It’s another Friday and time for a roundup of music projects from African acts to check out. Throughout the week, music has poured in from all over the continent and sometimes it can slip through the cracks, unheard. This column serves to bring those projects to your ears as you prepare for the end of work and look forward to the weekend. Settle in for an experience as we travel the African continent for the latest music projects.

ADEKUNLE GOLD – ‘TEQUILA EVER AFTER’

NATIVE Now! cover star Adekunle Gold puts his current state of mind into his fifth studio album ‘Tequila Ever After,’ with music that radiates happiness and peace of mind. There are features from African and global stars such as Simi, Ami Faku, Pharrell Williams, Coco Jones and Khalid. In Adekunle Gold’s words, the album is meant to “describe the feeling of tequila. The way tequila made me feel that one time; I wanted people to feel the same way with the music. The songs that I made for this album are lighthearted and conversational; they’re conversations you have with friends when tequila kicks in.”

KIZZ DANIEL – ‘MAVERICK’

While Kizz Daniel’s career hasn’t been without its downs, it is an amazing journey of dope albums and hit records. With the emergence of new stars, Kizz Daniel has remained relevant with his consistency, which has, in recent times, been backed by the successful tracks “Buga (Lo Lo Lo)” and “Cough.” The artist is easing into veteran status and on his newest album ‘Maverick,’ he finds success with blending relatable topics into banging records. There are guest appearances from Johnny Drille, Tekno, Blaqbonez, Yemi Alade, etc. but it’s undoubtedly a Kizz Daniel show.

CHEQUE – ‘CHEQUEMATE’

Cheque is one of the new-generation Nigerian artists who unapologetically indulge in diverse sounds from Hip-Hop and Afrobeats with a deeply Nigerian nuance. Whether he is rapping or singing Afropop-style adlibs, Cheque has ensured he is never out of the minds of music lovers. On ‘Chequemate,’ he continues his fusion of rap and Afropop sounds, securing the assistance of Fireboy DML and Crayon on the project.

BELLA SHMURDA – ‘DND’

Bella Shmurda’s ‘DND,’ an acronym for Do Not Disturb, is his latest collection of songs that reflect his experiences and thoughts on life. The songs are mostly joyous and showcase a Bella Shmurda confident in his abilities. With his recent passage into fatherhood, ‘DND’ is his gift to his fans who have been on the journey with him since he broke out his Olamide-assisted remix of “Vision 2020.” “You can be inside and enjoy too, not until you go outside,” Shmurda told the NATIVE. “I want people to achieve a good state of mind; I want people to achieve joy.”

HAMZAA & 1SRAEL- ‘RUSH’

Two years after 2021’s ‘Full Circle,’ UK-based singer Hamzaa returns with ‘Rush,’ a collaborative project with producer 1SRAEL. The artist, who has Kenyan-Zambian heritage, has employed her music to tell honest stories about situations in everyday life. It is no different on ‘Rush’ as she condenses her feelings—both happy and sad—into affecting R&B/Soul tunes.

TMXO – ‘TMX002: X & THE MACHINE’

The landscape of Nigerian music is never adverse to artists who deviate from the norm. Nigerian music producer TMXO is one of those artists as he releases his second project ‘X & The Machine,’ a compilation of dance music that wears different genres from Afropop to Amapiano with embellishments of electronic music. It’s a fun project aimed to get the body moving in joy. 

Featured image credits/NATIVE