Discover the top new releases this week featuring Omah Lay, Boj, Gyptian, CDQ, and Darkua. Explore our breakdown of the latest Afrobeats and R&B music.
It is a quieter Friday than usual, with only six releases making the list this week. What the week lacks in volume it partially makes up for in range, with a standout cross-continental collaboration leading the way and a handful of solid genre entries filling out the rest.
Bees & Honey ft Omah Lay, Beam, Gyptian – As We Get High
The week’s best release by some distance. The production collective built the track around an interpolation of Gyptian’s 2010 dancehall classic ‘Hold You’, blending the iconic Jamaican melody with smooth Afrobeats instrumentation and contributions from Omah Lay and BEAM. It works because the source material is strong and the rework respects it rather than overwriting it. If ‘Hold You’ ever made it to your rotation, this will earn its place there too.
Boj ft Ajebutter22 – Time of Our Lives
Boj’s husky vocals and Ajebutter22’s conversational rap style over a mellow, jazzy Alté beat is a combination that should work better than it does here. The record is comfortable and easy to sit with, but it does not reach the heights either artist has set individually. A decent addition to the Alté catalogue without being essential.
Darkua ft TAR1Q – Know You
A smooth, mid-tempo R&B record built around romantic tension and cautious affection. ‘Know You’ does not ask too much from the listener and delivers its mood consistently throughout. Accessible enough to work even for those who do not typically gravitate toward the genre.
CDQ – Ologo
CDQ stays firmly in his indigenous hip-hop and street-pop lane, delivering Yoruba-language verses loaded with local slang, punchlines and energy. The production is functional, and the delivery is confident, but the record does not offer much beyond what CDQ has already established across his catalogue.
Akpa Swag – Big Shot
Zoro Swagbag leans into Igbo rap and indigenous hip-hop on a melodic, high-energy track produced by Izzy Beatzz and Jaysynths Beatz. The bassline is infectious, and the bars are assertive throughout. Straightforward but well-executed within its genre.
Deeyasso ft Syemca – What Have You Done
An electronic Afrosounds record built on moody synths and atmospheric mid-tempo production, with Syemca’s expressive vocals carrying the emotional weight of the heartbreak theme. It is an enjoyable listen that sits slightly apart from the week’s other entries in terms of sonic texture.
