Side Effects: Ogoti the Boychild’s debut album inspired by his pharmaceutical background
A poster of Ogoti the Boychilds new EP Side Effects
Spoken-word artist Ogoti the Boychild is using his latest project, SIDE EFFECTS, to examine how medicine, politics, justice and human relationships intersect, drawing parallels between pharmaceutical treatment and society’s approach to addressing its problems.
The five-track spoken-word EP builds on his debut project, The 1st Chronicles of Ogoti the Boychild, which explored identity, freedom and fatherhood. However, the new release takes a more deliberate approach, using his background as a pharmacist to question whether the systems people rely on to solve their problems are addressing the root causes or merely offering temporary relief.
“I use pharmaceutical concepts to examine how we treat symptoms while ignoring the causes of our problems,” Ogoti explains, describing the thinking behind the project.
The EP features five pieces: Ken (Anatomy of a Nation), Brufen, Vyombo za Wageni, Prescription and Olkalau Wife. Each approaches the idea of side effects from a different perspective, ranging from national governance and justice to personal relationships and individual responsibility.
By drawing on pharmaceutical language, Ogoti says he connects familiar medical concepts to everyday experiences and broader societal questions. In particular, the project challenges the assumption that the disappearance of pain necessarily means that healing has taken place.
“Sometimes pain disappears without the problem being solved. Sometimes we mistake temporary relief for healing,” he says.
He notes that the themes invite listeners to reflect on the choices they make, the institutions they trust and their own role in shaping the society around them.
Additionally, rather than presenting medicine as a straightforward solution, the project uses it as a metaphor for examining the unintended consequences of decisions, leadership and human interactions.
The EP also features a collaboration with Kepron Mushi on Olkalau Wife, presented in a song version, expanding the project's creative approach beyond spoken-word performance. Adoyo Masiga served as the producer.
For Ogoti, the project is an opportunity to encourage conversations about issues that people may have become accustomed to accepting without questioning. Through storytelling, he hopes to prompt audiences to reconsider their understanding of healing, accountability and change.
“Above all, I hope the EP leaves them asking themselves whether what they have been taking as medicine is truly helping them heal,” he says.
With SIDE EFFECTS, Ogoti continues to use spoken word as a vehicle for social commentary, inviting audiences to look beyond immediate relief and confront the underlying issues shaping their lives and communities.