Much of the music that has powered Balloranking’s rise to the top of the street-pop sub-genre can be broadly categorized into two forms. There are the soul-influenced, self-therapeutic reflections on his background and mainland Lagos inclinations like “Gangster,” “Trench Kid,” and “Bode Thomas” that reveal the bleeding heart of a poet working earnestly to expand the textural and sonic range of street pop and give listeners a panoramic view of his origin story. On the other hand, the singer, born Balogun Olamilekan, has proven himself adept at incorporating a diverse range of sonic references into his version of a konto-led pop sound that gets bodies inching ever closer to the dance floor. 2023 has proven to be an especially fruitful year for Ballo. Fresh off the success of his 2022 Trench Kid EP, the singer followed up with his debut album, Ghetto Gospel. The 15 tracks weave a mosaic of street life that candidly connects the never-ending grind of a hustler with the redemptive powers of romance and the thrill of material breakthrough. Coming less than one month after that release, Ghetto Vibrations, intended as the B-side of Ghetto Gospel, presents a fuller view of the singer’s vision as he infuses an extra dose of fun into the mix. Where Ghetto Gospel was a documentary-style dispatch on street life with Ballo’s life providing loose inspirations, his story takes centre stage here, with specific references to his lifestyle on virtually every track. Across Ghetto Vibrations, Balloranking artfully channels his melancholia. “Born Fi Dis” sees the singer reaffirm his commitment to achieving a successful life despite the distractions and trappings of life in his resident community while “Oh My N***a” is a sullen reminder to himself and his companions not to throw in the towel in any circumstance. He teams up with fellow Dapper Music signee Shallipopi to celebrate their success over an incandescent amapiano-inflected instrumental supplied by Busy on “Dom Perignon.” There’s a bacchanal-inducing collab with ODUMODUBLVCK on “Pass me the light” that juxtaposes Ballo’s admiration for women and weed. With Ghetto Vibrations, Balloranking firmly places his street identity at his core and starts to negotiate with the world on his own terms.