NATIVE Exclusive: How Patoranking Became The ‘World Best’
the veteran Dancehall artist speaks about connecting the world through music
Three minutes into a Zoom conversation with Patoranking, our shared roots was the topic. We rattled off a number of places we knew, after he got to know that I lived in Ajegunle for a significant part of my life. Each name was familiar and evoked memories of home. But while the area which was affectionately called AJ wasn’t really that for him—Patoranking was raised in Ebute Metta, another suburb in mainland Lagos—it was there he got introduced to Galala, the zesty subgenre birthed from Dancehall which has formed his core sound over the years, making him one of Africa’s most intriguing musical exports.
Immersed in Patoranking’s practices and philosophy are his many stories. Regardless of the gargantuan leaps he makes in his career, if the artist comes across as a guy-next-door, it’s because he’s lived on the farthest-leaning spectrums of life and has come through the other side with appreciation for everything. “When I moved from nothing to something, that was my story,” he sang on the opening lyric of “Alubarika,” his breakout record which was released in 2014, just around the time African pop was opening itself up to audiences internationally, especially in the United Kingdom. Rather than fizzy, afro-focused sonics, the vision of the artist born Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie was markedly different: he wanted to connect the world to his stories, through the universal genre of Reggae which most influenced him.
“Music was the only means of survival,” he says to the NATIVE. “Music was the only guy that could control you. And if you don’t want to do what people are doing, either you play football, or you do music, or you learn handwork. Or,” he says with a hint of danger, “You join bad gang. And coming from a home in the ghetto, it’s very important that we do what is right.”
Years before Patoranking appeared on the circuit of mainstream audiences, he was in Ghana trying to convince people of his talent. The West African country which bordered Nigeria from its southwest region had a thriving Reggae culture, sharpening Patoranking’s love for its intricacies. That awareness to the possibility of sound would beautifully coalesce with older experiences, such as sauntering into AJ street jams and stealing everyone’s hearts through dance. The Galala-influenced music of Daddy Showkey, Marvellous Benjy and Danfo Drivers were already ingrained in his consciousness, and without giving it much thought, Patoranking was cultivating the ethos and delivery of what would become an inimitable voice.
“It wasn’t easy going around telling people that I would be great,” he says now, “all they need to do is just listen to Patoranking. But we kept on going, you know. Many stumbling blocks, trying to get people’s attention, wondering why nobody’s hearing you. Also, you want to give your family a name, which is very important and then you want to be the voice or the face everyone look up to in the ghetto. So you don’t have to fail them; you just have to get it done.”
Patoranking sure introduced himself with the assurance of a man who carries such transcendental responsibilities. Aside the stirring performance in the Timaya-featuring record, loosies with Olamide (“Bora”) and DJ Hazan (“Early Momo”) were well-received in the streets, the acute, gritty observations of Patoranking connecting on a deep level. “Girlie O” moved him past those considerations; having that bell-evoking progression and Pato’s affectionate lyricism, the record revealed him in the light of the Caribbean-facing superstar.
Throughout 2014, Patoranking was in scintillating form—he honoured those transcontinental ambitions with records like “Tonite,” which was a collaboration with the veteran Faze and “My Woman, My Everything,” which received a stellar hook from Wande Coal. He also burnished his relationship with the local soundscape, appearing on the Sarkodie-hosted “No Kissing Baby” and “Friends,” one of his most affecting records which considered the weight of relationships. From then on, the artist was in incredible high demand, and the more he opened his arms to collaboration, the more he flowed into the ebbs of a career that had world domination in sight.
By the time Patoranking released his debut album ‘God Over Everything’ in 2016, he was a household name on the continent. A 16-track body of work, it incorporated features of influential contemporaries (Wizkid, Olamide and Phyno), merged Fuji into the emotive closer with the iconic King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall who the song is titled after, and per his Jamaican influences, Konshens features on the tropical “Daniella Whine”. It was a successful debut and three years later, in 2019, Patoranking released ‘Wilmer’, the album named after his first daughter and which featured her on its black-designed cover. The sonic variance in records like “Feelings” and “Lenge Lenge” demonstrated that Patoranking still knew how to conduct the several parts of his artistry, while embracing a pan-African vision featuring the likes of Kenyan rapper Nyashinski, the South African artist Busiswa, the French artist of Congolese heritage Dadju, and Donae’o, the British rapper of Ghanaian and Guyanese descent. Crowning it all was Davido on the uber-hit “Confirm”.
