Credit: BNXN/Instagram There is no doubt that Daniel Etiese Benson, aka BNXN, is one of the most lyrically gifted Nigerian artists. There aren’t many of them, to be fair, but BNXN has continued to impress and express that the music game in Africa still needs him. Now, as is the trope now, many artists measure their success via album releases.
There are positive sides to that, especially having a large catalogue and a ton of songs to perform with. However, the album rush has not been for BNXN. Since his breakout about 5 years ago, Sincerely Benson and Captain, he has only released two albums, but complements the effort with many Extended Plays (EPs), and he makes the best of them. So far in his career, BNXN has released four EP projects.
Sorry I’m Late (2021) Released in October 2021, Sorry I’m Late was BNXN’s first major statement as a solo artist. At the time, he had become increasingly familiar to listeners through collaborations, including Zlatan‘s “Spiritual,” LADIPOE‘s “Feeling” and Burna Boy‘s remix of “L’enu.” The seven-track project gave him the opportunity to show what he could do without relying on another artist’s catalogue or audience.
Songs like “Kilometre,” “Never Stopped” and “Ogechukwu,” featuring The Cavemen, highlighted his ability to move between catchy Afropop, introspective songwriting and highlife influences. It helped establish him as more than an artist who delivered memorable verses on other people’s songs. Bad Since ’97 (2022) With Bad Since ’97, BNXN became more confident in his identity and sound.
Released in August 2022, the seven-track EP featured Wizkid, Wande Coal and Olamide, three established artists whose presence added to its appeal. “Many Ways,” “Kenkele” and “Modupe” gave listeners different sides of his artistry, while the title track reinforced the self-assurance that runs through the project. It