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Steel & Copper is a collaborative extended play by Nigerian singer Burna Boy and American production duo DJDS.[1] The EP comprises four tracks and was released on March 21, 2019, through Spaceship Entertainment, Bad Habit, Atlantic Records and Loma Vista Recordings.[2] It is the follow-up to Burna Boy's third studio album, Outside (2018), and DJDS' fourth studio album, Big Wave More Fire (2018).[2]Steel & Copper blends Burna Boy’s upbeat melodies with DJDS' slinky trap beats.[3]
Steel & Copper is a dancehall, reggae, afropop, and trap album.[3][4] The title track, "34", is a reference to Giannis Antetokounmpo's jersey number; the song first appeared in a freestyle Burna Boy did for Link Up TV's Behind the Barz.[3][4] In "Innocent Man", Burna Boy transitions from lyrical flows to fast-paced rapping and discusses survival in the cold.[4][3] In the Rastafarian-influenced track "Darko", he complains about the authorities and explains why he doesn't care what people think of him; the song pays homage to his 2014 hit "Don Gorgon" and opens with a lively piano tone.[4][3] In "Thuggin", Burna Boy tells the story of surviving life in spite of all the people he has lost; the song features a guitar-driven R&B beat and is evocative of worship music.[4][3] Ehis Ohunyon of Pulse Nigeria praised the song's structure and content.[4]
The video for "Thuggin/Darko", a merger of the songs "Thuggin" and "Darko", was released on April 1, 2019.[5] It was directed by Daniel Regan and features styling from Nigerian fashion photographer Stephen Tayo.[5] The video contains spiritual elements and is a depiction of life and death. It also includes heartbreaking scenes in which Burna Boy tends to a mother before engaging in a deadly street fight with another man.[5]
Steel & Copper received generally positive reviews from music critics. Pulse Nigeria's Ehis Ohunyon awarded the EP 3 stars out of 5, saying it "succeeds through sheer force of will, cutting edge style and his simple approach to achieving excellence".[4] In contrast, Ohunyon criticized its length and said it "lacks the gusto to leave a memorable mark in the mind of listeners".[4]The Native's Debola Abimbolu said Steel & Copper is a continuation of the "genre-bending antics" that DJDS explored on their 2018 album Big Wave More Fire; Abimbolu also commended Burna Boy for helping the duo delve into Afropop.[3]
Spill Magazine's Adam Nosalik granted the EP 4 stars out of 5, commending it for being a well put-together project.[6] Notiki Bello of Filter Free Nigeria called the EP "smooth" and said "there is no noticeable sonic glitch in any of the songs".[7]
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