Can Wizkid’s New Album “More Love, Less Ego” Reciprocate the Impact and Success of “Made in Lagos,” or Is It Too Much to Ask Even With Its Ostensibly Chart-Topping Tracks?
A lot of effort has gone into determining who the true king of Afrobeats is, and as various fan factions continue to argue over who they believe deserves to take home the crown, the floodgates of more afrobeat-inspired music have opened, and there is an endless outpouring of music so fine you want to chew it!
While it is fine to argue, there has never been any doubt about Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun alias Wizkid’s pioneering role in shaping the industry into what it is today. Most are of the opinion that the track “Ojuelgba”, off of his 2014 self-titled 2nd studio album “Ayo,” which was produced by Legendury Beatz, was his breakthrough track, and they are not wrong. This track put the industry on high alert for someone who went on to make afrobeats a globally revered sound; the industry is now thriving in huge part because of the role played by this ingenious prodigy!
Wizkid released his 4th studio album, “Made in Lagos,” on October 2020 to record-breaking success. The standout track “Essence” featuring Nigerian songstress Tems shattered every available record and topped musical charts back to back like nobody’s business! It even got a special remix featuring internationally acclaimed pop star Justin Bieber.
When Wizkid announced on his last day on tour that he would be releasing his 5th studio album, “More Love, Less Ego,” his millions of fans were eager and couldn’t keep calm; – their ears and souls itching for that quenching dose of music from their cherished superstar!
This album was fronted by the lead single “Bad to Me” and the promotional single “Money & Love.” The entire project was dropped on November 11, 2022, much to the relief of the impatient fans.
“More Love, Less Ego” is a 13-track compilation with guest appearances from Ayra Starr, Skillibeng, Shenseea, Skepta, Naira Marley and Don Toliver. So far, the album has been critically acclaimed, with top tracks such as “2 Sugar” and “Wow” dominating charts globally.
“2 Sugar” brings Nigerian high-flying queen Ayra Star on board, and together, they engineer a timeless masterpiece. I honestly believe that Wizkid uses some magic to choose the right female collaborators for his tracks; at this point, it kind of defies all odds how good it is; from Tems to Justin Skye and now Ayra Starr, it is no coincidence at all, magic is involved somehow, and you can’t convince me otherwise!
In this beguiling tune, they complement one another so naturally as to authenticate a very addictive jam that feels sweet and really colorful. The hooks are very infectious, and the blend between the vocals and the articulate afro beats is just top-notch. This is the kind of music that takes its time, growing on people gently, and then all of a sudden everyone can’t keep it off their playlist!
“Money & Love” sees Wizkid being really sensual and composed, as his R&B crooning vocals blend favorably with the flow of the beats. He kind of just moves with the flow, and the beats really flow like water.
“Bad to Me” is another eclectic banger. It has a slight melodic similarity to his “Soco” song, which was mixed and mastered with the sparkling Amapaino beats to make a very sobering and rapturous melody that you can dance to all night long.
“Wow” sees Wiz bring British-Nigerian grime MC and rapper Skepta and Nigerian wonder kid Skepta for a very memorable performance. Their energies bounce off one another, with the rap bars spectacularly melding with the afro-pop vibe to alluring effect.
There is so much to excite a listener throughout this valuable collection, and while it’s still in its early stages, nothing has suggested its impending topple over “Made in Lagos”; I just think it will take some beating to plummet its impact. For now, we just have to take “More Love, Less Ego” as it is and run with it!
Katika wimbo wao mpya wenye mchangamsho “Play Your Clarinet!”, Into the Blood wanaunganisha midundo ya kielektroniki inayoshika kwa urahisi na mgeuko wa kusisimua: solo la klaneti lenye mionjo ya jazz kutoka kwa Peter Fuglsang. Uchezaji wake unaongeza mguso wa uchezaji wa moja kwa moja unaokamilisha msingi wa kidijitali wa wimbo huu, na kuunda tukio la kipekee kabisa la kusikiliza.
Wimbo huu utazinduliwa kimataifa tarehe 22 Novemba katika lugha 11 tofauti—ikiwemo Kiswahili, Kifaransa, Kiingereza na Kichina n.k.—pamoja na toleo lisilo na sauti za kuimba.
Jiunge nasi katika safari ya kimataifa Acha “Play Your Clarinet!” ikupeleke kuvuka mipaka, sauti na tamaduni. Wimbo mmoja. Lugha kumi na moja. Utasikika kwenye majukwaa yote makubwa ya kusikiliza muziki mtandaoni, na video za maneno ya wimbo zitapatikana kwenye YouTube. Jifunge mkanda na ufurahie safari!
Kuhusu Into the Blood Duo la Into the Blood—Jens Brygmann (sauti za kuimba na ngoma za kidijitali) na Carsten Bo Andersen (kinanda na sintesa)—imekuwa ikifanya kazi tangu mwaka 2016. Muziki wao umekuwa ukipigwa kwenye vituo mbalimbali vya redio duniani, vikiwemo vya Uingereza, Australia na Ufaransa.
Toleo la asili la “Play Your Clarinet!” pia linapatikana kwenye rekodi ya vinili ya inchi 12 kama sehemu ya mradi wao mkubwa wa Destination 11, unaojumuisha video ya muziki ya dakika 11. Video hiyo imewahi kuonyeshwa katika matamasha mbalimbali ya kimataifa ya filamu fupi, na hadi sasa tayari imeshinda tuzo mbili nchini India, kufikia hatua ya fainali kwenye East Village New York Film Festival na Las Vegas International Film & Screenwriting Festival, nusu fainali kwenye Seattle Film Festival na robo fainali kwenye Synergy Film Festival huko Los Angeles.
