Oladips tells crazy stories. Vector asserts that, but long before this assertion, the fans were aware of his greatness.

This writer started listening to him in 2014. Through Oladips, I was introduced to Zlatan Ibile, Leke Lee, Degree Bad Boy and all the other Dagrin knock-offs. There were a lot of them, jostling for the crown of Akogun, yet none was close. Among the underground artistes, Oladips stood out. He was just different from the rest. His self-appraisal, storytelling and cadence made him a darling of the fans.

Then came Naija Loaded support, his victory on D’banj’s challenge, Reminisce’s ill-fated deal, the post-record-label issues, the diss comments on tracks, the second coming of the Lazarus stunt and more.

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The music never stops, however; it gets drowned in the murky waters of controversy. The powers that be turned the music down. Last week, I listened to his two full-length albums. The skill sets are noticeable, the talent can’t be denied, yet Oladips still hasn’t kicked the industry door open.

Yesterday, he made a return with a six-track project, The Uche’s Story, a relatable story about a former boxer who backtracked and got consumed by the same society that was supposed to uplift his talent. The first four songs stay around the two-minute, fifteen-second mark, except for the outro, which is elongated by a fiery audio cut of Muhammad Ali.

The first track introduces listeners to Uche’s background: his failed-boxer father, his steadfast mother and his below-average family. Oladips paints the picture of a boxing match with Saheed, the son of an imam, who got scammed by a fake herbalist.

Laid on simple production, entirely produced by Hemykul Hemy, the songs give Oladips enough room to tell his story. Uche constantly fights battles, both internal and external. In Episode Four, a Lebanese man impersonating a boxing agent almost steals Uche’s family belongings. These series of unfortunate events turn Uche into a drug addict and an explorer of herbs and other substitutes.

The story ends on a positive note, as Uche is rescued by a cleric.

With this EP, Oladips shows off his mastery as a storyteller. For old disciples, this isn’t surprising. He is him. The talent and skill have always been there; he just dey tell una say e still dey body.