Essentials: Nxwrth’s shares debut solo album, ‘NASA: Thanks for flying’
A 12-track tape created to give listeners the illusion of flight
Nxwrth made his name as the producer behind La Même Gang’s Afro-trap sound. His delightfully porous beats, blending electronic synth harmonies with Afropop drums helped the Ghanaian collective create a disruptive and compelling genre that challenged the mainstream sound of Ghana while elevating them to pop royalty in Africa. After contributing to the gang’s 2 projects, ‘La Même Tape’ (2017) and ‘Linksters’ (2018), the producer has finally released his debut album, ‘NASA: Thanks For Flying’, a 12-track tape created to give listeners the illusion of flight.
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All the tracks on ‘NASA: Thanks For Flying’ are produced by Nxwrth while he enlists Tsoobi, Kwesi Arthur, Ria Boss and La Même Gang members, RJZ, Darkovibes, KwakuB$, $pacely and Kiddblack who assist in making the project transcend culture and geography. Tsoobi sings about turning her dreams into a reality on the pre-released opening track, “Ascend”, where she declares her ambition to someday be as big as Micheal Jackson. Backed by the ambient synth arrangements from Nxwrth, her reggaeton melodies take on an otherworldly sound, grounded by her lyrics detailing life’s challenges, “Know say in a real-life/ This nuh buffer”.
Nxwrth sticks to his ambient sonic exploration through the 41-minutes of the tape and on “Till We Burn”, he features Ghanaian rappers, RJZ and Kwesi Arthur who perform romantic confessionals over Nxwrth’s mix of electronic guitar riffs and echoing reverbs. On “Mama Pt. 1”, Ria Boss sets a soulful pace as she performs a heartwarming ode to her mother’s influence on her accomplishing her dreams. The soaring synth arrangments Nxwrth produced for the Ria Boss-assisted track continues on “Mama Pt 2”. However, the featured artists on “Mama Pt 2”, RJZ and Darkovibes expand her narrative into a gloomy tale of heartbreak and disappointment while Nxwrth incorporates snippets from the countdown sequence of a spaceship’s liftoff, as he skilfully guides the project from outer-space imagery to drum-heavy introspection.
The songs on the project take on a more uplifting tone from that point on, starting from “Godzilla”, the La Même Gang classic from their debut tape, ‘La Meme Tape’. 808 drums and neon synthesizers set the trap background on “See How They Fly (World Z)”, where Nxwrth’s artist persona, Froy3 brags about his accomplishments with a melodic rap flow. Froy3 makes another appearance on the druggy trap anthem, “Back 2 Back”, featuring KwakuB$. Other highlights of the project include pre-released singles, “Cupid” and “Oh My Days” which stand out for being irresistibly catchy club-bangers.
The 10th track, “Fa Ma Me(Candy Shop)”, offers a much needed woman’s perspective, as Tsoobi is paired with Darkovibes for the romantic number. They two trade raunchy lines that increase the sex-playlist potential of the project. For an album meant to create the sense of floating through space, ‘NASA: Thanks For Flying’ captures a remarkable range of human emotions: ambition, grief, anger, camaraderie, partying, love, all buoyed by an ambitious spirit that refuses to admit defeat.
Stream Nxwrth’s ‘NASA: Thanks For Flying’ below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/nxwrth
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ICYMI: NATIVE Exlusive; Nxwrth is making music for the future today
Asake Links With Tiakola On Gritty “BADMAN GANSTA”
Another step towards ‘Money,’ his fourth
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 arrive before 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.
Listen to “BADMAN GANSTA” here.
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Ayra Starr Releases Her Sizzling Anthem, “Hot Body”
An 11th-hour summer anthem for the
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.
Listen to “Hot Body” here.
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Zulo Details His Evolution On New ‘Z’ EP
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 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).”
Listen to ‘Z’ here.
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