Mayorkun Back in Office Album Review. Mayorkun Showcases Growth on his Sophomore Album

Mayorkun can hold it down with any artist of his generation. He knows how to string words together to form catchy lyrics and beautiful tunes. His emergence in the music industry was more of a surprise. With “Eleko”, the industry felt the arrival of a serial hit maker.



As a dedicated and hardworking musician, he released singles that made notable impacts in the industry. Before he could cement his place as a true afro-pop artiste, the DMW music star released his debut playlist album “The Mayor Of Lagos” in 2018 - with hit certified songs, and since then, he has had a roller coaster ride in the music industry. From scoring grime-tinged hit song “Geng,” to “Betty Butter,” down to the Amapiano-sampled “Mayor of Lagos.”

Undoubtedly, The twenty-eight-year-old singer has carved a niche for himself in the Nigerian music industry. If there were ever doubts about this, he crushed them with his debut project, “The Mayor Of Lagos (TMOL)” album on the 16th of November, 2018 and his uncanny ability to make hit songs when featured on songs.



The success didn’t just start overnight. As a child of the famous Yoruba actress Toyin Adewale, Mayorkun was like a normal hustling Nigerian working as a marketer at one of the new generation banks in Lagos before the WhatsApp call from Davido that changed his life.

Originally from Ekiti State, Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel, popularly known by the stage name Mayorkun grew up in Osun State, Nigeria. Like the typical Nigerian artiste, he was exposed to music while in church, where he learned the basics of music. Fast forward to 2021, and this album which he titled “Back in Office”, oozes Mayorkun’s growth and showcases how he has matured on different levels with his sound.

The album started with “Soldier Boy” as the opener. Mayorkun knows what works for him, and in this 2 minutes track, he explores this talent: his effortless ability to craft melodies. Mayorkun flows on a rap beat, using backup choirs to elevate the musicality in his ideas and integrates horn and guitar solos into the beats.

Mayorkun tells his success story and motivates, saying, “You gon be okay (Okay) You gon be okay yeah (That’s right that’s right), Heads up little soldier boy (Get your head up), It’s tough little soldier boy.”

“Back In Office” meets Mayorkun in his cheering state, where he flexes his talents. Here, the percussion holds sway as the narrative hints at him bragging of holding down the lockdown with “hits”. Catchy, petty, deserving of its national anthem status.



The Telz-produced “Freedom” is an Afro-Caribbean song with the backup choral voice added for a balanced melody. The writing here leaves much to be desired, but the sonics save the day. He sang about what motivated him into the music life, and now he’s seeking freedom - which to him, means doing what you want to do when you want to do it.

“Let me know” is a well-crafted song from a sonic perspective. This track, which equates a lover with the divine, will age well, although “Omalicha baby, you too set You dey make my head correct, Na my bus stop, mofe bo’le. Ahh, you no be “Room To Let” makes for curious writing. The saxophone helps provide more nuance.

“Desire”, a feature with Gyakie, is a definitive play on sensuality and intimacy. Gyaki hands in a fairly good verse, while Mayorkun serenades his love interest with cheesy lyrics that compare their relationship to that of siblings. He brightens things up with his playful wordplay.

“No Strings Attached” could easily be tagged as one of the most melodious tracks on the album. World plays are clearly Mayorkun’s strong suit, and he also knows how to make an impression. The drums elevate the sonic quality of this track. Joeboy’s beautiful ranges in how he describes the audacious doings in Lagos nightlife. The chemistry is admirable and would fit perfectly into a song for a lady who’s forming hard to get.



“Holy Father” is easily the best song on the album, and it’s not surprising to see it doing crazy numbers on the charts. Victony’s vocals remain the highlight of this song, with his chorus standing out. Mayorkun, on any song is like curry in jollof rice, and once again, the Mayor of Lagos rises to the occasion amidst clever wordplay. The track is well-rounded and flavoured, and there is nothing to complain about here.

“Nakupenda” is an Amapiano song infused with soulful piano strings. If music is a meal, Amapiano is a potent brand of this song, and Mayorkun comes with all the flavour. It’s from a sonic perspective. You will dance, and dance some more.

It’s beautiful to see that Mayorkun thoroughly researched the Igbo Language, which turns out to be the dominating language in “Feel Am” ft Flavour.



This tune is a highlife jam. A sonic direction where both Artists flow smoothly. A potential nightclub favourite. It’s vibe and rhythm on the dance floor. It’s purely composed for dancing, and there’s hardly a foot wrong here.

“Piece of Mind” is an emotional song, yet with a funny, catchy hook. Mayorkun interpolated DiJa’s verse on “Awww” “I want you to know, that I love you baby, I need you to know, that I love you baby”. The song is a masterpiece; you feel the confidence brimming in his voice as guitar ticks flow to an ear-pleasing effect.

“Jay Jay” is the restatement that Mayorkun is a big fan of Amapiano. Laced with long drums and precision, Mayorkun compares himself to the legendary Nigerian midfielder Jay Jay Okocha. With Dj Maphorisa & Kabza De Small contributions, it’s evident that the song is tailored for a South African audience in sound.



“Oluwa” is a perfect way to end an album. Mayorkun elevates his penmanship. On this mid-tempo track, Mayorkun added another choral voice towards the end, giving it a spiritual feeling. The saxophone took the verses and bridge to church, while the piano handled foundational duties. While the obvious focus is the syrupy vocal delivery. Underneath is where the magic is.

Ultimately, “Back In Office”’ is intentional about the audience it appeals to, and while it gains no new ground compared to its predecessor, it makes for feel-good music. The songs won’t stay with you, but you will enjoy listening to them on the radio, at the very least. A sneak peek into Mayorkun’s catalogue shows that Mayorkun does many of his best melodies on solo tracks. Albeit, he’s also a great guest to feature on songs, it barely raises any hair when he invites other artists on his songs.

However, three years after the “Mayor Of Lagos” album, there is no doubt that Mayorkun has lived life, grown, and surmounted life’s challenges, and now he’s back in the office to recount his experience. The outcome of this formed a large chunk of this album. The growth can be observed in the way he dealt with topics. The production was successful in bringing out his pristine vocals and superb songwriting. It’s a 7/10 in terms of production.

Do you think “Back In Office” Album supersedes his debut in sonic cohesion, or does the debut still remain his Magnum Opus?

Let’s know your thoughts about the album.