NATIVE Selects: New Music from Anything With Yusef, BOJ, Spyro & more
new week, new tunes
Every week, new music shows up, sweeping fans and music lovers off their feet while artists gauge reactions to know the effect of their creativity. At the NATIVE, we are committed to keeping our ears on the pulse of the music scene and bringing the best sounds to your doorstep. In our last edition, we brought you new releases from DEELA, Adekunle Gold, The Cavemen and more. Today, we have songs that move from Afropop to Amapiano to R&B, with our select artists showcasing their unending talent and passion for creativity. Lock in!
ANYTHING WITH YUSEF – “STUCK IN MY MIND” & “FEEL SOMETHING”
Off a two pack release dubbed, ‘Chaos Theory,’ “STUCK IN MY MIND” offers an upbeat groovy record with Anything with Yusef’s melodious vocals addressing the hold his love interest has over him. He seamlessly rides the wave of the beat with baritone background vocals that complement his lush melodies. His bares his heart on the track as he repetitively croons on the tuneful pre-hook “You still stay stuck in my mind.” Similarly, on “FEEL SOMETHING,” he holds a warm vulnerable tone over more low-tempo instrumentals characterised my rhythmic drums. Veezo View assists the track with a captivating verse where he raps over the trap-leaning beat.
BOJ – “CAN’T BE STOPPED”
The first iteration of ‘Gbagada Express’ presented a staggering roster of guest features over Boj’s unreplicable soundscape. He followed up with ‘Gbagada Express Vol 2: Moving Mad’ with an equally impressive tracklist, showcasing the Alté pioneer’s skilled penmanship over 9 love-themed songs. He recently combined the two for a deluxe version with a new track, “Can’t be stopped” serving as the project’s intro. He taps into the wave of Afro-House inspired tunes currently dominating the sounds from these parts. The Adey-produced track features prominent log drum embellishments accompanied by subtle whistling sounds. His sonorous vocals croon across the track’s length about focusing on his grind, “I just dey pray that I don’t lose my way, I just dey pray that I don’t go astray.”
JHUS – “MASCULINE” FT. BURNA BOY
When you see these two on a track, it already promises to be a good time. Going as far back as “Sekkle Down” off Burna Boy’s ‘Outside’ or “Play Play” off Jhus’ ‘Big Conspiracy,’ the pair have proven to be a match made in sonic heaven. So when the Gambian-British rapper prepares for a resounding comeback after a three year hiatus, it only makes sense that his long time collaborator. “Masculine,” which sits at the top half of Jhus’s ‘Beautiful And Brutal Yard,’ leads in with lush low-tempo chords produced by Lexi Lennox and TSB. The daunting instrumental at the introduction creates the perfect atmosphere for Jhus’ smooth bars. Burna takes over shortly, picking up the pace with a seamless flow between rapping and singing.
OXLADE, DAVE – “INTOXYCATED”
Oxlade and Dave join forces on this brooding low-tempo track “Intoxycated.” Led in smooth piano chords, the melodic drum pattern takes over accompanied by Oxlade’s harmonious vocals. He addresses his love interest driven by heavy feelings of sadness and longing. He imagines what their life together could look like as he croons, “I for take you overseas, me and you for be like 5 & 6.” He critiques her non-committal attitude towards him after realising she was only with him for financial gains. Dave takes over mid way through, equally stressed by feelings of regret attributed to unreciprocated feelings of love.
SOUND SULTAN – “MONEY RACE” FT. SPYRO
It’s been two years since Sound Sultan passed. The man is a legend of Nigerian music and his influence on the culture is never in doubt. In this latest posthumous release featuring Spyro, Sound Sultan delivers a catchy and relatable tune. “No dey bring me trouble/I dey face my hustle,” Spyro sings, complementing Sound Sultan’s call for listeners to face their journeys and strive to succeed. “Money Race” exalts dignity in labour.
SIGAG LAUREN & RIC HASSANI – “COACHELLA”
Sigag Lauren is a pioneer of electronic dance music in Nigeria, remixing tunes from Johnny Drille to Chinko Ekun. On ‘Wish You Were Here(E),’ his collaborative EP with Ric Hassani, Lauren, also a DJ, producer and singer, creates a soundscape of electronic rhythms with an African identity. Ric Hassani is the vocal star on “Coachella” as he tells a love story about the happy memories forged between lovers. It is a bubbly music that tugs at the heartstring.
EESKAY & MOJO AF – “DOMINATION”
Eeskay and MOJO AF continue to strengthen their synergy. The last time that the pair collaborated on “No Excuses,” they showcased incredible wordplay and flows, resulting in a solid rap song. Here, on “Domination,” they change gear, putting their rap styles into a dance tune. Over Baniclava’s Amapiano-influenced track, they rap about their dominating certain areas of their lives and being on top of their worlds. They also keep things light and fun, making “Domination” fit for the dance floor.
JHUS – “MILITERIAN” FT NAIRA MARLEY
As the sounds from these parts continue to cross over, we are seeinf more outstanding collaborations between acts we know and love; the UK rap and Afropop scene being a crowd favourite. This has recently expanded to include Street Pop key players like Naira Marley for captivating renditions like that of “Milietrian.” The Stuart Hawkes & P2J-produced track holds an Afropop-leaning soundscape, laced with a rhythmic drum pattern and lush saxophone chords. The pair glide effortlessly back and forth with sex and love-themed bars.
Featured image credits/The NATIVE
Words by Nwanneamaka Igwe & Uzoma Ihejirika.
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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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