There is no one African rap, there are hundreds. There are as many rap scenes as there are countries and languages on the continent. All over Africa, rappers and beatmakers are taking the codes and latest trends of American rap, mixing them with the sounds of local music and languages, enriching them with cultural references specific to a place or a community, and thus creating something personal and original, both in terms of the music itself and the videos.
My work to report this bubbling consists in making an objective watch of the current events of these scenes but also in letting myself be touched emotionally by the quality of a production, the effectiveness of a chorus, the aggressiveness of a flow, the strength of a message, or the richness of an aesthetic universe. In this non-exhaustive and necessarily subjective selection, we find established rappers who have undeniably made news in their country and outside their borders in 2022 such as the Ivorian Didi B, the Zambian Sampa the Great, or the Congolese duo MPR, as well as the hits that have made the stream counters go wild in Algeria or Senegal.
I mention emerging artists on the rise like Ghanaian Black Sherif and Jay Bahd and also artists who are less known internationally but are local legends like Erigga in Nigeria. The objective is also to put forward artists on whom I bet to shine in 2023 like the South African nugget Buzzi Lee. Finally, this top allows me to highlight artists from countries that are not talked about enough, like the Togolese Lauraa and Ghettovi or the Rwandan Ish Kevin and Ariel Wayz, who are the respective representatives of incredibly creative scenes.
Dope Saint Jude – Home”
Catherine Saint Jude Pretorius, alias Dope Saint Jude is fresh out of Cape Town. After studying political sciences and founding the very first South African drag-king collective in 2011, this feminist activist took on sound production, and released her first solo project Reimagine in 2016. Her second EP, Resilient released in 2018 and recorded in London, was the ideal space to discuss social, racial and sexual equality. “Home” is the first single from Higher Self, her third introspective EP written through the pandemic in London. The song is a declaration of love between rap and r&b, exploring “the search for comfort in a lover’s embrace”. The video questions women’s bodies, two of them, in a world of images, and celebrates her relationship with her wife Roxanne. The color red hinting at their passion is very present, the video taking inspiration from BDSM aesthetics.
Small X – “Price”
Moroccan rapper Small X rose to fame through the duo Shayfeen. In 2021, he went solo with the album Phoenix. this year, he marked January with the release of “Price”, an old-school title co-produced by Moroccan beatmakers Yo Asel and MW. For the black and white clip of “Price”, Small X worked with his friend and director Idlane, with whom he had already collaborated on the video of “XXL” in 2021. It shows young people with ropes hanging around their necks, getting into a truck brandished with the artist’s logo which appears on the cover of Phoenix. “It represents the stress, the pressure that young people in Africa feel about the future. I come with a truck and it’s like an artistic space that I bring. I bring people into my world, and I take the strings off in the truck. Art, music, is the only space where people can be free. With the actors in the clip, I wanted to give an image of young Moroccans today. There are plenty of stylish people in Morocco.”
Black Hoodie Club – “TGV” (prod. Johnsix et Kiev Beats)
We are now heading to Tunis to meet a new crew that has been making a lot of noise since 2021. The Black Hoodie Club brings together the rappers 4lfa, Ta9chira, Brotherhood, Ktyb, Stou, the rapper Koast and the producer Johnsix. “We share the same principles and objectives, the same artistic direction,” explains Brotherhood, a 24-year-old rapper from the city of Kasserine. “But what brings us together goes far beyond music. In our daily lives, we spend a lot of time together, and that’s where our inspiration comes from.” This collective released its first album in 2021 entitled Rise of a Gang, with notable success, and stands out thanks to an alternative and artsy aesthetic, like the video clip of the song “Requin” (a reference to the famous sneaker that has become an emblem of street culture). The track “TGV” is an experimental drill track featuring 4lfa, Brotherhood, and Ta9chira. “We called this track like that because we feel that we are far artistically compared to what we see on the market,” says Brotherhood. If you do not know Tunisian rap yet, the Black Hoodie Club is the best gateway to discovery.
