Whether you prefer Afrobeats, hip-hop, or something in between, there is something for everyone. So, grab your headphones and get into this week’s musical selections. Welcome to this week’s New Music Friday, where the musical landscape is rich with new sounds and engaging rhythms. DJ Neptune leads the charge with his latest release, bringing his signature style to the fore. Meanwhile, Alpha P makes waves with a new EP that is sure to capture your attention. Maleek Berry continues to enchant with his unique sound, while Kida Kudz completes the roster with a new release that promises to keep the weekend lively. As always, we dug through the most recent releases to bring you the best of the lot.
Maleek Berry – Lately ft. Ruger
Following a dramatic rollout, Maleek Berry announced new music and released his second single in 2024. Maleek Berry teams up with Ruger, an artist who looked up to him long before he became Ruger, to create something artistic and nostalgic. Lately is a delicious homage to Maleek Berry’s 2017 sleeper hit ‘Bend It.’ The kicks, shakes, and overall rhythm are reminiscent of the track. Ruger also interpolates ‘Bend It’ in his verse, “Baby bend it/O baby bend it o/Cause you causing traffic, Oh, no, no, no.”
DJ Neptune – Greatness III
DJ Neptune puts in his third entry, “Greatness III, into the Greatness-verse, and just like his previous albums, it’s an assemblage of a wide range of artists from across Africa. The album opens with well-delivered rap music that featured Ice Prince, Magnito, N6, Young Lunya, and Khaligraph Jones. Joeboy makes another appearance on a Greatness project with ‘Mumu’ and effortlessly contributes his melodies. DJ Neptune meticulously creates a genre-bending yet cohesive album, as seen in his preceding works.
Standout Tracks: Tonight, Wait For You, Normal Day, Honest, Emanuella
Alpha P – Welcome To The Pack
After making his debut as the ‘Leader Of The Pack’ in 2019 with the EP “King Of The Wolves,” which had hits like “Paloma,” Alpha P released “Wolves and Mustangs” in 2020, but then went silent for nearly two years. This is believed to be the product of numerous hidden situations. After signing with Phyno’s Penthauze record label this year, Alpha P makes a grand comeback with the lead single ‘W’ off his third EP, “Welcome To The Alpha Pack.” The song, which features Olamide, captivates listeners from the first listen and engulfs them in its addictive melody. After making his debut as the ‘Leader Of The Pack’ in 2019 with the EP “King Of The Wolves,” which had hits like “Paloma,” Alpha P released “Wolves and Mustangs” in 2020 but then went silent for nearly two years. This is believed to be the product of numerous hidden situations. After signing with Phyno’s Penthauze record label this year, Alpha P makes a grand comeback with the lead single ‘W’ off his third EP, “Welcome To The Alpha Pack.” The song, which features Olamide, captivates listeners from the first listen and engulfs them in its addictive melody. There have been comments on the similarity between his sound and Afrobeats global star, Rema, however, this is most likely due to the fact that they used to be a duo. “Welcome To The Pack” opens with a solemn track ‘Light’ which highlights not only Alpha P’s crispy voice but what he’s capable of with it. The EP features rap legend Olamide, producer Thisizlondon, and Kemuel.
Standout Tracks: Light, W, Hold Ya.
AYLØ – Bang! ft. Tim Lyre
The genre-fluid artist, who’s also big on experimenting with his music, makes the NMF list this Friday. Aylo joins forces with Tim Lyre to deliver a hip-hop song titled “Bang,” and it shows his dexterity as an artist if you’re comparing this new release with a track like ‘Hey!’ or ‘wys?’ featuring Santi. ‘Bang’ is music you would relate to after a long day at work or while counting your wins.
Kida Kudz – Jumpin Bumpin
Nigerian-born UK-based artist Kida Kudz released a new single on midnight Friday titled ‘Jumpin Bumpin’. 2024 appears to be a year that sees multiple releases from the ‘Afro Jiggy’ artist, and his new record ‘Jumpin Bumpin’ is quite the Jiggy bop. Kida Kudz raps on a sinister production and delivers a memorable hook, for which the song, in all fairness, should be only played at the loudest volume.
