Last October, Wizkid finally released his long-awaited ‘Made in Lagos’, a 14-track album that showcased the artists’ evolved tastes and attitudes. Bringing light to our lives following the #EndSARS protests of last year, ‘Made in Lagos’ was a captivating project that continues to pique our interests – in the music, the visuals and all the accompanying assets Wizkid has rolled out.
After a YouTube exclusive, ‘Day in the Live of Wizkid’ and a special edition NATIVE print magazine, rounding out the year, Wizkid has maintained audience interest in his magnum opus ‘Made In Lagos’ throughout this year. Kicking off 2021 with a suave – but forgettable – “Ginger”music video, at the top of Q2, Wizkid fitted the album’s commercial standout track, “Essence” with a tropical and intimate music video.
Featuring Tems, who leads the track with her formidable, native unmistakable vocals, “Essence” has become this year’s hottest crossover success. Sitting comfortably within the top 20 of TurnTable’s Top 50 charts, as the year races on, so too has the success of “Essence”, rising through the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Debuting at 82, “Essence” – Tems’ first appearance and Wizkid’s first song of his own (“One Dance” and “Brown Skin Girl” are his other entries) – has risen to a peak position of 54 in this week’s chart. Inspiring national pride and multiple Twitter threads throughout these months, “Essence” is a song that has captured the hearts of many, including Justin Bieber.
Calling it the “song of the summer,” as he thanked Wizkid and Tems for giving him room in the remix, JB’s inclusion on Essence 2.0 is indicative of both the reach and merit of the track. With a high-profile feature from one of the highest grossing artists right now, “Essence” is about to move into even bigger waters. Some have predicted its entry into the Hot 100 top ten, others are vying for a number one single, hoping the Bieber effect takes “Essence” the way of “Despacito”.
As Wizkid prepares to release the deluxe edition to ‘Made In Lagos’, the increased exposure to wider markets that this Bieber feature will bring, is an invaluable asset.
When he promised us new music soon, at the top of this year, we all laughed. The journey to made in Lagos was long and full of false starts. It’s all been worth it though; ‘Made in Lagos’ has been a fruitful project. Wizkid has given us a deluge of content, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down with it any time soon. Hopefully ‘Made in Lagos (Deluxe)” will include other exciting features, and also previously unreleased tracks. Thankfully, the drop is scheduled for August 27, and Wizkid seems to be past his trolling releases stage, so we’re confident won’t have to wait long for the album if the year’s part two.
Street-pop star, Asake, has released a surprise new single titled “BADMAN GANSTA.” Produced by super...
Street-pop star, Asake, has released a surprise new single titled “BADMAN GANSTA.” Produced by super producer, P.Priime, the single, Asake’s second of the year, arrives with a crisp black and white feature and a stellar guest verse from French rapper and singer Tiakola.
The singer posted the full music video–a monochromatic montage of dazzling shots and scenes of his opulent lifestyle–across his different social media handles on Thursday evening, July 24, with a caption that read, ‘The World Of Money.’
Earlier in June, the ex-YBNL star announced a new album titled ‘Money.’ A few months before that, he released a loosie titled “Military” and then “WHY LOVE,” his first official single under his new imprint Giran Republic. “Military” served as a bookend to the first arc of his impressive career as much as an announcement of a new era, while “WHY LOVE” officially kicked off season two.
Following the release of “WHY LOVE,” Asake has also featured on songs like Olamide’s “99,” J Hus’ “Gold”, and Young Jonn’s “Che Che,” delivering standout verses that favour a melodious, laid-back approach as opposed to the spirited, fast-paced style that earned him success early on. “BADMAN GANSTA” also excels with this approach, as Asake’s melodious musings about his current lifestyle dovetail nicely with Tiakola’s equally sturdy verse over a plush beat that samples Amerie’s 2005 classic “1 Thing.”
With Asake releasing three albums in as many years, it’s not unreasonable to assume ‘Money’ might arrivebefore the end of the year. There’s also the possibility that he might be willing to take his time a little more now, seeing as he his under his imprint now.
Whatever the case may be, ‘Money’ is likely to arrive sooner rather than later, and it will be fascinating to see what other aces Asake has up his sleeves.
Ayra Starr has released her highly anticipated single “Hot Body.” The Mavin popstar has been teasing...
Ayra Starr has released her highly anticipated single “Hot Body.”
The Mavin popstar has been teasing the new single for a few weeks now, posting multiple promotional videos across social media that built up significant excitement for her third official release of the year. The release of “Hot Body” comes on the heels of recent reports that confirmed the Grammy-nominated singer had officially joined Roc Nation’s roster, the American music label, entertainment, and sports services company founded by rapper and business mogul JAY-Z.
Earlier in February, Ayra Starr shared “All The Love,” a sumptuous Afropop ballad produced by labelmate Johnny Drille and Teemode, before releasing the sleek and sensual Wizkid-assisted “Gimmie Dat” about months later. In that time period, the singer picked up two awards at the 2025 MOBO Awards for Best African Music Act and Best International Act before also clinching her first BET award for Best International Act in June.
It was recently announced that the pop singer would be joining Coldplay on the UK leg of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour between August to September, and her impressive year continues with the release of “Hot Body.” Once again, teaming up with close collaborator Ragee and UK production duo The Elements, Ayra Starr manages to deliver a sweetly erotic summer jam that’s sure to elicit plenty lip-biting, hip gyrating, and flirty winks. “Look what a hot body can do,” she sings repeatedly, almost like an enchantress performing a magic trick.
With her current deal with Mavin and Universal Music still running and the recent confirmation of her management deal with Roc Nation, it’s safe to assume that “Hot Body” might garner significant momentum both at home and abroad. Outside of her music, the singer recently wrapped up the shooting of the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone which is reportedly set for release in early 2027.
Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a...
ZULO is no stranger to reinvention. Formerly known as Lil Trix, the rapper rose through the ranks with a...
ZULO is no stranger to reinvention. Formerly known as Lil Trix, the rapper rose through the ranks with a series of gritty mixtapes that chronicled his upbringing, thrills, and connection to the community. Since his rebrand, he’s steadily grown into a renowned voice in South African Hip-Hop, regarded for his storytelling, cultural homage, and genre fusion.
Three years after the release of ‘Talk To Me Naace,’ his reintroduction to the scene, ZULO has returned with ‘Z,’ a three-track EP that shows a glimpse of his evolution as an artist and human. Packed with his reflections on faith, love, and cultural pride, ‘Z’ distills ZULO’s thoughts into a refined sound that’s bold, emotional, and distinctly South African.
The three-tracker opens with “God’s Armour,” a gospel-inflected protest anthem layered with brass and trap drums. It is followed by “Sweeter Success,” an infectious Afropop-inspired groove built around a nostalgic sample of UPZ’s iconic “Pure Surprise”. Beneath its shine lies a darker message: the emotional cost of ambition, the toll of always pushing for more. ZULO produced the track himself, with additional production from Miglow and SpiceDrums.
‘Z’ closes with “Spaan”, a gritty street anthem that samples Kamazu and confronts addiction, poverty, and the lingering scars of apartheid through the lens of coloured identity. “These songs are battle cries and war journals,” ZULO says. “‘Z’ is everything I’ve fought through to stand where I am. The EP follows a strong run of 2024 singles, including “Adawise,” “JOL,” “Garden,” and “Smaak To Love (Lamza).”