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Legend or No Legend is the third studio album by Nigerian singer and songwriter Wande Coal. It was released on 18 May 2023 through Empire and Black Diamond Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from Wizkid, Olamide, T-Pain and Fireboy DML.[1] Wande Coal featured producers such as Kel-P, Screwface, Dunnie, Bruno, K-Dream and P.Priime.[2] The album is a follow-up to his 2020 EP, Realms (2020).
| Legend or No Legend | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 18 May 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2021–2023 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:00 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | ||||
| Wande Coal chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Legend or No Legend | ||||
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Background
editThe album was originally going to be released on 31 March 2023, when it was pushed back to 7 April2023. People speculated that the reason for this was because fellow Nigerian singer Davido announced the release of his album Timeless for 31 March 2023.[3] Legend Or No Legend got pushed back a second time and then went to be revealed that the release date had been 18 May 2023.[4] In an interview with OkayAfrica, Wande Coal said the reason for the name of the album.
It's always good for people to doubt, and it's always good for them to see results. Whatever people say pushes me. Positive or negative, I pour it into the music. I know it's time for me to show my growth over the years. I want people to soak it in and understand that I'm living my dreams as an African artist,
Wande Coal shared.[5]
Singles
editThe album's lead single "Come My Way" was released on 28 October 2021 and produced by Bruno and Screwface.[6] The music video for "Come My Way" was released on 5 November 2021 and was shot and directed in Lagos by Sesan.[7]
The second single "Kpe Paso" features Olamide and was produced by Kel-P. The song won Best Vocal Performance (Male) at the 2023 edition of the Headies and was nominated for Best Collaboration.[8] The music video for "Kpe Paso" was directed by Jyde Ajala.[9]
The third single "Let Them Know" was released on 21 April 2023 with an accompanying music video. "Let Them Know" was produced by Kel-P and the music video was directed by TG Omori.[10]
The fourth single "Ebelebe" features Wizkid and was released on 19 October 2023. The music video for "Ebelebe" was directed by Director K.[11]
Critical reception
editEsther Kalu of Premium Times expressed that while the album featured captivating vocals and familiar melodies, it largely played it safe, lacking the experimentation and versatility that defined Wande Coal's earlier works. She felt that the album, though anticipated, fell short of expectations and stayed too much within Wande's comfort zone, leaving listeners wanting more.[12]
Emmanuel Esomnofu of The Native Magazine, acknowledged Wande Coal's enduring influence on Nigerian pop music but critiqued the album for relying too heavily on familiar melodies without pushing creative boundaries. He praised tracks like "Kpe Paso" featuring Olamide for their strong execution but ultimately concluded that the album did not fully capture Wande Coal's genius, suggesting that it leaned more on comfort than innovation.[13]
Emmanuel Daraloye, writing for Afrocritik, provided a more nuanced review, noting that while Legend Or No Legend might not reach the heights of Mushin 2 Mo' Hits, Wande Coal seems to have moved beyond that success, showing no need to replicate that epic cultural moment. Daraloye praised the album's maturity and versatility, highlighting tracks like "Nobody Holy," "Come My Way," and "Kpe Paso". He concluded that while the album may not achieve the legendary status of Wande Coal's debut, it still solidifies his place as a significant figure in the Nigerian music industry.[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nobody Holy" |
| Dunnie | 3:15 |
| 2. | "Come My Way" |
|
| 3:30 |
| 3. | "3 Square Meal" |
| K-Dream | 3:04 |
| 4. | "Dues" |
| Dunnie | 2:52 |
| 5. | "E Choke" |
| Kel-P | 2:54 |
| 6. | "Let Them Know" |
| Kel-P | 3:24 |
| 7. | "Streets" (featuring T-Pain) |
| Kel-P | 2:47 |
| 8. | "Kpe Paso" (featuring Olamide) |
| Kel-P | 2:57 |
| 9. | "Ebelebe" (featuring Wizkid) |
| P.Priime | 3:29 |
| 10. | "Genesis" |
| Kel-P | 2:26 |
| 11. | "Jabo" (featuring Fireboy DML) |
| K-Dream | 3:11 |
| 12. | "Sho Ma Gba" |
| Kel-P | 2:41 |
| 13. | "Don't Feel Love" |
| Kel-P | 3:31 |
| Total length: | 40:00 | |||
Personnel
edit- Oluwatobi "Wande Coal" Ojosipe – vocals
- Ayodeji "Wizkid" Balogun – vocals
- Adedamola "Fireboy DML" Adefolahan – vocals
- Faheem "T-Pain" Najm – vocals
- Olamide Adedeji – vocals
- Bruno – producer
- K-Dream – producer
- Joseph "Screwface" Charles – producer
- Dunni "Dunnie" Lawal – producer
- Prince "P.Priime" Aderogba – producer
- Udoma "Kel-P" Amba – producer, engineer
- Trehy Harris – mixing engineer
- Chris Athens – mastering engineer
- Sesan Ogunro – video director
- Jyde Ajala – video director
- TG Omori – video director
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 18 May 2023 | Empire[1] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Legend Or No Legend – Album by Wande Coal". Apple Music. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Ihejirika, Uzoma (6 June 2023). "Track-by-Track: Wande Coal Breaks Down His New Album, Legend or No Legend". The Native Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Davido's album announcement prompts Wande Coal to push back album release date". YNaija. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Afeez, Ademoye (12 May 2023). "Wande Coal reveals what fans should expect from his upcoming album". NotJustOk. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Falola, Ifeoluwa (23 May 2023). "Interview: Nevermind the Legend Talk, Wande Coal Just Wants To Make Good Music". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Ngema, Zee (23 May 2023). "Wande Coal Calls In His Blessings In New Single 'Come My Way'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Culture Custodian (12 January 2022). "Wande Coal Shares 'Come My Way' Video". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Grein, Paul (28 August 2023). "Burna Boy Leads in 2023 Headies Awards Nominations: Full List (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Yongo, Sunghen (2 February 2023). "Wande Coal and Olamide Team Up On 'Kpe Paso'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Ngema, Zee (20 April 2023). "Wande Coal's Feeling The Love In New Single 'Let Them Know'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Bolawa, Pelumi (19 October 2023). "WATCH: Wande Coal, Wizkid combine for 'Ebelebe' visuals". The Cable Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Kalu, Esther (10 June 2023). "ALBUM REVIEW: Wande Coal's 'Legend or no Legend' fails to grasp his total genius". Premium Times. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ Esomnofu, Emmanuel (18 May 2023). "A 1-LISTEN REVIEW OF WANDE COAL'S 'LEGEND OR NO LEGEND'". The Native. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ Daraloye, Emmanuel (22 May 2023). "Wande Coal Shores Up Legacy on "Legend Or No Legend" Album". Afrocritik. Retrieved 15 August 2024.