Tracing The Peerless Influence Of Wande Coal
It’s not hard to surmise that nearly every Afropop artist who defined the late 2010s and early 2020s has been influenced by Wande Coal.
Longevity in the music industry manifests in different ways. Some artists have maintained their commercial prowess, selling just as much as they did at their peak, as they continue their careers for decades. However, others have continued to have a cultural impact and influence that can outpace their commercial dominance. One way this happens is when an artist spawns a musical dynasty that keeps their name or musical style alive in the game, and those artists from that dynasty go on to influence culture thanks to their musical forebear.
Globally, we have seen the rise of ‘Taydaughter’-artists whose style is very similar to Taylor Swift’s lyricism and sound like Gracie Abrams. Similarly, we have been witnessing a continued search for the next Beyoncé. Although this trend has gained significant popularity recently, it is not a new phenomenon. People have long understood new artists by placing them alongside established legends in the game, and this isn’t limited to Western audiences either. Within the Nigerian and larger Afrobeats space, however, it seems no other artist has had their style as imitated as much as trailblazer Wande Coal.
This ‘Wandecoalization’–borrowing the word from Melvitto’s recent tweet–of Afropop wouldn’t shock anyone who paid attention to Wande Coal’s releases in the 2000s. His harmonisation, the production, and the shocking rawness packed in each record made it feel like some of the best music Afropop had to offer during that era, and years later, those songs feel like some of the best to have come out of the genre.
‘‘I like to think that Wande Coal is peerless in regards to his versatility and ability to enhance the work of a producer,’’ music and culture journalist Ify Obi shares. ‘‘I rate Wande Coal highly as one of the Afrobeats’ forebears. His music laid the groundwork for contemporary artists looking to blend R&B with afrobeats while maintaining the uptempo flair of afrobeats.’’ Wale Oloworekende, an editor at The NATIVE, shares the same view, noting: ‘‘He’s comfortably a legend of Afropop. One way or the other, he’s stuck around, and his past work is very integral to understanding the evolutionary era of Afropop. The only case to be made against him is the paucity of his catalogue, but he’s such a gifted artist that he still stands out when all is said and done.’’
Wande Coal’s influence in music can be felt around you, often in bits and pieces, snippets and particular harmonisation choices, but how much can we rightfully claim is directly Wande Coal? Or better yet, who can we establish as part of Coal’s musical dynasty? Who are Wande Coal’s sons and daughters in the music industry who, while naturally having their musical signatures and perspectives, have been sonically shaped and influenced by, admittedly, one of the GOATs of Afropop?
Chances are, if an artist is making Afropop, you can hear Wande Coal in them. With most of the recent Afropop stars being late millennials and Gen Z-think people between the ages of 30 and 22, this slew of artists was shaped by Coal’s music. ‘‘Back in 2006-2009, Wande’s music was so inescapable,’’ Obi tells The NATIVE. ‘‘I remember birthday parties back then and how we always waited for the DJs to play ‘You Bad’ because no party was ever complete without that song. At the time, it just felt like he had been a star for such a long time. I didn’t realise until I was much older that he was just a newbie during that era. I now understand that feeling to have come from the fact that there was so much clarity in his vocals and how skilled he was at crafting the catchiest and most quotable bridges that made his songs unforgettable.’’
There is also the impact of his magnum opus, Mushin 2 Mo’Hits,’ the definitive Afropop Bible still mentioned in Afropop discourse today. It serves as the cornerstone for many people’s listening experience. ‘‘His debut album, ‘Mushin 2 Mo’Hits,’ is such a high watermark for Afropop, and it’s still referenced in rarefied terms because everything came together so perfectly–the instrumentation, approach, lyrical content, and execution,” Nelson C.J., a Nigerian journalist, notes. “That album shifted the genre and firmly established Wande Coal’s genius. I think many people wrongly call a lot of stuff classics, but ‘Mushin 2 Mo’Hits’ is an undisputed classic.’’
It’s not hard to surmise that nearly every Afropop artist who defined the late 2010s and early 2020s has been influenced in some fashion by Wande Coal. When Afrofusion and Afropop were all the rage a few years back, and, even now, whenever vocal-powered emotiveness is the more dominant feeling in a record, it is hard not to hear Wande Coal. ‘‘There are a lot of artists that–directly or indirectly– take influence from Wande Coal,’’ Oloworekende shares. ‘‘Stylistically, he’s perhaps the most-imitated Nigerian music act from the early to mid-2010s. I’ve heard and seen Fireboy DML and Oxlade talk about how important Wande Coal is to the type of music they make.’’
Obi echoes this, noting: ‘‘No one does Wande Coal like Wande Coal, but it’s not difficult to see that a few contemporary Nigerian artists like Fireboy DML and Oxlade have taken a page or two out of his book when it comes to their vocal texture and sometimes, writing. Cruel Santino also recently sampled ‘Se Ope’ on his track ‘Trilogy.’”
There are consistent picks for who makes up this musical dynasty. Artists like Oxlade, who himself noted that Wande Coal is his biggest musical inspiration, and Fireboy DML are very clear examples of Coal’s lasting impact on Afropop. There are a few less obvious artists who have earned their spots in this dynasty. Reekado Banks is another artist who isn’t just inspired by Coal but is enthused about talking about it, noting in 2021 that Wande Coal was the first artist he fell in love with and how Coal inspired Banks’s approach to making music.
Artists like Joeboy should fall under this category. I find it hard to imagine a world where Joeboy would exist the way he does musically without Wande Coal setting the precedent that he did back then. The style of melodic vocal-powered fusion bops that Joeboy is known for is eerily reminiscent of Wande Coal. One of the reasons it is so important to give Wande Coal all his flowers is that when you look at the run of the people who are influenced and inspired by him, they have kept us dancing and in good spirits through the years, sure. They have all orchestrated and played active roles in making Afropop global and are the reason why ‘Afrobeats to the world’ became a reality.
Take Wande Coal out of the equation, and the building blocks of Afropop start to disintegrate.
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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