There’s so much new music being released that it’s hard for even the most loyal fans to wade through the trash to find the gems. That’s why we’ve created #BumpThis – a Friday series that features new songs, by and featuring Nigerians, that you absolutely need to hear.
Asa — “You and Me”
Five years after Bed of Stone, Asa is back with her most personal and cohesive album to date, Lucid. The 14-track project is filled with songs tackling the sting of heartbreak, and that’s exactly why “You and Me”, its most hopeful and upbeat song, stands out so much.
The track is the first moment on Lucid that Asa actually sounds optimistic about love. After a slew of songs about toxic partners, she has finally found the man of her dreams, and she’s hell-bent on spoiling him. “You and Me” ends up being a candy-coated treat on an album full of bitter pills.
Teni — “Complain”
Teni, one of the most exciting new afropop stars working today, just dropped her debut body of work, Billionaire
On the track, Teni seamlessly adopts the cadence and attitude of a bolshy rapper: sing-talking about chasing her bag, hanging with her crew and having unabashed fun. “Complain”, more than any song she’s dropped this year, is a reminder of her impressive range.
Wale — “Expectations” ft. 6LACK
Nigerian-American rapper, Wale just dropped his sixth studio album, Wow… That’s Crazy, and it’s a vast improvement over 2017’s middling Shine. The LP features a few big-name stars, from Megan Thee Stallion to Bryson Tiller, but it’s the 6LACK-assisted “Expectations” that shines the brightest.
On the track, 6LACK delivers a next-level chorus, the kind that rap classics are made of, and Wale doesn’t squander it. As he raps about his insecurities, painting a vibrant picture with his pointed bars, “Expectations” quickly solidifies itself as one the Grammy-nominee’s best-ever songs.
