The perfect intersection between the established acts across African music and brilliant underground acts you should be paying attention to!
Despite his embattled situation, writing Wizkid off is a bit premature, he still has a huge fanbase and the talent to command rave reviews from critics.
1 month ago
To open 5ive, the poet Alhanislam recites a spoken-word commentary on the album and the man behind it. It feels a little pretentious, rooted in the same idea that drives artists to label every new project their deepest and most personal work yet. Yet some of it does have grounding in real-life events. Alhanislam hails […]
2 months ago
Last weekend, the youngest of the Uzama brothers, Osahan Uzama, more known by his moniker, Famous Pluto, joined the ranks of his brothers—Shallipopi, and Zerry DL, both fierce advocates of Benin Street Pop—with the release of his feverishly anticipated single Na Scra. Before its official release, the song had been making the rounds on TikTok, […]
3 months ago
Fela remains the loudest figure against government oppression and corruption in our music history, but a lot of others have lent a voice to the struggles of Nigerians through the years. Daddy Showkey, an indigene of the backward Lagos slum of Ajegunle, pioneered Galala music, which often took aim at the government in power and detailed the poverty in his hometown.
3 months ago
Burna Boy’s eighth studio album is finally on the horizon. In the past few weeks, the album’s rollout has ramped up significantly. He has made appearances on the covers of magazines and teased the album on social media through cheeky puns and aphorisms. He has appeared on shows, letting viewers in on certain nuances of […]
3 months ago
Oxlade has always been that musical maestro with the voice of a singing bird and the aura of a bad boy/lover boy. That’s the vibe he set from the beginning of his career, and the niche he fit into so perfectly. This is one thing a sizable amount of his listeners love so much about […]
2 months ago
Ṣẹwà’s new single Lagos Lovin’ isn’t your typical love song. It’s a smooth breakup anthem wrapped in nostalgia, where soulful melodies meet raw emotion. With her signature blend of jazzy instrumentals, Yoruba lyrics, and crystal-clear storytelling, Ṣẹwà captures the kind of love that lingers long after it’s gone. It’s about the silence that follows late-night […]
2 months ago
Since Rema’s Coachella performance on Sunday, social media has been whirring with commentary that runs the gamut from scathing polemics to concerned questioning. 30 minutes past the scheduled starting time for his 45-minute set, Rema waltzed onto the stage at the Mojave tent wearing a cropped white tee and dark jeans. As he skulked on […]
2 months ago
It is a waste of Ruger’s talents that he continually puts his skill to the most irritating topics. His breakout EP exhibited traces of it—“Bounce your body or we bounce you out”— but it was fair to assume these tendencies would mature by some combination of personal growth and executive oversight.
2 months ago
When, in March of 2024, the preternaturally gifted Rigo Kamp took the stage at The Native’s uNder Live show at Miliki, Lagos, the atmosphere tangibly shifted. The stage was still adorned with lush foliage and embroidered tapestries. And yet it suddenly felt as though the sheer force of his music had transported the crowd to […]
2 months ago
Serving as the lead single from his highly anticipated Uncle K album, Police is a cheeky yet infectious tale of romantic infatuation — a man so captivated by love he jokes about “calling the police” over his partner’s irresistible allure. Originally conceived with Johnny Drille and later elevated by Kidjo’s pan-African presence, the track effortlessly […]
2 months ago
Rema returns with his latest single, Bout U, co-produced by himself and London, marking another evolution in his ever-expanding sonic world. Seamlessly blending Afrobeats and R&B, Bout U is a sun-drenched tale of infatuation, capturing an intoxicating connection that leaves him in the clouds. In true Rema fashion, the genre-fluid track weaves silky melodic riffs with […]
2 months ago
After years of captivating audiences as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s top live band, Veentage Band, Desmond Emokiniovo—widely known as Babades—is entering a powerful new chapter with the release of his debut solo single, Congratulations. The song is a deeply personal anthem, inspired by Babades’ own journey through grief, faith, and ultimately, triumph. For over a […]
2 months ago
