Before we can truly understand this project we first need to ask ourselves a series of questions, where is the “here” that the artist speaks of? Is “here” a feeling, a place, or even a state of mind? Furthermore does “here” signify a new beginning, does this also speak of augmentation? What has the artist been through to finally reach “here”, what have they lost in the process to attain this feeling? The moment we ask ourselves these questions we begin to listen to the project with a different ear, one of discernment.

Nasty C has grown a long way from being deemed the coolest kid in Africa to being acknowledged as a world-renowned artist with unparalleled talent. Since his mainstream debut in 2014, Nasty C has reached the highest calibre of his career, consistently demonstrating his versatility and lyrical prowess. He has grown into a global sensation, as a result of his hard work and dedication to the mastery of his craft. As a testament to his talent he soon after signed a joint venture deal with Def Jam Records, and through this collaboration he’s worked with many international artists amongst them being Benny the Butcher; the Griselda native is featured in “Prosper in Peace” one of the highest streamed songs on the album. In addition, the project features contributions from Tellaman, Ami Faku, Manana, Anica, Maglera Doe Boy and 25k. 

Coming off a successful African Throne Tour with Cassper Nyovest, the album couldn’t have dropped at a better time. Within the first 24 hours of its release, the 19-track project had amassed a staggering 1.4 million streams and it was number one on both Spotify and iTunes. The project is a beautiful composition, every song fits and serves an intended purpose which is to accentuate the story of struggle, love, and growth.

“She’s Gone & The End” sets the mood for the album. Here we hear about the tragic passing of Junior’s mother. He touches on a subject that forces him to peel ageing wounds, he shares the depth of his heart, one that has taken him 25 years to sum up into words. This song welcomes us to his world of sentiment, it is riddled with pain and becomes the prelude for his healing.  

Ultimately we are all reaching for a destination, a place we can relate to as a home or a feeling we can reach for when we are lost. The album extends from song to song and speaks to all our vulnerability until we finally get to a point where we have outgrown our former selves. As a result, the being we have grown into will not allow us to do anything else, but love who we have become. Aren’t we all searching for a space either within us or around us where we can finally say we love it here or we are loved here? A space that brings out the best of who we are even on days when we can only see the worst in ourselves.

I Love It Here not only walks us through a chapter of fatherhood, it also makes us aware of the many battles faced to reach this particular juncture. In place of the bar-heavy content we usually hear from Nasty C, this project appeals more to our delicate senses and asserts sincerity in a sound that has matured beyond what we have learned to appreciate.

This project is a harmony of animate and melancholy intertwined and mastered to demonstrate the growth and development of the artist. This project feels like a culmination of experiences that have led him to this point. I Love It Here caters to an array of topics and dispositions, one would think of it as being on a journey to self-discovery and finally reaching a point in your life where you are content and at peace with who you have become both as a human being and as an artist.

In “Release Me” Nasty C appeals to the listener not to judge him on the things he said in his past, for in this present time he has morphed into someone different. And his past mistakes no longer define him, it is reasonable to say the past contributed to who he is now, but is also plausible to understand that the is no moment greater than the present.

Music offers us an escape from our many troubles it affords us space from the grasp of reality. There are songs that resonate with us and all that we have been through, and with this album Nasty C reflects on all that he has been through to reach this precise point in time where everything in his life makes sense. And in his words, we find our own semblance of sense of self and I must say I Love It Here.