Burna Boy’s “Last Last” Lyrics Meaning
Burna Boy deals with a number of different topics in “Last Last” which, it should be noted, is primarily relayed in West African pidgin English, intermixed with terminology from the local Yoruba language.
So as far as interpretation goes, we are relying heavily on what are, at the time of this writing, unverified translations. However, said terminology is largely verifiable through Google. Furthermore, it would appear that the aforementioned translators know what they’re talking about.
So with that established, to reiterate, there seems to be a lot going on in this piece. But ultimately, what’s being put forth can be split into two or three major categories.
The initial portions of both verses can be deemed as primarily braggadocious in nature. Burna establishes himself as someone who ‘wins by default’. He comes off as the type of person who always goes all-out. Also, we’re made aware that he has major dough. But before the first verse closes out for instance, we see the vocalist referring to himself as being ‘manipulated’ by some female.
The chorus, it has been ascertained, serves as a shoutout to “igbo” (aka weed) and “shayo” (alcohol), both of which the vocalist firmly establishes that he ‘needs’. So obviously, his preference for intoxication is a secondary theme of this track.
But perhaps the reason such is so, in context, once again has to do with woman problems. The verses also conclude similarly in that regard, with the second being more detailed than the first. Here, the point is driven home that the singer is in fact reeling from a broken heart, due to the dissolution of the relationship with his significant other.
The Breakup
It is also more or less revealed that they parted ways under less-than-ideal circumstances, i.e. Burna feeling as if he has been unfairly criticized by his ex. And those in the know have put forth that this is a real-life situation he is currently going through with Stefflon Don, the British musician Boy had been dating for a few years but recently broke up with. And with that in mind, the title reportedly alludes to the notion that facing certain hardships, such as what he’s currently enduring, is an inevitable part of life.
Takeaway
So perhaps getting a little too deep here, we can conclude by saying that the bravado and braggadocio displayed at the beginning of the verses are defense mechanisms for what comes after. Or rather, let’s say it seems somewhat obvious that Burna is bragging to remind all parties involved that even though he may be going through 99 problems, still he’s no slouch.
Release Date of “Last Last”
Concurrent with the release of this track, Burna Boy stands as one of the most-recognizable truly-African musicians in the United States. That is to say that he hails from Nigeria, and his two most-recent LPs, “African Giant” (2019) and “Twice as Tall” (2020), progressively broke the top 20 of the Billboard 200. These projects respectively peaked at numbers 16 and 11.
He also has a couple of BET Awards under his belt, as well as an MTV Europe Music Award and a plethora of comparable accolades received in the Motherland.
“Last Last” is a single derived from “Love, Damini”. “Love, Damini” is the afrobeats artist’s sixth studio album. The entire project was backed by Atlantic Records.
“Last Last” has an official release date of 13 May, 2022.
Credits
“Last Last” samples a track Toni Braxton put out in the year 2000 called “He Wasn’t Man Enough“. That particular piece was written by the following writers:
- Harvey Mason Jr.
- Fred Jerkins III
- Rodney Jerkins (aka Darkchild)
- LaShawn Daniels (1977-2019)
Accordingly, all four of them are also credited as authors of “Last Last”, as are the following:
- James Malcolm Olagundoye
- Chopstix
- Burna Boy
And Chopstix, who’s also from Nigeria, produced the track with MD$, Ruuben and a duo known as Off & Out.
Interesting to Note:
The cover art to this single is somewhat reminiscent to that of MF Doom’s signature album, “Mm..Food” (2004).
