This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Victony, and the Hottest Tracks of the Week!

Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida this Friday, June 21st at 9a Lagos/London / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 [YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm]

Cover Star Interview

Nigerian Afrobeats star Victony joins Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest single, “Anita.” He also discusses his new album, ‘Stubborn,’ how his creative versatility impacts his music, and some of his favourite collaborations from the album.

This Week’s Hottest New Tracks

Nandi Madida shares the hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Rema feat. Shallipopi, Black Sherif, Straffitti & Zlatan, and Major League DJz & Wiz Khalifa.
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Friday, June 21st at 9a Lagos/London / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow [YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm].

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Victony Tells Apple Music What Inspired His New Album, ‘Stubborn’ 

Looking back at everything I’ve been through – my come-up story and how I’ve defied the odds. I’ve stayed true to myself and kept my eyes on the goal all along. Nothing else has influenced by decisions.

Victony Tells Apple Music About His Career Trajectory So Far

Sometimes I look back and I’m like “Damn, you’ve really come a long way.” Going from the era of doing covers to my first EP. At the time I released my first EP, it felt like I blew. Then “Holy Father” came and I blew again. Then the ‘Outlaw’ EP came and I blew up even more. And now it’s ‘Stubborn.’ It definitely feels like I have three lives in such a short span, but overall I’m very excited for everything that’s to come.

Victony Tells Apple Music about the Visuals for ‘Stubborn’ 

It was definitely intentional. Once you see a knight, you know it’s war. Metaphorically, I feel like to get to this point, I’ve fought so many battles. Especially being in Nigeria, coming from where I’m coming from. I was born in Lagos; I’ve lived here all my life. I’ll tell you for free, it’s not the most inspiring or encouraging for any career path that you choose. Healing through all that, and being able to make it here as an artist, and having the opportunity to now inspire people. It was definitely intentional that I came up with the look and it just felt very organic to put the coif on and to demonstrate my artistry.

Victony Tells Apple Music About His Song, “Anita”

“Anita” is actually one of my favourite songs. Shout out to [the producer] P2J—I feel like P2J gave me masterclass production on that one. And I had to come through with my own delivery as well. It’s a really special record. We made it in London. I had a couple of sessions with P2J. We made an EP in a night. We made five songs and “Anita” was one of them. It was a really crazy experience. I cannot forget that night.

Victony Tells Apple Music About Working With KTIZO

“Oshaprapra” kind of embodies what the album is about. That’s a really special record. It was produced by KTIZO, who made “Jolene” on the ‘Outlaw’ EP. That’s a producer that I work with and they get me for real. Most of the songs that embody the theme of the album, I worked on with KTIZO. Their studio is a ten-minute drive from my house, so every time I’m really thinking about life and the only way to express it is through my music. I just drive to the studio and be like “Houdini, let’s make something happen.

Victony Tells Apple Music About Working With SAINt JHN

SAINt JHN is in my top five artists of all time. He’s someone I really look up to so you can imagine how much that session meant to me. Being in the same room as SAINt JHN and watching him create, learning from him. That was a very interesting record.

Victony Tells Apple Music About Exploring Different Musical Styles on ’Stubborn’ 

I wanted my fans to get a feel of all sides of Victony on this album. This is my debut album and my first opportunity for me to introduce myself to my fans properly. Let them know what I’m capable of. A lot of people joined the train around the time that I released the Outlaw EP. A small percentage of my fans know me from the “SMS” time into the ‘Saturn’ EP. This is where I like to introduce myself and say, “This is Victony.”

Victony Tells Apple Music About How His Creative Versatility Impacts His Music

Even outside music, I just love to try out different things. At some point I was in a dance group. At some point I tried acting. Even with some of the teasers I put out, I do acting here and there. So I try to incorporate that in my music as well, so I listen to all kinds of music. Fuse elements from different genres and try to make something beautiful. That’s something I really did during the process of making this album. I was in the learning phase and I just tried to apply all that I have learned.

Fresh from Paris Fashion week, global superstar and Mavin Global/Jonzing World artist Rema has released a brand-new song titled “Benin Boys”featuring rising Nigerian artist Shalipoppi. The song is a tribute to Benin City, from which they both hail and an ode to the city’s rich cultural history and people.

The single art pays homage to the city’s symbols including the Benin Bronzes and bats — a fixture in the Benin sky. Having teased the song earlier this week, the dynamic and highly infectious song is now officially available across all major platforms, listen here: https://rema.lnk.to/beninboys

Produced by Yo X, the layered and energetic production mirrors the infectious personalities of both Rema and Shallipopi. It provides an unobstructed runway for the pair to trade verses and masterful lyricism touching on the pride of their city like “You touch a Benin boy, you touch the full nation.” A track that begs repeating, “Benin Boys” is a colourful and surefire hit from the Afrobeat luminaries.

Rema’s musical odyssey has propelled him and Afrobeats to global prominence, transcending borders and captivating audiences worldwide. With critically acclaimed projects, awards, chart topping singles and sold-out tours internationally, Mavin Global artist Rema is on his unassailable ascent to worldwide superstardom.

