Every week, OkayAfrica highlights the top African music releases — including the latest Afrobeats and amapiano hits — through our best music column, African Music 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.
Kivumbi King – “Ituze”
Rwanda’s Kivumbi King sounds effortlessly laidback on “Ituze.” With roots in the country rap and spoken word scene, he maneuvers the track with a smooth, precise cadence, never missing a beat as he cruises with intention. The result is music that flows like rippling waves, seeping through your veins and leaving a lasting impression on the mind.
Lubiana – “Divine Feminine”
Lubiana grew up between cultures. Born in Belgium to Cameroonian parents, she carries a spiritual depth and technical range that feel almost otherworldly. That higher power flows outward on “Divine Feminine,” reaching toward us. It’s a vast playing field: of rippling kora; of patient, steady strings; of music that feels medicinal, baked in since birth and now finding expression through her disarming voice. Of course, we can’t ignore the words, which are as expansive as the sound itself, lending further weight to a composition already swimming in an ocean of wisdom. “Nurture your garden, live in the present/ the secrets of life lie deep inside you,” she sings — healing prayers, lessons for the future-present, pronouncements that steady and anchor you in the moment.
Nasty C – “No Typo”
Ever since getting out of his deal with Universal Music Group, Nasty C has moved with intention and demonstrated a rare clarity not only among his peers but among artists younger and older than him. He’s truly him, one of one, top shotta, leader of the new school. “No Typo” is one of them ones, head-nodding and arms-raising, racing towards your head like it wants to be the first in line. The flow is timely, fiery, spectacularly placed. Nothing is out of pocket here; everything is tucked neatly inside Nasty C’s world, which is lyrical and feisty in its delivery. “I’m Gen-Z, my son a Gen-A/ no Aiko,” is such a neat, clever bar; it’ll take a minute to figure out that it’s a double entendre whose other side is a nod to the artist Jhené Aiko.
Ayo Maff – “God is Working”
Ayo Maff plays spiritual mentor, vibe dispenser, and quintessential friend on “God Is Working.” From the outset, he delivers mantras for the dancefloor — prayers offered like choreographed blessings — layering love, understanding, and compassion for anyone moving through hardship. “God is working, omo, everything go settle,” he repeats, offering uplift for the aching heart. It’s communal hand-holding, something to latch onto. Such class, such release, such joy should be made a daily dietary requirement.
Zee Nxumalo, Dlala Thukzin – “Awe Mah” (feat. Funky Qla, Shakes & Les, MK Productions)
Dlala Thukzin and Zee Nxumalo are on a generational run, showing no signs of slowing down. They have a firm grip on the pulse of contemporary dance music, and the chemistry coursing through their collaborations has already delivered bangers like “Ama Gear” and “Mali.” “Awe Mah,” an isiZulu exclamation of exhilaration, is their latest addition to a growing canon, another step in a sonic legacy future generations will reference. They’re joined by Zee Nxumalo’s previous collaborators Funky Qla (“Memezela”) and Shakes & Les (“Funk 55”), alongside MK Productions, whose influence on Dlala Thukzin’s sound has strengthened the broader dance music fraternity. The track leans into minimalism, weaving elements of Afro-tech and 3-Step into its wings as it swings between inherited influences and the thrill of discovery, for something just beyond the familiar.
Sonder the Africanime – “Dream”
On “Dream,” Sonder the Africanime orders a specific type of softness, and gets it delivered via vocals that encompass even the smallest of worlds. They intensify emotion with precision, guiding listeners like a meditation through a forest of indecision and quiet longing. It’s a song about overcoming fear and giving in to the moment, of letting go of control and letting the heart lead the way.
VERBB, RAF DON, Minz – “eh eh eh ii”
VERBB and RAF DON’s “eh eh eh” quietly slipped under the radar, buried in January when most ears were still recovering from the festive season. With Minz joining on the re-up, the decisive street banger gains a fresh polish while keeping the swagged-out, aura-filled energy of the original intact. There’s an internationalism in the song that grounds its local context in the global; lines like “I want the Rands and some Nairas/ switch up my location, I want Euros and some Dollars,” speak to this inward-oriented, outward-looking disposition. This will be in your head, playing on repeat, until you order it to stop.
Nonso Amadi – “Greedy”
Nonso Amadi’s smooth, gentle loverboy persona has long anchored his take on Afrobeats. Schooled in the R&B classics that shaped his upbringing and tuned into the global sound whose trajectory he has helped shape, he’s never shy about exploring matters of the heart.
This gem, released during the month of love, is a welcome addition to a rich archive. “Greedy” navigates the tension between hope and disappointment: the optimism of a love in trouble (“If I stand with you, I’ll be standing strong”) and the frustration of realizing a partner may not be coming with good intentions (“Nowhere to find, and nowhere to see ya”). It’s a delicate, emotionally resonant balancing act that showcases Nonso Amadi’s trademark romantic honesty.
We are Nubia – “Available”
We Are Nubia had a standout year last year, riding the wave of their single “DnD,” which distilled late millennial and Gen-Z desire into shorthand, hiding intimate details behind a groove so infectious that your body had no choice but to move. “Available,” from their newly released EP Needs, takes everything we love about bongo flava and channels it into a soul-stirring, balanced meditation on readiness and willingness. It’s a love letter to their city, Nairobi: “tastes so sweet, I want it for me,” they harmonize, inviting listeners to experience the city’s pulse intimately.
Lagos In Paris, Kilimanjaro – “Lusafro” (Kilimanjaro remix)
Back in June last year, artist collective Lagos In Paris released their self-titled six-track EP, We Are Lagos In Paris. Nestled between the serene opener, “Mali Spirit,” and the closing track, “Take Me,” was “Lusafro,” a funky, high-energy cut designed to get feet moving on the dance floor. London-based Zambian-Scottish DJ Kilimanjaro reimagines the track through an Afro-tech lens, keeping the vocals central while layering in hypnotic synths. The result lands perfectly: a made-for-the-party collaboration that elevates the original without losing its groove.
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