagos’, which includes features from Odumodublvck and Backroad Gee, sees Offica embrace a more Afrobeats driven sound, as samples from the likes of Wizkid, D’banj and Psquare are weaved into his sonic landscape.
The 14 track Part 1, which features fellow A92 members is packed full varied beats and flows, as introspective hip hop tracks like ‘Overthinker’ and ‘Living Proof’ are countered with forward thinking energetic tracks such as ‘Dedication’ and ‘Stick To the Plan’ as well as bass driven rap bangers like ‘Bluebird’ and focus single ‘Have Fun’.
Speaking about the musical duality that the tape represents, Offica says: “Growing up in Ireland my parents always spoke Yoruba to us, so we understand the language and culture, but obviously living in Ireland all my life I’ve adapted to the Irish way of life. I feel like Nigeria is a huge part of me and so is being Irish so I wanted to reflect both sides in my first full project.”
Since first dropping his first hit ‘Naruto Drillings’ four years ago, Offica has redefined what it means to be an Irish rapper, breaking records with a run of classic singles and game changing freestyles. He has carved a niche for himself by seamlessly incorporating Irish and Yoruba slang into his lyrics, providing a unique window into his culture and identity. Offica’s artistry goes beyond boundaries and is a testament to his unwavering commitment to authenticity.
Since then he has continued to make waves delivering captivating freestyles for Kenny Allstar and Charlie Sloth, whilst dropping tracks with YouTube phenomenon KSI, and achieving the highest streaming UK Drill freestyle of all time - with A92 x Fumez the Engineer 'Plugged In' (120m+ streams) and streaming a further 80m across his remaining catalogue, all without dropping a full-length project to date.
To mark the release of ‘Hokage’ Offica embarks on live shows in Sydney, before flying back to London and returning to Lagos for the very first time since he departed as a baby, to launch Part 2 of the album there, a huge moment for Offica.
‘Hokage’ promises to be a dynamic journey through sound, art, and identity, further solidifying Offica’s position as a trailblazer in the UK and global Rap scene.