Songs Of The Day: New Music From Yaw Tog, Ajebutter, NSG, Ariana Blnde & More
Update your playlists for the weekend
We’re halfway through 2022, and it’s been an eventful year for Afropop. There’s been a torrent of great new music, spawning a massive stack of inventive smash hit songs. From Highlife-infused Ghanaian pop, to the unrelenting force that is Nigerian street-pop, to South Africa’s indomitable Dance scene, to tantalising Drill explorations in East and Central Africa, and much, much more, we’re living through abundant and musically expansive times.
Every week, tonnes of songs from African artists make their way to digital streaming platforms, and wading through them can be intense. That’s where The NATIVE’s Songs of the Day column comes in to help. We go through as many new releases as possible, spotlighting them here, two to three times every week. Today, enjoy new releases from FireboyDML, NSG, Yaw Tog, Ajebutter and more. Dig in.
Ajebutter – “Confam” ft Kida Kudz
Ajebutter and Kida Kudz team up for the new record “Confam.” On the record, the artist sings about showing his muse a good time while they party and get drunk. He sings “I said come through it’s fine, me and my friends confam/shayo dey confam, Hennessy dey confam.” Kida Kudz steps in with a rap verse as he spins the record in a different direction.
Fireboy DML – “Ashawo”
For his third studio LP Fireboy DML has arrived with ‘Playboy,’ a 14-tracker with features from artists such as Rema, Chris Brown, Shenseea and label mate Asake. On the standout number, “Ashawo,” he sings to his muse amorous lyrics such as “no be my fault na shayo/na all of us be ashawo” which translates to “It’s not my fault, its alcohol,” blaming his vices of drinking for acting out of order.
Yaw Tog – “Sophia”
Following his stellar breakout year, Ghanaian drill rapper, Yaw Tog is back with another catchy number titled “Sophia.” On the track, he delivers a romantic number as he serenades his muse with lyrics such as “fine girl me I dey for you, my heart with the key for you/and anytime I think about you, I just want to be with you,” letting his love interest understand the plans he has for her, while switching between his native tongue and English.
NSG – “In Da Car” ft. MHD
Following their ROOTS tour in Africa last year, Afroswing group NSG are back with their latest single, “In Da Car” featuring French rapper, MHD. The catchy new number finds the rappers trading bars in English and French about getting their shit popping and enjoying the fruits of their labour. The record also arrives with a new video which sees the boys in a pool party setting and a parking lot having the best possible time.
T.I Blaze – “My Life”
For his latest offering, singer, songwriter and performer, T.I Blaze is here with the uptempo Amapiano-infused record “ My Life.” On the track, he speaks about enjoying the good things of life, having fun and focusing on the positive things of life. Over the catchy hook, T.I Blaze quips “Omo na my life, I cant come and kill myself/man go jaiye jaiye until the very end” which translates to “Its my life and I can’t come and kill myself/I’m going to enjoy my life until the very end.”
Mr Eazi – “Personal Baby”
Following the release of his hit single “Legalize,” singer and songwriter Mr Eazi has arrived with another warm romantic record “Personal Baby.” On the Kel-P produced record he sings about a love interest who always has his back and is always there for him. The record is accompanied by the Demola Falomo-directed video which sees the artist with his muse in a dark and moody room as he performs the record to her.
Ogranya – “Brenda”
Nigerian Afrofusion singer, Ogranya delivers yet another mid-tempo romantic number titled “Brenda.” On the record he appreciates his love interest who he can’t seem to get off his mind. On the song’s catchy hook, he chants “Brenda, Brenda, Brenda, you no de give me trouble/Brenda, Brenda, Brenda, so I go dey here for you” letting her know the energy she gives him is reciprocal.
Ariana Blnde – “Lightweight”
Rap newcomer, Ariana Blnde arrives with her debut single “Lightweight.” The record sees the artist spitting disrespectful and dizzying bars over the song’s catchy production. For her debut, “Lightweight” packs a mean punch as Ariana spits bars such as “I’m a nasty bitch off the prosecco” letting listeners know that she’s here for a good time. Across the song’s 2-minute run time, she makes braggadocious claims while reminding listeners about how much of a boss she is. With her debut, it’s clear that she’s confident in her abilities and we’re keeping our eyes peeled for how she continues to develop.
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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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