Kemuel Returns to His Roots with Deeply Personal EP “Borokiri Boy”
Port Harcourt’s own Kemuel is serving up his most vulnerable work yet with Borokiri Boy, a nine-track EP that reads like an emotional diary set to irresistible Afrobeats and R&B fusion. Named after his hometown neighborhood of Borokiri in Rivers State, this third project from the rising artist doubles as both a love letter to his origins and a brutally honest chronicle of modern romance, heartbreak, and the messy journey toward self-awareness.
What makes this EP particularly striking is that Kemuel handled everything himself—writing and producing the entire project under his production alias, Wondah. The sonic palette he’s crafted blends Afrobeats rhythms with R&B smoothness and electronic flourishes, creating a soundscape that mirrors the emotional complexity of the stories he’s telling. “The name Borokiri Boy is very intentional because this project is mostly about me,” Kemuel explains. “It’s made up of a lot of love songs because, honestly, I’m mostly made of love. I wanted the project to feel like a journey.”
And what a journey it is. The EP kicks off with “Seki,” where vulnerability takes center stage as Kemuel grapples with approaching someone new despite questionable timing. From there, tracks like “Osei Baby” flip the script entirely—he’s upfront about wanting nothing serious, keeping things strictly physical. “Close 2 U” offers a moment of genuine connection, finding peace in someone who makes time amidst life’s chaos. The two-part sequence of “YOLO” and “FINI” captures the contradiction of encouraging someone to live in the moment, only to watch them take that freedom too far. “Wound Me” dives into toxic relationship dynamics, while “Pitakwa Girls Riddim” celebrates Port Harcourt women with playful local flavor. The project culminates with “Spirit / Habit,” a powerful two-part closer where Kemuel finally admits he’s not ready for love and needs to focus on his own growth first. The closing mantra? “E go sup eventually”—everything will work out.
“I hope this project shows what it looked like to be lost in love,” Kemuel shares, “and what it feels like to finally start finding my balance.” Borokiri Boy is available now on all streaming platforms via ONErpm, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into one artist’s evolution from romantic chaos to hard-earned clarity.
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