Pa Salieu – Afrikan Alien

Pa Salieu just got out of prison in September, walking into Angelic Studios in Oxfordshire with his prison bags and a big smile. He had served 21 months for being part of a fight that happened after his friend Fidel Glasgow was killed in 2018.

During his time in prison, Pa wrote down his thoughts about family, freedom, and being African in the UK. These ideas became the heart of his new album “Afrikan Alien.” The album mixes different styles of music – rap, modern Afrobeats, spiritual songs, and drum patterns. Though it’s short at just 27 minutes, it packs in lots of different sounds and ideas.

The music feels light and hopeful. In a song called “Allergy,” Pa sings about staying away from negative energy. He brings in other artists like Black Sherif, Byron Messia, and ODUMODUBLVCK to add their voices to the album. One song called “Soda” brings together warm Caribbean beats with South African dance music.

Pa takes popular music styles that have made stars out of artists like Burna Boy and Asake, but he adds his own twist. In the title song, he talks about being an African who feels like an alien, moving from place to place but carrying his culture with him. His music connects his past in The Gambia, where he grew up listening to music in his grandmother’s car, with today’s popular sounds.

The album’s most meaningful moment comes in a simple song called “YGF” (which means “Young, great, and free”). With backup from a gospel choir, it feels like Pa is finally letting out a deep breath of relief after his time in prison.