Written by Cameron Wyatt
Stones here. After plenty of anticipation throughout the year, the Birmingham rapper has returned with ‘The Last Flower To Bloom’, his fourth studio album, marking the beginning of the next chapter in his journey as an artist, following on from last year’s ‘All The Flowers Have Bloomed’. Kofi’s always been known for his introspective songwriting, and this latest album continues that tradition. The album floats through reflections on Kofi’s life, whether that’s within himself, his relationships, or his family, and as you listen through each track, you get the sense of pride from Kofi, looking back at how he has grown and being thankful for the experiences that have shaped him. As well as this, the album includes extremely powerful tracks which delve into wider societal issues, and highlight the struggles and pain others go through. If any project showcases Kofi’s versatility, it’s this one. Moving between personal reflections, wider societal issues and energetic productions, this album is a breath of fresh air.
Opening track The Last Flower To Bloom sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly, with Kofi looking back on experiences throughout his life, almost as a diary entry. Speaking on the track himself, Kofi referred to it as ‘A moment to self, an internal dialogue of wonder’. It looks back on what has shaped him, and how far he’s come to get where he is now. Kofi carries on that same theme throughout, with tracks like Through My Pain and Where Did We Go Wrong? both providing introspective looks into Kofi’s life both as he was growing up and now. This theme brings us back to the title and premise of the project, allowing us to look into how he has grown, and what has brought him to this point. The basis of moving at your own pace and using whatever tools you have to get where you want to be is the central message of the project.
Whilst this message remains clear throughout the entire album, Kofi showcases his versatility well on this project. From the upbeat energy of Kofi Says, which fans of classics like Busker Flow and Flowers Flow will adore, to the slower, soulful production of Soufflé, the album offers all the variety you’d expect from a Kofi project. Soufflé is just one example of the beautiful samples used in the album too – sampling The 21st‘s The Thought Of Me Losing You for its chorus, adding even more to its soulful character. It’s also just one of the tracks in the album that explores Kofi’s love life, and the experiences he’s been through, whether it’s positive or negative. Sicily takes us through a flourishing love story, with the help of an amazing Mahalia feature, and on the other side of the coin, six tracks later, we’re told the story of a near perfect date before being ghosted in Ghostflower, which is also boosted with a beautiful chorus from Jaz Karis. Covering all the different aspects of how unpredictable relationships can be highlights the album’s wider message of allowing yourself to bloom, and giving yourself the time to go through these experiences on your journey to doing so.
Beyond his personal reflections, Kofi’s storytelling remains one of his greatest strengths, and one track stands out in particular – Arlissa, featuring Maverick Sabre. This is arguably one of the most powerful tracks in Kofi’s discography, and speaks on such an important topic that many artists haven’t spoken about. Whilst not all listeners will be able to relate to Arlissa’s experience, the songwriting and storytelling from both Kofi & Maverick allow the listener to understand the effects sexual assault has on its victims, and spreads awareness in such a beautiful way, before dedicating the song to all victims around the world. The duo have done an amazing job at shedding light on this topic through their art, and have done so in a way that, as the song goes on, you find yourself somewhat dreading where the story is growing, whilst simultaneously appreciating the beauty of the storytelling and the importance of the story being told. Sonically, the production matches the mood of the track well, with a mellow, slow-paced instrumental of drums and piano, allowing the listener to take in every aspect of the story the duo are explaining to us, as well as the sentiment behind it.
Wrapping up the album’s first disc is Little Flower, which covers the stress and anxiety that come with growing up, and feeling like you’re behind. The whole basis of this project was to share how Kofi felt as he was growing up and getting to the point he’s at now, and this track feels like him looking back on how he used to feel, and talking from the perspective of a younger Kofi, unsure where or when his success will come. Ultimately, The Last Flower To Bloom is a testament to the patience we all need to be able to grow, and a self-assured progression in Kofi’s journey as an artist, which is nothing less than we expected from the Birmingham rapper. With measured production throughout, the album flows really well, and allows for room to breathe for the listener to take in what’s being said, which is important in a project like this, with different subject matters covered throughout.