Buzzi – “Pheli Via Church”
Buzzi Lee is a young South African artist, full of surprises in every release for the past two years. Buzzi Lee has real potential to become a top-tier rapper in South Africa in 2023. She raps in SePitori, the lingua Franca spoken by Pretorians, blending Pedi, Tswana and Tsoti Saal. We first discovered her with “Mugwanti”, a surprising piece mixing trap and amapiano on a MustBeDubz and Champuru Makhenzo beat, letting the rapper shine with an energetic verse. She struck again in February 2022 with the song “Pheli Via Church”, riding on a kwaito and trap fusion and paying homage to her native city Atteridgeville. The town, west of Pretoria in the Gauteng province is the home of Dj Mujava as well as numerous rappers, including 25K and Fresh Ty, names she’s collaborated with this year (“Pheli”, “Watchu Sayin?”). Buzzi Lee also figured in major collaborations between the best rappers of the South-African scene: the remix of “Rhulumente” by Cape Town GREEK and the remix of “Never Ride” by producer MashBeatz. Buzzi Lee is doing it going to be big in 2023. Who wants to bet on it?
MC Artisan feat Didine Canon 16 – “Glock” (Prod. Croww & Exyth)
Staying in Maghreb… The rarely discussed Algerian rap scene is one of the most booming on the continent. The drill track entitled “Glock”, which brings together the rappers Mc Artisan and Didine Canon 16, broke all records in 2022. The video for the track, released in early March, has exceeded 125 million views. We are truly witnessing a phenomenon. Not surprising when you know the popularity of these two artists in Algeria. Mc Artisan is a 33-year-old rapper from Souk-Ahras, in the east of the country. He has risen to the top of the game since 2015 thanks to “I.D.G.A.F.“, “Fairytale” or more recently with “Redlights“. For his part, Didine Canon 16 is a well-known rapper and actor, also since the mid-2010s, thanks in part to the political and social dimension of his lyrics. The final key to success of this powerhouse meeting is the unstoppable chorus of “Glock”. We warn you, you will have it in your head for a while!
Louckim – “Street Dance”
Louckim is a young rapper who excels in drill gasy, aka drill in Malagasu, the national language of Madagascar. PAM had already noticed his aggressive flow and impeccable aesthetic in “La Tess” back in 2021. After a streak of solid tracks (“Tazomy”, “Zôrô” and “Grr Pa”) Louckim goes further with the excellent “Street Dance”, a drill track sampling “Bam Bam” from Sister Nancy. The music video is ingenious and refreshing. It was shot in Antsirabe, a city in the Central Highlands of Madagascar.
Magui feat Lala Také, Gun Mor & Wizaby – “Classroom 03”
Magui is 25 years old from Yeumbeul, located in the suburbs of Dakar. In 2021, she released a series of tracks including “Guiss Mbaax” which means “menstruation” in Wolof, through which she chose to speak about women’s emotional feelings during their periods. It’s a way to spread awareness around the subject matter considered taboo and impure in Senegalese society. In the series, the artist also speaks about rape, conflict between generations and the obstacles young women must face to succeed. In this new series “Classroom”, Magui returns to her roots, discovering rap back in 2016 with her classmates freestyling during breaks. Each music video, shot in a classroom, sees some of the new hip-hop Senegalese generation discuss social issues. The third episode, released back in May, entitled “Porta potty” is a reference to a recent scandal about prostitution in Dubaï. It condemns how certain men take advantage of their power to abuse women. On this occasion, Magui called on Gun Mor and Wizaby, two Flow UP winners, one of the biggest jumping start to the Senegalese hip-hop scene in which she was a finalist in 2021.
SilversTone Barz feat Buruklyn Boyz – “Doing it Major”
We have often told you, but the Nairobi scene is one of the most exciting there is. Spearheaded by the Buruklyn Boyz who dropped their much-awaited East Mpaka London on May 20th. One of the most notable tracks is “Last Air Bender” which features the rappers SilversTone Barz and Big Yasa, aka the best of the best in this new Kenyan hip-hop scene. A few days before, SilversTone Barz had released “Doin It Major” which also featured the Buruklyn Boyz. Here, we’re dealing with a banger. SilversTone Barz’ English stanzas and those in Sheng, Niarobi slang derived from Swahili, by Ajay and Mr.Right flow one after the other and surge in our ears. In the music video, the underwater scenes illustrate Barz’s line about the power of her flow (“heavy ocean flow, you know it’s wavy”).
