New Music Friday: Blaqbonez and Asake link up, Rema joins LISA and Anitta for the World Cup

Another Friday, another stack of releases. Here is what landed this week.

Two of Nigerian music’s more distinct personalities on the same record. Blaqbonez brings his rap style, Asake brings the Fuji-infused energy he has made his signature, and the result is a song that earns its replay value through repetition rather than complexity. It sticks.

CKay has a voice that does most of the heavy lifting before the lyrics even register, which is useful here because the writing is off the point. African Girls is a club record, straightforward and effective, and it does what it sets out to do without pretending to be anything more.

Four names on one track is either a statement or a safety net. Come Slide lands somewhere in between; the Afro-R&B blend is smooth, and the featured artists are all dependable, but the song never quite reaches the level its lineup suggests it should. A good listen that stops short of a great one.

This one works. Magixx and Fola find a natural chemistry on a smooth Afro-fusion record that delivers what you’ll expect it to. The vocals complement each other without competing, and the production gives both artists enough room to breathe. Genuinely enjoyable.

Pheelz and Tiwa Savage are individually capable of delivering strong records, and the Afrobeats-R&B blend here is technically solid. Whether the song adds up to more than the sum of its parts is harder to answer. It is the kind of track that might become better on a second or third listen, or might not.

The second FIFA World Cup song in as many weeks, and the better one. Rema handles his section with his usual ease, and Anitta brings the Latin energy the tournament demands. The conversation online has been largely about LISA’s verse, which takes a detour into personal territory that feels misaligned with the brief. Still, as World Cup anthems go, it is a more complete effort than last week’s Dai Dai.

A dance-driven Afropop record built for the streets. If you follow the Uzama brothers’ work, this will feel familiar and satisfying. ZerryDL continues to build his case as one of the more interesting voices in Nigeria’s street-pop lane.

AfroGospel done okay. Gaise Baba blends Afrobeats, hip-hop, and soul across English, Yoruba and Pidgin in a way that mimics the usual rhymes people grew up listening to. Want to Grow is a devotional record that works even if faith is not your entry point.

The second track off NBFL, the new album from Chicago-based Nigerian artist Olawale Kentucky. It pulls from Afrobeat and highlife traditions without leaning too heavily on either, and the balance makes it an easy, rewarding listen.

Tekno does what Tekno does: groove-led rhythms, soft percussion, melodic vocals that coat everything in his familiar warmth. Matter is not a reinvention but a good track nevertheless.