Phyno – Full Time Job Album Review: A Bridge To Global Markets

Phyno is Nigerian hip-hop royalty. His status and place amongst all of the greatest acts Nigerian hip-hop has produced are confirmed. With nothing to prove, Phyno takes on the responsibility of exporting and showcasing his culture to an international audience. 

This mission started in 2021 when he released his fourth album, Something to Live for. The album, which featured Afroswing records and a Dsmoke feature, indicated that Ezege, as he is affectionately known, was targeting the UK or American markets.

Despite this, he stayed true to his essence, blending English and Igbo in his delivery and crafting songs like Bia, Ike Pentecost, and Paracetamol that appealed to the southeastern region of Nigeria, where he is from.

With Full time job, he strives forward in his ambition to conquer international audiences and showcase his culture. Nothing emphasises this more than ArrDee, a British rapper from Brighton, boasting a thick Cockney-inspired accent spitting some bars in Igbo on the super exciting upbeat single Time of My Life. 

Phyno’s versatility and range have never been subject to conversation on social media, and it’s because he is one of the few who can shapeshift across multiple genres and styles without delivering below the expected standard. He displays this excessively on his latest album whilst maintaining the quality of the album and the excitement in the records.

He delivers explosive rap cuts on the atmosphere, punctuating opener It’s Nothing, the reflective Grateful, as well as party-starting records like Trouble Maker and Back Outside.

He has loads of sweet nothings to whisper into the ears of his love interests on records like Sweet Karma featuring Johnny Drille and Deep featuring Fave, which is one of the highlights and standout records of the album, with Fave delivering her most exciting performance in 2024, belting out sonorous melodies whilst delivering a superb hook on the record.

Records like Do I featuring Burna Boy, the Afroswing records Eyes on Dem featuring Chip, Pinterest featuring NSG, and Time of My Life featuring Arrdee indicate Phyno’s focus on capturing foreign audiences.

Anthemic records like Men Don Show Face featuring Nigerian Neo-Highlife icon Flavour and Anthem Ndi Eze bear the marks of national-wide smash hits. Nwanyo Nwayo could take off in South Eastern markets.

Deep, Sweet Karma, Men Don Show Face, Time of My Life, and Pinterest are the highlights of the album. However, the fillers serve their purpose, with no song feeling out of place on the album. 

In its entirety, Full Time Job is a strong project, enjoyable from start to finish, and a worthy addition to Phyno’s glowing discography, which features one of the greatest debut albums in Nigerian hip-hop history. With Full Time Job, Phyno showcases his exceptional creativity and dedication to his craft. This album is an ode to his roots and a bridge to international markets as he expertly blends cultural authenticity with global appeal.