About a year ago, Skillz 8Figure’s initial emergence as a nascent Afropop star had a shadowy charisma to it. Without much of a visual identity, and with just one prior official showcase on the late 2019 Ground Up Chale compilation project, the singer dropped his debut EP, ‘Gangsta Luv’, a sumptuous multi-genre blend of direct writing, candy-coated melodies. He soon found a fervent fanbase eager for his honest confessional and soothing melodies and has been on the rise since then.
However, much like the many artists who broke out last year, it can be tempting to wonder how much more wholesome his early trajectory would be without the near-halting effect of a global pandemic. For Skillz, though, his project stuck—one of the best from last year, in fact—and it positioned him as an artist with no ceiling, even if he hadn’t revealed too much of himself just yet.
On his new sophomore EP, ‘After Dark’, the Ghana-via-Sierra Leone singer isn’t out in the open entirely, but he’s opened up a bit indicating that that he’s intentional about revealing parts of himself. The cover art is graced by a picture of the artist that looks like it was shot with the camera of a mid-level android phone, and parsed through several filters to further obscure his face. In some ways, it is a representation of the EP, where Skillz continues to fashion himself into a singular pop star, by leaning into a laidback, arcane sort of personality.
Skillz 8Figure has undeniable ability at curating catchy songs that play into new age Afropop conventions. Considering how instantly impressive ‘Gangsta Luv’ was upon discovery, ‘After Dark’ feels very much like the next stage in the evolution of his artistry. It’s a refined take on the positives from his debut while expanding the scope of his artistry in intentional and definitive ways. There’s the obvious inclusion of five featured artists, with Oxlade playing the eager pal on the lustful “Make Sense”, Psycho YP chipping in a typically imperial, melodic rap highlight on the boastful “Like Dat”, while Skillz and Twitch 4EVA continue to flaunt their bromance in the pre-released lead single, “4Life”.
Perhaps due to being relatively unknown in the Afropop scene, the women featured on the EP are its more exciting external contributors. Instant standout and arguable the EP’s thematic centrepiece, “Self Love”, features a thrilling back-and-forth between Skillz and Enam, as they trade patois-inflected quips over a Reggae-Fusion beat. The song carries the energy of a loosely structured freestyle session, especially the first verse where each artist’s lyrics unfurl like stream-of-consciousness bars—“been on the grind like drug addiction/check me song on your radio station”, Skillz boasts. In her elevating showcase, Enam’s siren-like voice acts as a balance to her collaborator’s husky vocal tone.
The same M.O undergirds the final song, “Fall”. This time it’s Melissa’s dulcet melodies that serve as the foil to Skillz’s playful yodelling. On both these standout collaborations, as with the rest of the EP, Skillz exudes spontaneity, an element of his artistry that is becoming a superpower. Even though he isn’t the most inventive songwriter, there’s an honesty in his lyrics and a looseness to his melodies that makes his music instantly catchy. On a song such as the opener, “Julie”, where he sings, “I just want you to ride me like a rollercoaster/no fear, only you fit to be my lover”, it shows how well-versed he is in regurgitating Afropop’s tropes when it comes to romance, but Skillz’s performance is brimming with so much confidence, the song comes across as resourceful and infectious.
‘After Dark’ is loaded with the same mid-tempo, neo-Highlife swing that made his previous tape delightful and filled with infinite replay value. At the same time, musical eclecticism is quite more pronounced on the project without the need to sacrifice its cohesive ambitions. A Harpsichord riff emboldens the contemporary R&B edge of “Fall”, an indelible acoustic guitar riff and syncopated horn sprays colours the Afro-Trap leanings of “Like Dat”, while “Sempe” has the percussive beat synonymous with a post-SFTOS Wizkid song. Even with his influences peeking out, Skillz is unravelling himself as a budding pop star with his own twist, and ‘After Dark’ is more proof that he’s doing it exactly how he wants.
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).”