Patoranking places an intentionality into his music, and an innate self-awareness for his potential for love and greatness has never been in doubt. In February, earlier this year, he released the stirring track “Abobi”. A sociopolitical number whose peculiarly Nigerian expression emerged from a tradition shared by the likes of Ras Kimono, Evi Edna Ogoli and Majek Fashek, it aligned Patoranking with his didactic motivations while establishing the trajectory for his fourth album.
“For me, it’s a place of pain,” he shares in response to how he approached the record. “In as much as I’m an advocate for change, I just have to do what I can do because at the end of the day, charity begins at home, you know? And if I’m to start mine, I have to start from my own place which is—so my home is, my music. So if I want to speak for the people or fight for the people, I have to start fighting from my own home. That’s why I just pour it into the music, where I talk and express how we feel.”
Patoranking’s activism comes across as essential and true to his core. It’s the involvement of a man who’s seen life from its darkest corners and knows more than most why we must embrace the light. It’s also a sensibility that emerges from the Reggae genre, which has always acted as a conscience within the scope of popular music. One of Patoranking’s major heroes, the legendary Bob Marley was a messenger of love as much as he was a globe-trotting superstar who became one of the 20th century’s most enduring personalities. Creating his fourth album which is titled ‘World Best’, it is this unification that Patoranking has set his sights on. Particularly, unifying the shared experiences between his African home base and our Black siblings in the Caribbean diaspora.
I asked why that was important for him. “If you look at it, we’re all one. Same colour, same race,” he says. “It’s just different place. There’s a lot of similarities; if you live in Jamaica, you’d see that same lifestyle in the ghetto. There’s a place called Little Kingston in Ajegunle; and if you go to some places in Ghana or Sierra Leone, you would think you’re in the Caribbean. Even when you’re there in the Caribbean, you’d think you are home. And if you go through history, that taught us that a lot of the people that make up these places are people taken from home.” For Patoranking, it was a choice of language and love.
‘World Best’ album drew its title from a similar well of language and love, as Patoranking’s friends have been calling him that for a while now. “I’ve always wondered why they call me world best,” he says, “and you know, no man crowneth himself king, except the people. And if they said ‘Okay, Pato, you’re world best’, they see what I don’t see and I was like, ‘You know what? I’ll take it. I’ll claim it. It took us about two years making this album because we wanted to make sure we get it right.”
“We like to take new directions; if everybody’s going left, we want to go right. That’s what we were able to do with this one.”
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Beginning with the drill-evoking “Inshallah,” the fifteen track body of work delivers on its creator’s promise of novelty. It’s a different song to anything Patoranking has done before, merging his distinct dancehall sensibilities with the more contemporary style. On “Gyal Like You,” he and Kizz Daniel lend their inimitable voices to the warm rootsy production. Sounding straight from a bar in 2000s Ajegunle, it’s a loving message with Galala undertones. “Smoke & Vibes” is similarly composed, with Highlife-esque guitars colouring its seams. It’s a harkening to records like “Make Am” as Patoranking again flexes his grasp on topical issues (this time, overt reliance on drugs) while retaining his humour. The Jamaican stalwarts Beenie Man and Popcaan appear on “Amazing Grace” and “TONIGHT” respectively, both signature styles vividly impressed alongside Pato’s.
“Just like the title, it has to be around the world,” says Patoranking in response to where the project was created. “From Lagos to Lome, Togo; to Accra, Ghana; LA in California; London, Paris. So we just went around the world making the best of the best songs”. One of Patoranking’s best-ever songs does come here, on the Victony-featured “Babylon,” a phrase known to rasta believers as representing the dysfunction of the modern world. Over thumping progressions, both artists trade off each other’s energies, especially Patoranking whose sensibility audibly influence the song’s direction. “Leader, Lion, yes I be Idolo/ Fight and face my fears, no ojoro,” he sings in his passionate verse, describing himself as World Best and the Champion.
Like most of the artists he collaborated with on the album, Victony was called into the studio to directly contribute his dulcet vocals. Patoranking is a huge fan of the youngster and he also cedes space for talented Ghanaian songstress Gyakie on the party-starting “Control Me”. Along with veteran features such as Diamond Platnumz and the American rapper Ludacris, ‘World Best’ emerges as a combination of both experienced and fresh voices, which supplies a vivacity that makes it Patoranking’s most well-honed album.
