Pa Salieu - Belly

Pa Salieu is such an exciting artist. His talent for blending genres and creating a sound that is new, knows no bounds. Since his debut album Send Them to Coventry was released, he has produced various singles, but this latest 2024 drop Belly is simply sublime.

I instantly heard the use of Patios alongside Black British slang, but there’s a way he delivers it that really bring it home and I believe it’s his Gambian roots. The Blend of Black Cultures is always something that should be championed and in his own way Pa Salieu celebrates that through not only his flow, but also in his lyrics.

“I'm in the backroads with my killies, girl, you know what we affi do” - ugh I love it!

Let’s not even get into the music - again the fusion of Afroswing/hip hop/drill is electric and the bass really melts everything together. Simply chefs kiss.

This song has come at such a perfect time of the year - everyone is back on their grind, back on their zoom and making sure they're getting their ducks in a row, Belly captures that vibe perfectly. We’re all just doing our best no matter our circumstances.

I absolutely loved the ending of the song (if you really read the lyrics or actually listen), it could be a prayer/affirmation. Very strong, very positive for the black men who would be classed as the “ghetto man” and in turn he ends the song by addressing the Ghetto man as a Great man.

I shall leave you all with those very words:

“Great man, you haffi walk with finesse
Can't look down cah the world will finesse
Great man must invest
Put your mind on cement
Greatness can't pretend
Deflect all the bad energy
See no evil, speak no evil
Great man, you haffi step with reason
You haffi show dem passion
Put your all on survival
Cah you're greater than, badder than
Pray the Lord protect you in this jungle”.