Your weekly dose of the best new sounds on the continent!
"Rap Jesu" - MOJO AF
The Chop Life Crew boss returns with a new record after a couple of without new music. MOJO recently rebranded his name to MOJO AF — probably signifying a more emphatic version of himself. He gets ballsy on “Rap Jesu”, riding the beat and delivering his bars with reckless abandon. “They play Dorime when I wan drink sometin” sounds like a pretty common lyric, but MOJO’s best at doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways.
"Big Energy" - LADIPOE
LADIPOE actually doesn’t miss. The Mavin Records rapper returns with another anthem, which is sure to incite euphoric singing at clubs and concerts. He releases “Big Energy” off the back of two big singles in 2021, as ‘Poe had us in a chokehold with “Running” and “Feeling”. It’s an easily digestible record so it will be interesting to see how big this single gets.
"Legalize" - Mr Eazi
It’s always a good time when Mr. Eazi drops. This feel-good love song is destined for radio greatness. He has the formula, and employs it once again, with sweet harmonies over subtle production. “Legalize” is only 2:26 long, so you can be sure you will rinse it continuously.
"Something" - Gyakie
Gyakie’s lovely vocals mask the fact that this is a sad breakup song, but what a song it is. She’s very smooth with it — her sultry voice dovetails sweetly over bubbly production. Gyakie has quickly risen in stature over the past few months, as the Ghanaian continues to make an impression on Nigerians and Africans at large.
"Bando Diaries" - PsychoYP ft Odumodu Blvck
Abuja stand up! Psycho YP taps up Odumodu Blvck for this intense drill record. This linkup is interesting to see, following the series of rap verses released on Twitter a few weekends ago. Odumodu Blvck is flawless as usual, coupled with YP’s captivating delivery.
"Ase" - Ayra Starr
Ayra Starr has largely played by her own rules since the moment she broke through with her sweeping self-titled debut in the early days of 2021. She's navigated the scene with an air of defiance ー one that visibly bleeds into her brand and most noticeably her music ー kicking down doors that otherwise seemed shut. It's this energy that inspires "Ase", her new single and her very first of the year. "Don't want any part of your rules motherfucker / Let me live the way I want motherfucker" she sings in the opening seconds of the bouncy London-produced single, clearly stating her intentions.
