Son of Mercy

Davido first announced plans to release Son of Mercy in September 2016; he revealed its title and said it would be released on October 21.[4] Davido recorded majority of the EP's songs in the United States.[5] Son of Mercy was produced by Shizzi, Kiddominant and Spellz. It features collaboration with guest artists such as Nasty C, Simi and Tinashe.[6] In an interview with The Native magazine, Davido criticized Son of Mercy and said he did not select the songs that appeared on it.[7]

The Shizzi-produced track "Gbagbe Oshi" contains lyrics recorded in pidgin, Yoruba and patois;[3] it has a muscular beat with two significant drum breaks.[2] The contemporary highlife track "Maga 2 Mugu" features guest vocals by Simi; Chiagoziem of Filter Free Nigeria praised Simi for bringing "calm and sappiness to Davido's hyperactivity and directness".[3] The Spellz-produced track "How Long" contains elements of Afropop and soulful house music.[3] In the Afrobeats-infused trap song "Coolest Kid in Africa", Davido exchanges bars with South African rapper Nasty C and brags about how saving money isn't part of his vocabulary.[3][2] The highlife track "Return" focuses on themes of love and begins with an earnest admission about Davido's relationship with an unnamed woman.[2]

The EP's lead single "Gbagbe Oshi" (Yoruba: "Kill the Drama" or "Leave the Matter") was released on October 3, 2016.[8][9] The song was produced by Shizzi and released nearly 10 months after Davido signed with RCA Records/Sony Music International.[9] The accompanying music video for "Gbagbe Oshi" premiered on October 1, in honor of Nigeria's 56th annual Independence Day.[9]

The Tinashe-assisted track "How Long" was released on October 13, 2016, as the EP's second single.[5] The song fuses South African house music with Yoruba lyrics and R&B elements.[5] Davido told Vice he recorded "How Long" a year ago and agreed to put Tinashe on the record after being asked by a label executive to do so.[10] Sabo Kpade commended Davido and Tinashe's sound and said "How Long" was a "smooth ride of a song".[2] The visuals for "How Long" was shot in Malibu; in it, Davido arrives to the beach on a motorcycle and Tinashe on a white horse.[10]

The Nasty C-assisted track "Coolest Kid in Africa" was released on November 18, 2016, as the EP's third single.[5] The accompanying music video for the song was shot and directed by Sesan Ogunro.[11]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Filter Free Nigeria	58/100[3]
Pulse Nigeria	[5]

Son of Mercy received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Chiagoziem of Filter Free Nigeria said listeners who see the EP as a "collection of strategically-placed songs" would appreciate it more than those who see Davido as "one of a few African artists that record labels are telling the world could become the future of music".[3] A writer for Pulse Nigeria awarded the EP 3.5 stars out of 5, describing it as a balanced project that is "somewhere between experimental and familiar, but weirdly satisfying".[5] Sabo Kpade of OkayAfrica said Simi's voice on "Maga 2 Mugu" lacks presence despite being pleasant.[2] Kpade criticized "Return" for lacking "a clean thematic consistency".[2]