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!