Stonebwoy does not call himself the king of African dancehall for no reason. Since breaking through with the hood classic, “Ghetto Love,” in 2012, the singer (born Livingstone Satekla) has captured the popular imagination with his inventive fusion of dancehall, hiplife, and Afropop, seamlessly blending influences from all these genres to craft anthemic bangers as well as reflective hymns with ease. Importantly, the Ashaiman-born singer has always been happy to reveal the state of his mind on his projects, with 2024’s UP & RUNNIN6 serving as a balmy celebration of good times and his thoughts on taking residence at the pinnacle of Ghanaian music. On THE TORCHER, the singer reinforces his role as a directional force for Afro-dancehall, positioning himself as an unavoidable presence—with his achievements and contributions reeled out by OgeeTheMc on the project’s opener. Rather than relying exclusively on bombast to solidify his claim, the singer employs a deeply melodic approach, delivering some of the most immersive hooks of his career. There is a divine intercession for peace on behalf of his naysayers and foes on the groovy “Send Dem a Prayer” and a reminder of his reputation as a creative firestarter on “Torcher.” There are multiple references to the perks of life from his vantage point. He details the inner workings of his luxurious life on “Outside Lifestyle” and is quick to remind that he’s a top draw on the bouncy “Samankudi.” For all of its preoccupation with legacy and perceptions, THE TORCHER was also crafted to shine a light on an emergent generation of Ghanaian stars. Kumasi talents Beeztrap Kotm and Yaw Tog, join for a bass-heavy ode to the grinding on “Susuka,” while rappers Agbeshie and Keeny Ice lend their voices to the trap-adjacent “Xosetor.” Through it all, the narrative of THE TORCHER is still firmly Stonebwoy’s, as evidenced by him flipping anecdotes from his career on the call for resilience and testament to his staying power that is closing track “Deeper.”