Mradi wa Destination 11 umefadhiliwa na White City Consulting na Custom Coaching.
Montreal-based pop sensation and LGBTQ activist Van Hechter is back with “Boy Problems,” a stunning new single. The track merges his signature upbeat charm with rare emotional depth. Hechter, known for hits like “Disco Brother,” “Hot Damn,” and “Love Elastic,” reveals a new side to his magnetic electro-pop personality, offering a message that is both radiant and raw.
At 4 minutes and 24 seconds, “BoyProblems” is a bilingual (French & English) eruption of glitter, melancholy, and empowerment. It’s built on irresistible synths, glossy production, and pulsing basslines. The song invites listeners into a world where heartbreak beats in rhythm with liberation. The melodies feel euphoric on the surface, yet are stained with a haunting vulnerability, proving that dancing and deep feeling can exist together.
At its core, the song is a manifesto about refusing to settle for half-love. Van delivers lyrics that make you sway, smile, and suddenly pause; the truth stings. If love isn’t loud, real, and fully given, he’d rather walk away. It’s a reminder wrapped in rhythm: loving yourself means refusing the small version of what you deserve.
Filled with Hechter’s signature humor, glamour, and optimism, “Boy Problems” is a club anthem and a soul-stirrer all at once. The bilingual lyrics expand its emotional reach. The track feels at home anywhere, from Parisian dance floors and New York rooftops to headphones on a bus or speakers at Pride.
This is a jam that makes you feel like you’re flying, free from pretense. It’s definitively dance-pop and unmistakably Van Hechter, though the smile has a real heartbeat underneath. Listeners will hear that signature flair; he’s still cheeky, stylish, and unapologetically queer. His artistry is simply sharpened with new emotional honesty. This is a growth moment, delivered with a wink and a synth hook.
“Boy Problems” is a significant step beyond a simple catchy single. It’s a toast to self-worth. A glittering rebellion against lukewarm love. A reminder that the dance floor can be a place to heal. This sonic centerpiece belongs on your playlist, and on your friends’ too.
Sometimes a song shows up like that friend who kicks open the door without knocking, grinning and saying, “get your shoes, we’re leaving.” “Tule Tule,” the new single from South Sudanese artist TR Craze featuring Jamaican-UK rapper Caine Marko, moves exactly like that. The track is bold and charged, carrying the weight of lived experience while stomping over a dark, menacing drill beat that feels built for the streets as much as the club.
TR Craze’s backstory reads like a movie script Hollywood studios would fight over. He was born in South Sudan, shaped by the trauma of civil war, and pushed into the harsh realities of refugee life. He literally survived the treacherous routes through Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. This man distills survival into rhythm. On “Tule Tule,” you can feel that heart, that urgency, and that fire in his delivery, channelled into a raw, assertive drill performance that cuts through even if you don’t understand a single word of the opening verse. At its core, “Tule Tule” is a raw, assertive drill track that isn’t afraid to bare its teeth.
The word “Tule” comes from Nuer. It refers to youth games and the electric thrill of chasing something, whether that’s victory, joy, or destiny. TR Craze uses that spirit like a drumbeat beneath his voice. The choruses hit with a communal, call-and-response warmth but here that playfulness is flipped into a gritty, chant-like hook – “Tule Tule” – that feels like the rallying cry of a crew on the move. Even without translating the lyrics, the tone tells you everything. This is about motion, pursuit, celebration, and refusing to stay stuck in the past, all wrapped in an unapologetic, high-adrenaline atmosphere. Lyrically, the track leans into street life, dominance and crew loyalty, matching the tension in the beat.
Behind them, producer Kyxxx builds a dark, tense soundscape, stitching drill drums with Brazilian bounce and Bhangra-flavoured rhythmic elements that keep the track constantly on edge. The result is a gritty, energetic and unapologetic atmosphere that pulls you straight into their world.
Then Caine Marko slides in for the second verse, and the whole energy pivots into a sharp, swagger-heavy bounce. His flow is clean but gritty, confident and confrontational, shifting between braggadocio and sly charm.
“She knows I’m a wolf and I run the pack,” he starts, classic alpha talk, but delivered with a laid-back grin. “She come first like running track,” he continues, flipping between affection and athletic metaphors like a man who’s too used to moving fast.
Then he opens up the verse more: “Doing dirt and getting with a bitty, I only pretty… then back to the city. Got me some liquor then it got me some weed.” It’s lifestyle rap, but the reckless, unapologetic kind. It’s the messy, outside-at-night, live-in-the-moment vibe that balances TR Craze’s more grounded narrative. When he ends with “you going to hang with the gang,” the energy snaps into a group-hyped finale, a reminder that music like this isn’t meant to be consumed alone, underlining the crew-first loyalty at the heart of the record.
“Tule Tule” works because it blends worlds without softening its raw, street-hardened edge. It merges East African emotion, Caribbean-UK swagger, drill and hip-hop grit, Brazilian and Bhangra textures in Kyxxx’s production, diaspora storytelling, and a spirit of joy that refuses to be dimmed by pain.
Let “Tule Tule” run while you’re walking, cooking, texting, or plotting big dreams – or getting ready to step out with your crew.