Sarkology was rumored to be a 16-track album that would be release towards the end of 2013.[2] According to The Ghanaian Chronicle, Sarkodie told the press that Sarkology would contain 30 songs and would feature production from 13 producers, including KillBeatz, Magnom and Nshorna.[3][4] On August 28, 2013, Sarkodie released the album's cover art to the general public while he was in the United Kingdom for a video shoot.[5][6] The cover features a young boy surrounded by school textbooks and other educational materials.[7] Sarkodie utilized the cover art to promote his clothing brand, Sark.[8]
Sarkology was promoted by the launch of an eponymous concert, which was held at the Accra Sports Stadium on December 21, 2013.[9] The concert featured additional performances from Stay Jay, Kwaw Kese, Efya, Fuse ODG, Joey B, Raquel, Ephraim, Donzy, Dee Moneey, Buda, Mr. Silver, Phoot Printz and Scizo.[10][11][12]
Singles
Efya (top) provided guest vocals on two tracks. Tiwa Savage (middle) and Davido (bottom) are two of the seven Nigerian musicians featured on the album.
The album's lead single, "Gunshot", was released on November 12, 2012. It features guest vocals by Nigerian singer Davido and was produced by KillBeatz.[13] The Sesan-directed video for "Gunshot" was released on December 11, 2012.[14] The album's second single, "Illuminati", was released on November 27, 2012. The song was produced by Magnom and recorded in Twi. Its music video was directed by Gyogyimah of Phamous Philms and filmed in Dubai at various locations.[15] After releasing "Illuminati", Sarkodie was jokingly rumored to have joined the "secret clan".[16]
The Lil Shaker-assisted track "Lies" was released on May 8, 2013, as the album's third single. Its music video was directed by Nana-Asi Hene. According to OkayAfrica, the video "juggles images of a broken mannequin/past lover to the backdrop of Sarkodie's flashy whips, mansions, pools and penthouses."[17] The album's fourth single, "Bounce", was released on September 19, 2013; its accompanying music video was directed by Sesan.[18] "Down on One" was released as the album's fifth single on October 10, 2013; the song features vocals by Fuse ODG and was produced by Killbeatz. The music video for "Down on One" was recorded by Moe Musa.[19]
The album's sixth single, "Pon D Ting", was released on December 23, 2013.[20] It features guest vocals by Banky W. and was produced by Masterkraft. The music video for the song was filmed during Sarkodie's trip to South Africa for the 2013 Channel O Music Video Awards.[21] On December 31, 2013, Sarkodie released "Ordinary Love" as the album's seventh single. It was produced by Beat Merchant and features vocals by Tiwa Savage.[22][23] Efya was initially intended to be on the track, but Sarkodie ended up contacting Savage because he wanted something different.[24]
The album's eighth single, "Preach", was released on January 9, 2014. The song includes a rap verse by UK-based artist and record producer Silvastone. The music video for "Preach" was released on February 3, 2014 and uploaded to YouTube.[25]
Composition
"Elijah" includes a rap verse by Obrafour; The Native's Emmanuel Esomnofu called the song "zesty" and said its "calculated verses are blended with a poignant hook".[26] In "Original", Sarkodie addresses people's worries that rapping in his native tongue may restrict him; the song is driven by a loud beat and jubilant synths.[26] "Special Someone" features vocals by Burna Boy and a rap verse by AKA.[26] Esomnofu commended the song for being "impressively tender, drawing from the soft nucleus of R&B while brazenly adapting the breezy cadences of rap within the verses".[26]
The SK Blinks-assisted track "Adonai" blends rap music with religious themes; the song's rhythm is percussion-based.[26] The church-inspired track "Devil In Me" features vocals by Efya. Esomnofu prasied Efya's vocal performance and likened the track to M.I Abaga's "Imperfect Me", which appeared on MI 2: The Movie (2010).[26]
Critical reception
Sarkology received generally positive reviews from music critics. Jacob Roberts-Mensah and Ameyaw Debrah awarded the album 9 stars out of 10, commending Sarkodie for "blurring the lines between hiplife and hip-hop without necessarily being boxed in or defined by either genre".[27][28]The Native's Emmanuel Esomnofu considers Sarkology to be "an important African rap album" and said its "impact trumps its quality".[26]