Black Sherif – “Kwaku The Traveller”
Since the release of “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon” in 2021, the Ghanaian rapper based in Konongo, east of Kumasi, the Ashanti part of the country, has experienced an extraordinary rise to fame and has now embarked in a string of international collaborations. In February 2022, a remix of “Second Sermon” with the Nigerian Burna Boy was unveiled, as well as a featuring with Nigerian rapper Darkoo, “Always”. Also nicknamed “Blacko” in Ghana and Nigeria, his talent appeals to artists beyond the continent’s borders, such as the British ArrDee who came to Lagos to record a remix of his hit “Come & Go”. But the 20-year-old Ghanaian rapper has also been working on his solo catalog. At the end of March, he dropped “Kwaku The Traveller” in which he looked back on his journey, his success but also the mistakes along the way he might have made (“Of course, I fucked up. Who never fuck up hands in the air! No hands?”), both in English and in Twi. The music video for this new track was released in May and was directed by the Ghanain David Nicole-Sey, who was also the one behind “I Like It” and “Fancy” with the singer Amaarae. The different scenes (press conference, a ritual with some women, a chase with the police) are filled with symbols and could be the object of several interpretations. In October, he released his first album, The Villain I Never Was.
Ish Kevin feat YCee – “Clout”
The Rwanda scene was particularly interesting this year. Ish Kevin is the king of drill back in Kigali where he made a name for himself as one of Africa’s best rappers. The title “Clout” which features Nigerian star YCee is taken from his excellent Trappish II. In the song, both artists denounce the need to run after fame, exacerbated by social networks, and its effects on the youth. From the first shot, we have the usual codes of hip-hop music videos, with focus on the band outside and inside a car, and motocross footage. You can recognize several rappers from the Loud Sound crew including Kenny K Shot, Logan Joe, OG2Tone and Trozzoe Nonety Six, all Rwandan artists you absolutely need to know. These scenes were shot in Kimironho and Gikondo Rebero, two neighborhoods in Kigali exuding great power. For the footage with YCee, shot in Nyamata in the country’s southeast, Ish Kevin chose to highlight his country’s culture. We see the Nigerian singer surrounded by Intore warrior dancers, easily recognizable by their spears and mane-like headgear. Ycee wears clothes from the Moshions, a Rwandan high fashion brand founded by designer Moses Turahirwa, often quoted in the lyrics of local rappers. Ycee’s sweater features two figures that sport the amasunzu, Rwandan hair art.
Dimoh Hady – “Tchoula”
Moving on to Conakry, Guinea, to meet Dimoh Hady, a member of the Gnamakalah trio. His band, currently on a hiatus, was formed back in 2013 in Sangaredi, in the country’s north-east. It has been ruling the Guinean rap scene these past years. Now 27, Dimoh Hardy is launching his solo career with the title “Tchoula”, a drill track he and beatmaker Joker wrote, in which balafon and drum samples can be heard. “Tchoula is an idiom in pulaar which refers to a black ant that protects the big African forests, and which are known for their cunningness and their attack ability”, explains the rapper. “I decided to pay tribute to them to express my skill in the scene and to allude to my fans’ determination who are ready to teach some lessons to all of those who might decide to attack me”. A bit of trivia, the nighttime scenes shot with the crowd in the music video have blocked the traffic in Kipé Centre Emetteur Commune in Conakry. Then, it is worth mentioning that the color blue present throughout the video, in Dimoh Hady’s outfits, is a tribute to the brotherhood he has recently joined. The dancers that appear in the video are part of the Pokémon Gnakry company. The Guinean rapper ends the year on a bang with a powerful drill banger: “We Banana”
Khtek – “Zero Limite”
Khtek has established herself, these past few years, as one of the leading figures in the Moroccan rap scene. Originally from the city of Khémisset, the rapper began writing in 2016. In 2020 she collaborated with the most esteemed rappers in the country; “Hors-Série” with ElGrandeToto, Don Bigg and Draganoc and “Fratello” with Tagne and Stormy. It propelled her to the scene’s forefront. Each of her releases is treated as an event in Morocco, both by the success met and the reach of themes tackled in her lyrics. On May 27th, she was featured on “Salina” released by ElGrandeToto, which brought together twelve rappers on one track that lasted almost nine minutes: a great way to discover noteworthy Moroccan artists. In her latest music video “Zero Limite”, released at the end of June, Khtek encourages women to dream and to push their limits, no matter their social or physical status. The shots and framing emphasize the power and dignity of the women appearing in the video. The extras are well known in the Moroccan public, being famous influencers like Alwa7cha who promotes sports and spreads awareness about mental health issues, Sabah Benchouikh who showcases life in the countryside, and Najwa Awane, the wheelchair tennis champion.