“A place of peace, where the energy is right,” he says, “that’s where I’m coming from with this album. We just want to carry everybody along, musically and experience wise. As a human being, I love peace, I love vibes, I love the right energy. In as much as we wanna go global, we want to make sure we do it the right way. Which is our way, which is the peaceful way, which is the easy-going way. So even when you hear this album, that is how you should feel.”
Listen to ‘WORLD BEST’ below.
uNder: Best New Artists (August, 2025)
Our August edition features Paxslim, Blacboyy, Deena, and Mūmbi.
The conversations that keep coming up during our daily newsroom more often than not revolve around platforming the music we love and the communities that surround its wider culture. Very regularly, the music that excites our team reflects The NATIVE’s vision of being a bastion of music from parts of Africa and the Black diaspora. There are exciting acts from the ever-evolving Nigerian music underground, rappers experimenting with Dance Music and Hip-Hop from South Africa, as well as emotive singers whose work blurs the boundary between Hip-Hop and R&B.
Discovering these acts, being blown away by their skills, and sharing our community about them continues to excite us more than three years after we conceived this column as a platform to spotlight talents that represent all that’s exciting about African music. In a world where marketing budgets, ad spends, and PR placements continue to reshape the music landscape, uNder is still our way of raging against the system and spotlighting deserving acts whose works are vital to sustaining the creative spirit that makes African music indispensable. For our August entry, we have Paxslim, Blacboyy, Deena, and Mūmbi. This cohort is united by a thrilling sense of freewheeling experimentation that is sure to serve them well as their career progresses. We hope you enjoy discovering them half as much as we enjoyed listening to their music and writing about them.
Paxslim
For Fans Of: SahBabii, LUCKI, Lil Yatchy
One of the most influential but slightly underappreciated names in Hip-Hop’s storied and illustrious ranks is Lil B. The American rapper and producer popularised a self-proclaimed “based” style in the early 2010s–an artistic style that prioritised eccentricism over a defined framework–giving Hip-Hop an extra coat of sophistication (read: swag) and creating a new lane for Hip-Hop artists that were similarly fed up with the underpinnings of traditional Rap. He was a visionary in many respects, influencing a generation of modern-day artists like Nigerian-Swiss rapper Paxslim, who embraces the trailblazer’s artistic tenets.
Like Lil B, Paxslim, born Pax Anthony, is not concerned with conventions or the general orthodoxy of Hip-Hop. While he largely operates as a rapper, his songs, more often than not, takes on a fluid form thanks to his experimental flows and production that give his music a vibrant, kaleidoscopic quality. With the help of Swiss producers Modulaw and Xzavier Stone, the rapper was able to try out his off-kilter melodic musings and vocal flourishes on hard-hitting, synth-heavy beats on his 2021 mixtape ‘H.G.P. (Hands Got Potential),’ helping him garner some attention from listeners who were drawn to his brand of oddball rap.
His 2023 follow-up, ‘HOLY,’ expanded on his unique style as he opted for a more muted but equally experimental sound that further highlighted his dynamism. More importantly, the project kicked off a fruitful creative partnership with producer Haram, who produced 4 out of the project’s 11 tracks. The two developed a close working relationship, burrowing down to further explore more unique styles, as they cranked out a healthy chunk of music in a short period. A string of half a dozen singles across the first half of 2024 paved the way for ‘EXECUTION,’ a 6-track EP that highlighted Paxslim’s more efficient, smoother delivery and Haram’s evolving production style.
Ahead of the release of his latest project, ‘D5NCIN,’ Paxslim shared ‘DBD5,’ a 5-track EP that served as a sonic compass of sorts, indicating what musical direction he and Haram were headed in on the rapper’s new full-length release. The dark and melancholic production that defined some of his older work makes way for a more cinematic and animated style, producing highlights like the energetic “Powers” and the spacey opener “Nirvana.” ‘D5NCIN,’ expounded on the two’s creative synergy as Paxslim lays his slurry, experimental flows over some of the same cinematic beats that defined ‘DBD5,’ as well as some groovy, Dance-inspired production that continues to prove the rapper’s insatiable and ever-present desire to explore and push the boundaries of his musical expression.
