Patoranking Celebrates His Lagos Roots with Street Anthem “No Jonze”

Award-winning Nigerian musician Patoranking has opened a new chapter in his career with the release of “No Jonze,” a street-rooted and festival-ready anthem that marks the beginning of his forthcoming fifth studio album. Built on the pulse of late-‘90s and early-2000s Galala music – the dance-driven sound born in Lagos’ Ajegunle neighborhood, itself inspired by the renowned Sleng Teng riddim of the ‘80s – the track fuses nostalgic rhythms with Patoranking’s modern Afro-dancehall edge.

Lyrically, the fire master doesn’t hold back, transforming Lagos street slang into his own shopping center by seizing moments with sharp twists that can catch you off guard. It’s a celebration of hustle and an affirmation of focus that grounds Patoranking in the locale that shaped him. “For me, they taught me to be true to myself,” he says, reflecting on the musical ancestors he name-checks in the song in an interview with OkayAfrica. “Those legends made music with [a] message – real music for the people – and that is what I stand for. They showed me that no matter how big you get, you must never lose your roots.”

The accompanying music video, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Director K (known for collaborations with Wizkid, Davido, and Rema), returns to Ajegunle, the so-called “Kingston of Nigeria.” Set amid bustling streets and vivid murals, the visuals feature Galala legends Marvelous Benjy and Allen B, and pay homage to pioneers such as Daddy Showkey, Oritse Femi, Baba Fryo, and African China.

“Let me tell you something crazy about this video,” Patoranking tells OkayAfrica. “The moment we decided to take it back to Ajegunle and shoot there, it started raining heavily in Lagos, and it wasn’t even the rainy season! We had to move the release date just to make sure we shot there because Ajegunle is the heart of Galala. I wanted the video to have that 1990s feel — the era I was born into. The Galala vibe, the dance, even down to the styling and how it was shot. We painted murals of some of the legends I look up to, including Daddy Showkey and African China, and we had some of them there in person, too, like Marvelous Benjy and Allen B. We danced, we laughed, and we sang. It was the wickedest thing!”

As for the record itself, Patoranking’s connection to the sound runs deep. “That beat was played by mistake,” he recalls. “It came from a beat pack the producer was going through in the studio. I loved it instantly because it’s natural for me. I recorded the song in less than 30 minutes. The headspace I’m in right now is to share the music I grew up on, music that makes you feel, but with a modern touch. From the arrangement down to the mixing, everything was intentional. There’s a way I wanted it to sound.”

The forthcoming album promises to reconnect his reggae and dancehall foundation with the ever-expanding world of Afrobeats, reaffirming his belief that the genre’s story is far from complete.

Born in Lagos’ Ebute-Metta and raised by its rhythms, Patoranking has spent over a decade shaping Afro-dancehall’s global identity, with hits like “My Woman, My Everything” and “Babylon,” and collaborations alongside Major Lazer, Popcaan, and Bryson Tiller. Beyond the charts, his Patoranking Foundation has impacted young Africans through scholarships and community projects, solidifying his place as not just a hitmaker but a cultural ambassador.