Sam Djul – “Mode Sennin”
Watch out for this other phenomenon, this time coming from Bamako, with Sam Djul, 23, from the Bagadadji neighborhood who now resides in Baco-Djicoroni. Saying he’s been quite the prolific rapper would be underselling it. He released no less than 15 music videos since the beginning of his career in January 2021. Thanks to his beatmaker, he has been able to maintain this frantic pace. Indeed, Cheick Trap Beat has been producing most of his tracks. The announcement of his first concert at the Palais de la culture in Bamako, earned him the support of Iba One, the boss of Malian rap. One of Sam Djul’s latest songs “Mode Sennin” is taken from his EP Hokage and is a reference to the Japanese cartoon Naruto. In the lyrics, sung in Bambara, the most spoken language in Mali, the rapper speaks about life in working-class neighborhoods. The music video was shot in Siby, a village near Bamako where Sam Djul is seen wearing the traditional Moorish white garment, an outfit given to him during a concert in the desert at Nioro-du -Sahel. The dancers which appear in the music video are doing the sabar, a popular dance in Senegal.
Sampa The Great feat Chef 187, Tio Nason & Mwanjé – “Never Forget”
Zambian rapper Sampa The Great is one of the most interesting acts of the last few years, and the video for “Never Forget” is probably the most sophisticated of this selection. This visual masterpiece flows between painting-like detailed shots and archives paying homage to zamrock, a Zambian sound born in the 70s, blending traditional music and psychedelic rock. In this song, the rapper urges Africans to be proud of what they’ve given to the world, and claims that the souls won’t ever forget. She’s joined by Chef 187 and Tio Mason, as well as singer Mwanjé, her sister. The song “Never Forget” was used in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s original soundtrack. It’s also the first single from As Above, As Below, her third studio album released in September, and featuring American rappers Denzel Curry and Joey Badass, British rapper Kojey Radical, and Beninese queen Angélique Kidjo.
Bilou XIV feat Zo flame – “Fatal ma fofou”
The mbalax influence, the frantic tempo of wolof and the use of traditional instruments in beats make Senegalese hip-hop a one-of-a-kind sound. These past years, rapper Samba Peuzzi has pushed the experimentation further (“Lou Yaka Yawa”, “Tama”, “Ndongo”). But rapper Bilou XIV went even further with the innovative “Fatal ma fofou”, one of 2022’s biggest Senegalese rap hits (with One Lyrical’s “Dozéko”, featuring Leyna and Bass Thioung). The instrumental, produced by Bilou XIV himself, is full of drums and percussions. He had already used the process in his first single “Touche du bois”. The only melody comes from a tama, an arm drum often heard in Senegalese rap. Zo Flame, invited on the track, caught the public’s attention with “SNK #3”. But go listen to “Wreew”, released in July just like “Fatal ma fofou”.
Dre-A feat Tripa Gninnin – “Skinny”
Dre-A is a young rapper putting her city of Bouaké on the map, and we noticed her this past year thanks to a round of impressive singles (“Comportement même“, “Focus“, “On peut faire ça” in collaboration with Apocahuero). The artist who still splits her time between studies and music is making a place in the heart of Ivorians thanks to the freshness of her tone and her ability to handle words with humor. While waiting for the release of his first project, Dre-A released “Skinny” in July with Babi’s coolest rapper, Tripa Gninnin. It’s been a great year for the young artist who capitalized on the release of his Bomboclaat project at the very end of 2021 to further climb the ladder. The artistic direction of the video is, as usual, done by the talented Young Nouchi who plunged Dre-A and Tripa into a pink, pop universe that fits with the light tone of the track.
Ariel Wayz, Sagamba, Soldier Kid, Bruce The 1st & Kivumbi King – “Demo”
The young Rwandan artist Ariel Wayz knows how to do everything, and she proved it this year. She sings wonderfully on tracks that mix Afrobeats, Afropop and r&b like on “Good Luck“ and “You Should Know“. In the same style, the track “Bad” has absolutely nothing to envy to Nigerian productions and is the perfect soundtrack to drive at night on the illuminated hills of Kigali. But she is also an excellent rapper, as proven by the track “Demo”, on which she invited four rappers of the new generation. Among them, there is Kivumbi King who does the last verse. He is easily recognizable thanks to his elegant traditional hairstyle, the asunzu. He is the prince of Kigali. He can compete with WizKid thanks to his smooth voice and his sense of melody (“Nakumena Amaso“), and rap on trap (“Ntacyo Nzaba“). Bruce The 1st, meanwhile, is one of the first rappers to have distinguished himself in the register of drill in 2020 in Rwanda with “Tugende” (featuring Ish Kevin). This collaborative track also allows us to discover two new Rwandan talents: Sagamba and Soldier Kid.