His stellar self-titled debut in 2019 will be remembered for defining a new era in African pop and his follow up effort Rave and Roses Ultrais the highest streamed project by an African artist. Just in the past year, the 24 year old artist joined the illustrious Billions club (having amassed over seventy billion streams overall), earned a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit in “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez and rounded out the year with a sold out stadium show at The O2 in London UK performing to over 20,000 fans.

He’s claimed many “firsts” in his illustrious career including a Guinness World Record (for the first No. 1 hit on MENA charts) and being the highest charting African artist in history on the Billboard Hot 100 and earn over one billion streams in the US — making Afrobeats history. From the outset, his mission has remained steadfast, never wavering in his relentless pursuit of excellence and with this new wave of music, Rema is set to ascend the throne while putting his city on.

Daboy Kenzi is back on the road with an inspirational Afrobeats cut titled ‘Kilo Wan So?’ right in time for the summer wave. (more…)

Today, Ghanaian genre-defying recording artist Black Sherif releases his much anticipated
single, ‘KILOS MILOS’ through his
record label, RBA/Empire. The track, which has been teased on his social media
platforms for weeks, is now available on all major streaming platforms.

With its catchy hooks
and thought-provoking lyrics, “Kilos
Milos” is already generating buzz within the music industry and
receiving praise from fans. The single promises to be another chart-topping hit
for Black Sherif, further solidifying his status as one of the most promising
talents in African music.

Known for his unique
blend of Afrobeat and Hip Hop, Black Sherif continues to captivate audiences
with his raw lyricism. “Kilos Milos” showcases his versatility as an
artist, delivering powerful verses layered over a mesmerizing production heralded
by Kwame Agger and Joker Nharnah. This follows the release of his widely
received street anthem, ‘ Shut Up’.

Black Sherif continuously
hints at the release of his sophomore album, which is due this year. He
recently won the award for Best Hip hop
and Hip life Artiste at the 25th Telecel Ghana Music awards and headlined one of the biggest festivals in
Africa, Afrofuture. Adjudged as the second most streamed artiste globally on
Audiomack in 2023.

Black Sherif keeps
defying the odds and breaking new grounds for music emanating from Africa on
the global stage.

A native of Konongo, a
small mineral-rich town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Black Sherif, born
Mohammed Ismail Sharif Kwaku Frimpong, has risen against all odds to become the
country’s biggest star. Embracing a diverse musical palette, he bridges the gap
between Afrobeats, highlife, and Ghanian drill, showcasing his wordplay,
storytelling, and linguistic versatility.
The breakout success of “First Sermon” and “Second
Sermon” in 2021 propelled Black Sherif onto the international stage, with
“Kwaku The Traveller” earning him superstar status in 2022.

Since the release of his
debut album in 2022, The Villain I Never Was, Black

Sherif has solidified his
place as one of Africa’s most powerful creative voices.

and amassed massive
global streaming numbers, which made him the most

streamed Ghanaian artist
of 2022 and 2023 on Spotify and the most streamed

Ghanaian artist of all
time on popular African streaming platform Boomplay.

Black Sherif has reached
these pinnacles in record time—being an integral part of the front runners
pushing the sounds coming from Africa globally.
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Nana and The Asafo Brigade (NATAB), the emerging Vancouver-based alternative band, is set to grace the world of revolutionary music with the release of its new EP, ‘They Hunted The Land.’ This 3-song project, slated for release on June 28, 2024, serves as a prequel to their forthcoming album, ‘There’s A Fire On The Mountain.’

Celebrated for their compelling sound and disruptive approach to music-making, the 8-person band promises to take listeners on a sonic journey that immerses them in a rich tapestry of revolutionary sounds and thought-provoking lyrics with this new project. NATAB’s music encourages listeners to be more socially conscious; this new EP is another monumental move in fulfilling its mission.

Following their debut project ‘Peace & Love,’ released in November last year, NATAB continues to push the boundaries of their art through their unique blend of alternative influences, creating a powerful and evocative medium that invites its audience to engage deeply with the themes of empathy, community and social change. Each track on ‘They Hunted The Land’ is crafted to deliver an incredible listening experience that opens the listeners’ eyes to the world around them, encouraging introspection and a heightened awareness of how they might contribute to some of the inequalities and unjust ways in their society.

The lead song of the EP, ‘Thief/Police,’ stands out as a poignant commentary on the dynamics of authority and corruption. At the same time, the other tracks, ‘Asaase Yaa’ and ‘Talking Drum’, further emphasize the band’s commitment to themes of revolution, empathy, and community building.

‘They Hunted The Land’ sets the tone for ‘There’s A Fire On The Mountain,’ ensuring that every piece of work by NATAB is connected in its message of community building and awakening dormancy. This project underscores the band’s belief that music can be a powerful tool for social change, urging listeners to recognize themselves as stakeholders in their communities and the world at large.

NATAB’s music is more than just sound—it’s a call to action. The band aspires to inspire change wherever their music reaches, continuing the legacy of those that set out on similar journeys before them.

They Hunted The Land will be available on all audio streaming platforms on 28th June 2024.

Smart Link URL: https://vyd.co/THTL 

Rising Ghanaian act, Kwesi Valley has released his latest single, ‘Ogya de Beba.’ (more…)