Months removed from the police investigation that threatened to derail his promising career, Barry Jhay returns with a fresh cache of silky Afropop tunes, steeped in the traditional flavor of Fuji, the storied genre that his father, the legendary musician Ayinde Barrister, helped pioneer. Whereas 2020’s Barry Back was the sonic codification of halcyon times, 2022’s SON OF GOD is forged of grittier stuff, inspiring bouts of introspection across its 21-minute runtime. It’s an ode to perseverance and experimentation that sees Jhay engage with new ideas and concepts. On opener “Level Up,” he calmly whispers that he’s allergic to trouble with a distinct trap flow, while “Story,” built around the storytelling tradition of Fuji, recounts his journey to the top of his craft and the sacrifices that come with success. The remix of 2021 hit “Ayewada” is a bright spot; street rapper Zlatan accessorizes the track with his high-octane ad-libs. Ghanaian Kuami Eugene is the project’s other guest, joining Jhay to bring a street-adjacent love anthem to life on “Right by You.”