The 10 Songs You Need to Hear This Week
Featuring K.O, Fatoumata Diawara, Burna Boy, Harmonize, Darkovibes x Runtown, Shatta Wale and more
Every week, we highlight the cream of the crop in music through our Best Music of the Week column.
Here's our round up of the best tracks and music videos that came across our desks, which you can also check out in our Songs You Need to Hear This Week playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.
Follow our SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS WEEK playlist on Spotify here and Apple Music here.
Check out all of OkayAfrica's new playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.
Darkovibes 'Mike Tyson' feat. Runtown
A few months ago, Ghanaian artist and La Meme Gangmember Darkovibesconnected with Nigeria's Runtownfor "Mike Tyson." That addictive single now gets a new music video, directed by Zed, which follows both artists across Accra's High street and other city locations. "Mike Tyson is a song for champions, pathfinders and trail blazers," a statement from Darkovibes' team reads. "It is for those who stand against popular opinions and make it."
Fatoumata Diawara 'Nterini' x Colors
Celebrated Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara is the latest artist to grace the YouTube-based performance series A COLORS SHOW. The award-winning artist took to the color-coordinated set to perform her 2018 song "Nterini," from her Grammy-nominated album Fenfo, and her performance is striking in every way. As usual, Diawara delivers powerhouse vocals in the Wassoulou tradition. To top it all off the singer treats viewers to a stellar guitar solo mid-performance. The nearly four-minute performance is stunning throughout.
Costa Titch x AKA x Riky Rick 'Nkalakatha'
AKA and Riky Rick recently jumped on up-and-coming rapper Costa Tich's viral hit "Nkalakatha." Riky Rick's verse doesn't disappoint, as usual—he has been on a winning streak with his guest verses (let's not get into his verse on Priddy Ugly's verse "Every Mountain Got a Peak"). But AKA's verse has been trending since the song dropped yesterday. It's the subliminal shots he's throwing in the verse that has a lot of people talking. He seems to take aim at Burna Boy's recent tirade about South Africa amidst the xenophobic attacks in September.
Harmonize 'Kushoto Kulia'
Tanzanian star Harmonize finishes off a solid 2019 with his latest single "Kushoto Kulia," which—as we've come to expect—is another banger from the Wasafi Records artist.
Burna Boy 'Collateral Damage/Anybody'
Grammy-nominated artistBurna Boy, appeared as the musical guest on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. Burna Boy performed a medley of his songs "Collateral Damage" and "Anybody" from his latest album African Giant.Opening with 'Collateral Damage," the artist asked audience members to raise their fists, describing the song as "protest music." After that he headed into an energetic rendition of 'Anybody," delivering the zanku and several "gbeses" during the performance.
Shatta Wale 'Time No Dey'
Shatta Wale is back with a new track, "Time No Dey." The new song, which was produced by Paq, comes accompanied by a music video that follows the Ghanaian heavyweight and a female companion as they ride around a highway in his Ferrari. The video was directed by PKMI.
Reekado Banks 'Put In Pressure'
Reekado Banks follows-up his highly-addictive standout single "Rora" with the new party jam, "Put In Pressure." The celebratory single "is an automatic invite to a dance party. The song... taps the catchy up-tempo rhythm dominant on the streets of Lagos," his team states.
K.O 'Citi Boi/4AM'
K.O's latest single from his recently-released album PTY UnLTD is the song "Citi Boi." The South African rapper recently highlighted the song with a new music video. The video is a mashup of visuals for both "Citi Boi" and "4AM," which comes towards the end of the clip. "Citi Boi" is quintessential K.O, as the song references both trap by way of its distorted bassline and kwaito. K.O's combination of melodies and raps is what defines PTY UnLTD.
Stogie T 'The Empire of Sheep'
Stogie T has finally released his EP The Empire of Sheep. The South African wordsmith has been teasing the project in the last few weeks.vThe Empire of Sheep tells the story of Stogie T's family, from his kids being snobbery and to him not having to worry about lawyer fees as his wife is on one on the project's opening song. Before the project was released, Stogie T shared: "The Empire of Sheep EP is an apogee of countless hours of conversation between Stogie T, his mother, an ex guerrilla fighter with Mkhonto WeSizwe, and many men and women that participated in the armed struggle against the fascist apartheid regime of South Africa."
Navy Kenzo 'Magical'
Tanzanian duo Navy Kenzo drop the latest single and Director JC-shot video for "Magical." The new track follows "the duo [as they] celebrate love and romantic vibrations with a sweet and sexy Afro dancehall riddim," their team mentions.
Follow our SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS WEEK playlist on Spotify here and Apple Music here.
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