The Songs You Need to Hear This Week
The best African music of the week featuring Big Zulu, PsychoYP, Riky Rick, Joeboy, Ilham and more.
Every week, we highlight the top Afrobeats and African music releases through our best music column, Songs You Need to Hear This Week.
Read ahead for our round-up of the best new African music tracks and music videos that came across our desks this week.
Big Zulu - “Abazazi Bafunani” feat. Emtee
Big Zulu's career trajectory proves hope and perseverance can carry you a long way. A former taxi driver, he rhymed his way out of kasi rap ciphers to become one of the most successful and loved mainstream artists in South Africa today. "Abazazi Bafunani" is the first song he's released sincesquashing his beef with Emtee, and it is more rap-themed than hisearlier outing with Azana. Ever true to form, Emtee delivers a scene-stealing chorus to silence all haters and naysayers. Big Zulu puts his whole weight behind his verses, and the overall impact of this skandi-hop banger will send it straight to the top of the charts. -Tšeliso Monaheng
Psycho YP – "Different Pattern"
Constantly flexing a razor-sharp delivery,Psycho YP's place as one of the frontrunners of Nigerian hip-hop has never been in doubt. In recent years, he's gained even more respect for sticking to the movement's ethos and how strongly he represents who he is and where he's from. On "Different Pattern," there's an energy that comes more from the synth-drenched production, which YP impressively matches in cadence and confidence. - Emmanuel Esomnofu
Riky Rick - “Raindrops”
Before passing in 2022,Riky Rick was widely hailed as a leader of the new wave of South African hip-hop. In the posthumous "Raindrops," he details some downsides of practically taking an entire generation on his back. "Black brother, you only sharing your skin with me/ only love me because maybe you think you'll win with me," he raps, clearly admitting that heavy is the head of one whotakes the initiative to lead. Elsewhere, he spits prophetic lines such as "I ain't coming back, I made it out the cul-de-sac," and professes some of the regrets — "I had a dream about making beats in my cousin's house/ his mama told me he's struggling, now can I help him out/ I didn't help him, now Fuzzy is gone." The beat is contemplative and mellow. “Raindrops” is the first single from Riky Rick’s posthumous album,Boss Zonke Forever. -TM
Kelechi Africana – ‘Made in 002 Diani [LP]’
On his latest LP, Kenyan artist Kelechi Africana showcases why he's so impressive as a hitmaker. With production influences sourced from an array of genres, which include zouk and Afropop, it's a vibrant album that never lets the energy drop, an even more remarkable feat considering there are 23 songs on the album. On these songs, Kelechi mostly courts the dance floor, but through his suave and seductive vocals, he also charts the intimate with relative ease. - EE
Han-C - “Boitumelo” feat. Ey Brizzy
Botswana-based Flex The Ninja is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has worked with renowned artists such as Veezo View and Mpho Sebina. "Boitumelo" is a sultry, sensual R&B joint on which he collaborates with another of Botswana's treasures, Han-C. It gives another shade to the artist, who is better known for his electronic songs. Ey Brizzy adds a welcome hip-hop flavor that fits right in. Bump this one when you're feeling contemplative. - TM
Ilham - "Roster"
On "Roster," Moroccan American artist Ilham embraces a mid-to-late ‘90s R&B aesthetic that has been tried and tested. The blueprint, however, is soul, and how she updates and infuses an old formula with scenarios that resonate with the present deserves to be lauded. "[Ya] girl was just tired of being sad and wrote this imagining a more empowered version of myself," shares the artist in a comment beneath the video. - TM
Joeboy – "Taxi Driver"
Joeboy has been on a prolific run of late ahead of his forthcoming third studio album, Viva Lavida. His latest single, "Taxi Driver,"has arrived, further revealing the artist's unique strengths. Among those is an impeccable ability to present a lovelorn character with all the tone and detail to go with it. In "Taxi Driver," Joeboy creates an emotional angle, with the sweet, evocative production doing the rest. - EE
Solis4evr – "4K!"
Those who pay attention to the alte scene will be familiar with Solis4ever, a groundbreaking artist whose catalog honors her unique experience ( the rock influence one hears here is no coincidence). It's a sound she's practiced for years, but now she gets production from the masterful Odunsi (The Engine), who engineers his quaint interests — a Fuji inflection, most audibly — into the beat. Ultimately, it's a carefree song that moves one to live it up. - EE
Lasmid – "Olivia"
Ghanaian musician Lasmid flexes an impressive vocal performance on his latest song, "Olivia." A mellow ode rendered to the titular character, its success as a love song comes from the sonic atmosphere—its drums, notes, and strings, an arrangement that only sets the artist up for greatness. Even taking it further, Lasmid's singing is vulnerable in a way that strikes close to home, opening a tender view of himself through love for another. - EE
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