This week's New Music Friday features a stacked lineup of Afrobeats and hip-hop releases. Fireboy DML earns two slots with tracks from his new album ZUKO, Victony extends his viral hit with a cross-continental remix featuring Don Toliver and Summer Walker, and Solana follows up her breakout record. Blaqbonez also continues rolling out NOMADINHO: 4TH PRIME with another single.
Fireboy DML and Victony Lead the Pack
Fireboy DML's "Goddess" featuring Lojay marks their second collaboration following 2024's 'Letting Go'. Fireboy's vocals serve as the consistent anchor, and both artists blend smoothly to produce something genuinely infectious. The record stands out as one of the better tracks on this week's list.
Victony's "Slick Remix" gets a cross-continental upgrade with two American features. Summer Walker steps outside her comfort zone and delivers the stronger verse, while Don Toliver's contribution is competent without being memorable. The remix elevates the original without replacing it.
Blaqbonez and Other Notable Releases
Blaqbonez's "Ca$h Out" is track eight from NOMADINHO: 4TH PRIME, keeping the album's nomadic energy going. It is a bouncy Nigerian hip-hop and Afrobeats record that earns repeated listens on the strength of its catchiness alone, doing its job as an album cut.
Pheelz's "Cash Rules Everything Around Us" is a direct nod to Wu-Tang Clan's 1993 C.R.E.A.M., shifting the perspective from individual to collective financial ambition. The concept is clear but the execution does not do enough with the source material to justify the comparison. It remains an interesting attempt that falls short.
Solana, Gyakie, and More Fresh Tracks
Solana's "O Ri Mi" follows her breakout 'Okunkun' and continues her YoruPop lane, fusing traditional Yoruba culture with contemporary global pop. The direction is sharper here than on the debut, and the record supports that assessment.
Gyakie's "Your Body (Crazy)" is a smooth Afro-R&B record built around irresistible attraction, delivered with Gyakie's signature warmth. It rewards the right listener in the right moment, context-dependent but well-executed within those parameters.
Fimi's "Asiko" is a reflective Afropop record centered on divine timing and patience. The pop elements reach for something the production does not quite land, but the theme and Yoruba language integration give it enough identity to stick after a few listens.
Chech featuring Ajebo Hustlers and Tuff King delivers "By Me," a high-energy street-pop record built for car speakers and street parties. The Port Harcourt street-hop influence gives the production a distinct feel, and all three artists are fully committed to the energy the record demands.
Fireboy DML's "Sex Love Understanding Trust," track ten from ZUKO, leans into his emotional Afro-Life signature, vulnerable and personal in the way his best records are. It does not break new ground but does not need to, representing familiar Fireboy territory delivered with consistency.