Blacboyy
For Fans Of: Playboi Carti, Destroy Lonely, Maison2500
That exciting atmosphere that defined the early years of the famed alte scene seems to be returning. Thanks to a raft of talented, upcoming acts that have emerged over the last year and a half, making their mark with unique sounds and equally impressive releases, there’s genuine and growing excitement within the underground scene again. These acts have also begun to band together, charting their collective path to success while fostering a sense of community. There’s 808collective, a producer group that comprises names like Darius, Andi, 3CB and Topsy, all of whom have been instrumental in creating some of the blooming scene’s best music yet. There’s also CYK, an acronym for Cyber Youth Kings, a creative collective that seems united in their desire to blend the old with the new. One of CYK’s standout affiliates is Blacboyy, a rapper and producer who, like a swath of others in modern-day Rap, seems to have graduated from the university of Playboi Carti’s ‘Whole Lotta Red.’
Born Jabber Abu, Blacboyy’s music clearly draws heavily from the mania and molten, experimental sound that defined Playboi Carti’s magnum opus, but it’s in the other styles that he’s able to combine with that of ‘Whole Lotta Red’s, almost like varied toppings on pizza, that makes his music uniquely appealing. After producing the entirety of ‘$oda Archives,’ a collaborative tape with rapper $odaman in 2021, he released his official debut single “Miltant” in late 2022. The single was quickly followed by ‘Come Out And Play,’ ‘Stardust Romance,’ and ‘Bornstar,’ three projects that featured a lot of zoned-out sing-rapping as he looked to find a sure footing sonically.
2024’s ‘gnarly’ is where he truly began to step into his own as his vocal stunts and inflections began to sound a lot more assured, his beats more explosive, and his style more varied. “prada u,” is built about sticky R&B-inspired melodies, he sprinkles some psychedelic glitter on the hypnotic “cant feel my face,” while “body” which features fellow upcoming rapper Tobias, draw from the eclectic hyper-jerk style that rappers like Fimiguererro has popularised recently. Other cuts like “fashion killa,” which takes inspiration from A$AP Rocky’s 2013 hit of the same name, “supermodels,” and “shine,” featuring Zaylevelten, also stand out, showcasing his ability to bring something inspired and fresh to the table.
Building on the momentum of ‘gnarly,’ the rapper released the melodic “TMZ” earlier in the year before sharing “Say Twin Say Peter,” a single with frequent collaborator S1orDie, which has proven to be the biggest moment in both their budding careers. The record is powered by sneering synths and a simple, repetitive hook by Blacboyy that seems to echo long after the record stops. The rapper recently released two new singles, “Wasted” and “gutta,” as he continues to expand his oeuvre as well as his eclectic style.
Deena
For Fans of: DEELA, BKtherula, Molly Santana
On Deena’s growing Soundcloud page, her bio reads: “I make music you’ve never heard before.” While that’s somewhat debatable, at least with the current evidence that’s available to the public, however small, it’s the execution and delivery of her music that makes the upcoming rapper, born Ayodele Bisi-Daniels, special. Even with only a couple of tracks to her name, four at the time of writing, Deena has already managed to display a remarkable ability to deliver savvy one-liners and nimble shit talking with so much finesse, thanks to her bank of melodies and flows that she switches out like a seasoned rapper.
In terms of production, Deena seems to favour snappy, bass-heavy beats that give her ample space to fire off reams of flexes and her motor-mouthed flows. On her first single, “1nce,” which was produced by Darius and pzalm, she’s assertive and slightly unpredictable, as she gets off free-associative lines with sufficient panache that makes them land. Her follow-up tracks, “way Up!” and “plan” follow the same model, imbuing both with more of a searing edge. The former features some incredibly dizzying flows that’re sure to have your head bopping, while the latter, which was produced by killua katana, is powered by the same daredevil flows and a cool nonchalance that makes her stunts all the more impressive.
“ACTIVE,” her official debut single, arrived in June, marking a pivotal moment in her budding career as she looks to establish herself as one of the most exciting rappers around. It’s more of the same expressive, high-energy and hypnotic style that her growing listenership has come to anticipate from her earlier, unofficial works. At just over two minutes, she manages to cram so many flows and melodies into ”ACTIVE” that it almost feels like a rap marathon, leaving you exhausted in the best way possible.
Mūmbi
For Fans Of: Tems, Maya Amolo, Elaine
Last year, we published a comprehensive piece about the majestic voices of African R&B and the way the somewhat underappreciated genre is tightly woven into the tapestry of the continent’s collective musical heritage. Names like PSquare, Tems, Odeal, South Africa’s Ami Faku, Ghana’s Ria Boss, and Eswatini’s Manana were all highlighted and their inimitable contributions to the genre. Kenya-born Mūmbi is one of many upcoming singers hoping to add her name to this illustrious list with her refreshing tunes that blend her contemporary R&B sensibilities with an undeniable East African flair.
