Davido and Omah Lay’s smash hit single ‘With You’ led to Nigerians frequently using Google to search for the lyrics, eager to sing along to what is effectively the Song of the Year.

Released in April 2025 as part of Davido’s fifth album, ‘5ive,’ the song quickly became a fan favourite due to its stimulating melodies and catchy lyrics, especially Omah Lay’s verse, which has everyone straining to understand him.

This curiosity to learn the lyrics to the song that dominated the charts and speakers propelled it to the top of the Google search list. Not even Davido, Omah Lay, or ace producer Tempoe could have predicted the massive impact of their collaboration. Buried at the bottom of Davido’s fifth album, ‘5ive,’ the song almost didn’t cut, yet it turned out to be by far the biggest song on the album and the leading contender for Song of the Year.

How did this happen?

‘With You’ simply enjoyed the combination of factors that consistently help rocket songs to era-defining success.

A song is not automatically a hit just because it is good or meets the requirements of memorable lyrics and a catchy melody to score as an Afrobeats song. Consumers must willingly gravitate towards the song en masse and propel it to super-smash status.

This is the story of ‘With You.’ The classic easy-to-digest Afrobeats lyrics and sticky Highlife-inspired melodies, which borrow from the iconic Bright Chimezie classic ‘Because of English,’ combined to create an anthem that the people embraced.

Listeners handpicked the song as the single of choice, even though it was buried at the bottom of the album. The organic support and massive user-generated content created consumer-led marketing that propelled the song to smash-hit status.

Flavour’s latest album, ‘AfroCulture’, is a testament to his contribution to African music, which spans 20 years of hit songs, collaborations, and impact.
Two decades into a career that redefined indigenous Igbo and African sounds, Afrobeats innovator Flavour unveils his eighth studio album, ‘AfroCulture,’ marking a bold new chapter in his musical journey.

The thirteen-track project arrives on the fifteenth anniversary of his breakthrough album, ‘Uplifted,’ and follows his recent recognition at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

With ‘AfroCulture,’ Flavour delivers one of his most intentional and expansive bodies of work yet. The album effortlessly weaves highlife, soukous, Afrobeats, Amapiano, gospel, and Afro-soul into a cohesive sonic journey, serving as both a celebration of heritage and a forward-facing statement on the evolution of African sound.

The project features a powerful line-up of collaborators, including Pheelz, Kizz Daniel, Qing Madi, Azzy, Odumeje, Baba Maal, and long-time creative partner Waga G, each adding a distinct texture to an album rooted in unity, culture, and innovation.

The album unfolds with clear intention on the title track, ‘Afro Culture,’ featuring Baaba Maal, where ancestral chants set a tone deeply rooted in heritage and identity.

The lead visual for this track offers a cinematic introduction and has already tallied more than seven million views. That sense of purpose continues into ‘Bam Bam,’ featuring Pheelz, a warm, melodic love record highlighted by the seamless blend of Igbo and Yoruba languages.

Built just as much for reflection as it is for celebration, ‘AfroCulture’ brings high energy to the dance floor through highlife-driven standouts like ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ and ‘BMO (Big Moves Only).’

Three years after its release, Asake’s Mr Money With the Vibe is still doing numbers. At the time of press, the track ‘Nzaza’ currently ranks 23rd on Spotify Nigeria’s Top 50 songs, that’s 148 weeks and counting, nearly three years of nonstop streaming for a debut project.

For most artists, a first album fades after its moment. For Asake, it’s really that moment that refuses to fade.

Released September 8, 2022, through YBNL Nation and Empire, Mr Money With the Vibe arrived when the streets already knew Asake’s name. He had already spent months turning singles like Sungba into hits. This 12-track debut built on that momentum, and he managed to do even more.

The project blends Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Fuji influences, creating a sound that can be global yet deeply Nigerian. Songs like Joha, Terminator, and Organise became instant hits, setting the tone for Asake’s larger-than-life run that would define Afrobeats in the mid-2020s.

From its first day out, Mr Money With the Vibe shattered expectations and redefined what a Nigerian debut could do.

Apple Music Africa: The album broke records for the most first-day and most opening three-day streams ever by an African project.Apple Music Nigeria Top 100: For a brief, almost unbelievable stretch, every single track on the album occupied the first 12 spots on the chart. Global Reach: The project reached #1 on Apple Music Album Charts in 26 countries, including six across Europe.

Albums fade, trends change, and new stars rise every quarter. Yet Mr Money With the Vibe remains glued to the top. That consistency says something about both Asake and his audience. For one, the project captured a moment in time, the rise of a new street-pop generation that blurred the lines between amapiano and Yoruba-rooted rhythm. Every track carried Asake’s trademark vocals and a hypnotic tempo that became instantly recognizable across countries.