Track six on “Barrystar Vol. 2,” and Barry Jhay goes full Yoruba with “Igi Aruwe.” This is the kind of record that reminds you exactly where he comes from.
“Igi Aruwe” translates loosely to a strong or flourishing tree, and the imagery fits perfectly with what Barry Jhay represents in Nigerian music. He carries a heavy lineage, son of Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, grandson of I.K. Dairo, and records like this one show he hasn’t forgotten that responsibility. There’s a rootsy, almost ceremonial feel to the song that separates it from everything else on the project.
Coming after the upbeat energy of “Let’s Go,” “Igi Aruwe” pulls the listener back into that deeper, culturally grounded space the artist does better than most of his peers. The Yoruba language carries its own rhythm naturally, and he uses that to his advantage here, letting the words flow in a way that feels musical even before the melody kicks in.
For longtime fans who fell in love with him through “Aiye” and “Ori,” “Igi Aruwe” is exactly what they’ve been waiting for on “Barrystar Vol. 2.” It’s one of those tracks that grows on you the more you listen. Don’t skip this one.
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