The Toronto-based singer and songwriter began her music career a few years back, showcasing her supple and sweet vocals with covers of songs like Sauti Sol’s “Short N Sweet,” Vanessa Mdee’s 2018 hit “Nobody But Me,” and Lauren Jauregui’s “More Than That,” on her Youtube page. She put out her first official in single in late 2023, a dreamy, love-inspired number titled “Float (All I wanna Do).”
She released her second single “Fake Love” in mid-2024, tearing into a two-faced and insincere love interest with a self-assured acuity. ‘Now, here’s what we’re gonna do, no one needs to cry if it’s clear i’m not the girl for you,’ she sings gently with a tone of resignation and resolve. She followed up “Fake Love,” with two other singles in 2024: the sensual “Tonight” and “Steppin’ Out,” a self-confident anthem that features Haitian rapper Kemdilo. Her latest Dance-tinged single “Letting Go,” came recently in June, as she continues to showcase her skill and vulnerability, crafting narratives and soothing melodies that resonate deeply with her growing audience.
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Taves Returns With Magnetic Two-Pack “W2Y”
His first solo release since 2024's 'Are You
Taves has shared a new two-pack single titled “W2Y.” The new songs, which the rising singer has been teasing for a few weeks now, arrive as his first official release since he put out ‘Are You Listening?,’ his 8-track debut that came out in mid-2024. Perhaps more importantly, the new singles are released under Mother Africa Reigns Supreme’s imprint, suggesting that the singer might have parted ways with his former label.
While it’s taken Taves over a year to follow up on his debut, he’s ensured he didn’t lose all momentum by delivering a couple of standout features in that time period. Late last year, he stole the show on L.A.X’s euphonious “Let Me Know,” as well as “Compose,” a sleek collaboration with Mavin rapper LADIPOE. This year, he’s continued his impressive collab streak, adding his deft touch to Loti’s “Okrika” and Yarden’s “Ifeoma.”
Teaming up with producer Arieenati, the singer’s latest two-pack, which includes “Way2Yung” and “6ways,” is imbued with the same type of charm and magnetism that helped previous singles like “Folake” and “Eleyele” resonate with his growing fanbase. The two-pack’s title track serves as a perfect soundtrack to youthful optimism and exuberance, as he delivers riffs and runs that explore his newfound vices and the thrills of adolescence.
If “Way2Yung” is adequate for house parties and shindigs, the sensual “6ways” is better suited for close quarters. Here, Taves yearns and croons about a potential love interest whom he can’t seem to get out of his mind. “Is it too late? I’m calling, I don’t mean to bother you,” he sings charmily in the song’s opening seconds over evocative production that smoothly combines influences from both R&B and Trap.
Listen to “W2Y” here.
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ODUMODUBLVCK, STORMZY, AND ZLATAN WANT TO STAY PAID UP ON “PAY ME”
We are officially in the 'Industry Machine'
After months of warning that the machine is coming, including a mixtape to portend its arrival, ODUMODUBLVCK is kicking off the much-awaited and anticipated ‘Industry Machine’ era with the release of “Pay Me,” a blockbuster collab with Nigerian rapper, Zlatan, and British star, Stormzy.
Produced by Scarr, the track is cut from the Abuja rapper’s signature Okporoko sound, hinging on a silky and slick beat propelled by head-nodding drums and airy keyboard loops. Across the song, ODUMODUBLVCK confidently balances an effortless and engaging flow with the confident and chantable chorus, “Pay me my money,” setting the stage for Stormzy and Zlatan to deliver their verses.
“Pay Me” opens with a prominent feature of “Make We Jolly,” an old Nollywood soundtrack by Patience Ozokwor in collaboration with Tonto Dike and Charles Awuram. It offers a nostalgic glimpse into the past, showcasing ODUMODUBLVCK’s longstanding grasp and appreciation of pop culture references.
Close to two years after ‘Eziokwu,’ the rapper is gearing up for another transformative release with ‘Industry Machine,’ and “Pay Me” is his opening salvo. He links up with Zlatan after first working with him on his breakout single, “Picanto.” The video for “Pay Me” taps into the message of the track as the trio humorously attempts to pull off an ATM jacking.
“Pay Me” is coming after the surprise March release of “The Machine Is Coming,” a surprise 16-song mixtape that housed songs like “LEGOLAS,” the Victony-featuring “PITY THIS BOY,” and “WAGE WAR.”
Listen to “Pay Me” here.
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