Fakaloice feat Riky Rick & Cassper Nyovest – “Ooh Aah”
“Ooh Ah” by Fakaloice became an instant classic of South African hip-hop as soon as it was released. Fakaloice is a young rapper from Verulam, a city north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, so he represents the north coast in the label Ambitiouz Entertainment. He mixes English and isiZulu and defines his style as “zunglish trap”. He is heavily influenced by Canadian rapper Tory Lanez and you can hear on “Ooh Ah”, which he produced himself, in the way he changes his register and octave between rapping and singing. In the first sequence of the clip, which corresponds to his verse, we see Fakaloice being enthroned as a village chief. We recognize the traditional houses, the clothes, the shields and the spears of the Zulus. A sequence that is reminiscent of the clip “Y3 Y3 Dom” of the Ghanaian driller Jay Bahd released in 2021 in which we saw Ashanti warriors preparing for war. The second verse of the track is by Riky Rick, a South African rap legend who sadly passed away last February. The artist ended his life after a long battle with depression. This verse was recorded in 2020. In the clip, this sequence is announced by a message written on the back of a T-shirt: “We Never Die, We Multiply”. These are lyrics by Riky Rick from the remix of the track “Nkalakatha” by rapper Costa Titch, released in 2019. It is strangers on the street and his friends who rap his verse here and pay him a collective tribute. The third verse is rapped by the legend of legends, Cassper Nyovest. South African rap fans have been waiting for years to get Riky Rick and Cassper Nyovest on the same track. Cassper Nyovest takes his time to get on the beat before completely devouring it. He came to cross the t’s and dot the i’s. He takes a shot at the music industry and other rappers. He reminds us that he has survived all the trends (house music, gqom) and that he has inspired everyone including Focalistic, one of the most prominent rappers in recent years. In the video, he appears as the supreme leader of hip-hop and as the head of the army. After a verse like that, who could argue?
FL EX – “Logan”
The 21-year-old rapper FL EX is one of the revelations of the year in Egypt. He made a name for himself featuring artists from the Maadi Town Mafia label he is also part of: first on “Shayateen” with Husayn and then on “Khamsa” with Wingii. Egypt has taken trap to a stratospheric level, making it deeper and more soaring than anywhere else, thanks to producers like Molotof and rappers like Marwan Pablo and Wegz. The track “Logan,” off FL EX’s excellent Mesama3een EP, shows that history repeats itself with drill. Beatmaker Rally has composed a dark, heavy and eerie instrumental track with huge bass and a traditional flute that makes it even more epic. It’s the same scary atmosphere in the black-and-white video. In it, FL EX roams Cairo with his band for hours until the chilling discovery of a body lying on a sidewalk.
MPR feat Youssoupha – “Sango Nini”
The Matete, Kinshasa duo MPR, composed of Yuma Dash and Zozo Machine is shining a beautiful light on Congolese rap. With a band name meaning “Popular Music for Revolution”, the two artists are claiming loud and proud their cultural heritage, and their hip-hop is infused with rumba and sebene (“Bana Leo Bana Leo”, “Makambu”). Their lyrics go from critics of Congolese society (“Lobela Ye Français”) to tales of life in the streets (“Tika Biso Tovanda”). The group is also known for their sense of aesthetics in their visuals, taking from televised theater in DRC (“Dollars”) or popular shows on the Télé Zaïre channel (Semeki). MPR’s 2022 was marked by the cancellation of their show in Paris, after announces of protests from the diaspora’s radical opposition, but more fortunately by the release of their EP Sese Seko. A project carried by “Sango Nini”, a punchy track featuring the France-based Congolese artist Youssoupha, rapping in Lingala. For the video matching the song’s energy, MPR chose a darker atmosphere, going back to rap’s usual codes.
