Essentials: YKB is on the cusp of a breakthrough with ‘Before I Blow’
he's on the cusp of an explosion
Around this time one year ago, YKB, still going by the swishy stage name YusufKanbai, dropped his two-song pack titled ‘Hear Me Out’. Boasting soluble production from the innovative duo of Higo and Godomarr, the tape, peppered with Caribbean, Indian, and Afropop influences was crafted to capitalise on the organic success the singer had achieved over the last three years–including a spot on Mr. Eazi’s emPawa 2020 class–while setting him up for future success. YusufKanbai was asking to be heard as he got better and proof of his evolving artistic capabilities could be heard in his sweltering delivery cadence.
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(@ykbonly)Earlier this year, he announced a rebrand: sharing that he would no longer be going by YusufKanbai; instead, he would now be known under the moniker, YKB. That announcement was soon followed by “Oshofree,” the S3namii-featuring freestyle that soundtracked a denunciation against requests for free work that many creatives can relate to. More success was on the way with “Dey Your Dey,” his Zlatan-featuring single where both artists merged their distinctive strengths–YKB’s melodious, word-bending delivery and Zlatan’s high-octane ad-libs and vociferous verses–for a strong rap-sung collaboration. By the third quarter of the year, Olamide was singing the praises of YKB, citing “Alabama,” another freestyle that had elevated the standing of the singer.
Taking stock of his upward trajectory, the words–“I’ve been sleeping for a while now”–slurred at the beginning of “Wake Up,” the opening song of his latest tape, ‘Before I Blow’, is both an acceptance of where he was in life when he recorded that song and recognition in some ways that many people are still sleeping on his talent. From advising himself to wake up, the singer turns the focus to his listeners, urging them to wake up with a rich flurry halfway into the project opener. Thematically, ‘Before I Blow’ is defined by its sheer force of will to establish YKB as a singer to look out for, but throughout its 18-minute length, it also holds a vibrant picture of the singer’s humanity, bringing listeners into the scope of life from his point-of-view. On “Wake Up,” YKB finely threads the margins of being a blues performer as he stretches out his words to pack them with intent.
In many ways, the project gets more engaging when it crosses its halfway mark, segueing into songs that pointedly reflect YKB’s vibrant sonics. “Okukupay” sees him flaunt his vocal dexterity with certainty for a hypnotic opener. Atop a dense concoction of drum and blithe piano keys, he sings about taking the day off to engage in fun activities with his pals rather than be stressed. When the song unfurls into its jocular verses, he affirms his choices, “I gat no time for no stress/ Government sef no dea send person,” he points out.
For all the quest to blow up, there are lessons to be taken along the way. “Practice Patience” is that lesson in character development as he urges patience while flipping the song into bacchanal fare with his intuitive use of interludes to stitch disparate parts of the songs together to weave a cohesive musical experience; it’s a cogent reminder of how in-tune he is with the party-starting tonalities of de rigueur of Afropop even as he puts his own unique spin on them. Off all the songs on Before I Blow, “Bolatito” is the singer at his most engaging, teasing his love interest with a tongue-twisting turn of praises while rooting his appreciation of her in playful singing.
By the time the confessional reflections of “VN 2 Demola” show up, there’s a definitive feel that the singer has expanded on the messages of ‘Hear Me Out’ while becoming a more flexible singer. He mostly moves between polished R&B and sugary Afropop on ‘Before I Blow’, serving notice of his hitmaking credential with a helpful dose of self-awareness, all the while offering knowing one-liners like “My name’s gonna open doors” as he so eloquently does on “One Day.” By the end of ‘Before I Blow’, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before YKB might be singing these songs to teeming audiences of his.
Stream ‘Before I Guess’ here.
Featured image credits/RadrAfrica
ICYMI: Azanti Finds His Footing on Debut Self-titled EP
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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