Erigga – “Vawulence”
Erigga is a rap legend in Nigeria. Since he began his career in 2009, he has become the king of pidgin rap, an uncompromising style made for Nigerians, not Westerners. One might think that only the cities of Lagos and Port-Harcourt count in the musical landscape, but Erigga has put the city of Warri, in Delta State, on the map for Nigerian hip hop, and it is often the setting of his lyrics like in “Welcome to War“. “Vawulence,” or how Nigerians pronounce “violence,” is the first single from his new project The Lost Boy Album, released in early September. In the video, Erigga appears as a gang leader who is part of a group of inmates who are to be transferred by bus to another prison but on the way are freed by a commando. The main sequence of the video was shot in front of the Book Shop House tower, one of the oldest skyscrapers in Lagos, on Lagos Island.
Femi One feat Wangechi – “Lip Service”
2022 was a fantastic year for Kenyans Femi One and Wangechi. For almost ten years now, Femi One is recognized as on of the most renowned rappers in the country. She rose to fame with explosive gengetone tracks (“Utawezana”, “Tippy Toe”), a Kenyan style inspired by Jamaican dancehall, and hip-hop bangers (“Pilau Njeri”, “Kipetero Kiyesu”). This past few months, she proved that gengetone was still alive and well with the hit “Hepi”. Wangechi is another talented rapper known in Kenya for her lyricism. In 2022, she released Chonjo, a joint album with Scar Mkadinali, member of trio Wakadinali, one of the dominating rap bands in Nairobi. It contains the excellent drill track “Romantic Rivals”, one of the best to come out on the scene this year. Ten years ago, both Femi One and Wangechi appeared on the iconic remix of Rabbit Kaka Sungura’s Ligisoo. Now, they join forces again on “Lip Service”, a groovy title and instant classic.
Black K feat Didi B & 3xdavs – “Chérie Coco”
Didi B is, without contest, the king of Ivorian rap and one of the most prominent faces of rap in Africa. Signed on the African division of the French rapper Booba’s label 92i, he released History (Mojotrône II), one of our favorite albums of 2022. He then went so far as to give us even more hits, not included on the project (“En Haut”, “On a pris balle”) produced by genius beatmaker Tam Sir. Didi B also appears on another hit, “Chérie Coco”, a pure Ivorian rap track by Black K, member of his former band Kiff No Beat. What makes Didi B and Black K stand out is also their effort to shed light on new talents. “Chérie Coco” does just that, showcasing the talent of 3xdavs, revealed this year with “C’est God” and “Toulebeli” featuring Fior 2 Bior, and “Dora” featuring Himra.
Lauraa Bazooka feat Ghettovi – “Satan 2”
In Lomé, rapper Lauraa signed under Kalash’s label managed to make herself the boss of Togolese rap with an impressive series of singles (“Mablo”, “Egbavado”). The 25-year-old from Akodésséwa started as a choreographer and dancer for famous duo Toofan. Her low voice and aggressive flow are reminiscent of Jamaican dancehall acts like Spice, one of her inspirations. Ghettovi, a 33-year-old independent artist from Atakpamé, is one of the hottest rappers in the country. He’s heavily influenced by drill, hardcore style (“Alolekeo”) and includes many references such as voodoo (“Chapeau Noir”) or the president (“Gnassingbé”). In July 2022, the two rap figures linked on “Ghetto Love”, and the chemistry was top-notch on this drill ballad celebrating a love story in the poor neighborhoods of Lomé. After the success of this first collaboration (2 million views on YouTube), the two artists reunited in November for “Satan 2”, an explosive track, confirming their superior status on the Togolese rap scene.
Jay Bahd feat Le Juiice – “MOBB”
At only 22, Jay Bahd is with Yaw Tog one of the prominent faces of asaaka, the drill scene in the city of Kumasi. After his breakthrough and explosion in 2020 and 2021 with the titles “Condemn” and “Y3 Y3 Dom”, 2022 was the year of exploration for the young Ghanaian. He ventured on new territories (“Anadwo”), multiplied international collaborations (“Mad” with Nigerian Gee Baller, “Courts” with British ATO), while releasing efficient asaaka tracks (“Masherita”, “Trophies”) with Akata, his rapper friend from Kumasi. But his most surprising collaboration is the title “MOBB” featuring Le Juiice. Young CEO and independent artist, the French rapper is stepping up with her 2022 album Iconique and the banger “Floko” featuring Davinhor. Another fun fact, she’s collabed with many Ivorian rappers (Himra, Lesky, Widgunz). We didn’t expect Le Juiice and Jay Bahd on a song together, but listening to it, it’s almost obvious. Their universe, their voices, their flows just complete each other, and we want more. The video for “MOBB” was shot in the streets of Paris.
