The Songs You Need to Hear This Week
The best tracks of the week featuring Baloji x Saul Williams, Stromae, Wizkid, Mr Eazi, and more.
At the end of every week, we highlight the creme of the crop in music and round up the best tracks and music videos that came across our desks throughout the last few days.
<p><em>Follow our <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/songs-you-need-to-hear-this/idpl.96a0f6d531a54cbb959cbc4442d310d0" target="_blank">"Songs You Need to Hear This Week"</a> playlist on <strong><a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/featured/introducing-okayafrica-apple-music/" target="_blank">Apple Music</a> </strong>to get immediate updates every Friday and read about some of the selections ahead.</em></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Lots of new Wizkid dropped</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="13d127c373abf2b93569182c73af69f9"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vqW18C4plZ8?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>If you missed it, <strong>Wizkid</strong> dropped the music video for his new single "Come Closer," featuring <strong>Drake</strong>.</p><p>"We wanted something clean and sleek that showed little nuances of African culture without being too in your face about it. Something simple and stripped down,” video director <strong>Daps</strong> tells us—<a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/in-brief/wizkid-drake-come-closer-music-video/" target="_blank">we're not sure why Drake isn't in it though</a>.</p><p><div class="preroll-video"></div><ora-player></ora-player></p><p>In other Starboy news, Wizzy also hopped on two new remixes this week: the first is of <strong>Yxng Bane</strong> and <strong>Kojo Funds</strong>' "Fine Wine," the second is a revisit of South African artist <strong>KLY</strong>'s "Scrrr Pull Up."</p><p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/316105259&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/316112060&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Stromae x Repetto</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2bf1d137088f5f3a10a0f9017441b6ac"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7kErEoI_3dk?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>Belgian-Rwandan pop force <strong>Stromae </strong><a href="http://footwearnews.com/2017/fashion/collaborations/repetto-collaborates-stromae-mosaert-label-325958/" target="_blank">announced a collaboration</a> between his fashion brand <strong>Mosaert</strong> and French footwear company <strong>Repetto</strong>. He also dropped a new instrumental single, aptly titled "Repetto x Mosaert" to promote the new line.</p><p>We'll take what we can get from Stromae until he officially goes off his "music hiatus."</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Baloji remix feat. Saul Williams, Well$ & Alec Lomami</h2><p><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/315256008&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><strong>Baloji</strong>'s "Unité & Litre" is a sharp critique of the power and influence that cellphone companies (Unit = a mobile top-up) and alcohol industries (Litres) have on Congolese society.</p><p>The Congolese artist revisits the stand out track from <em>64 Bits & Malachite </em>EP in this new remix featuring non other than <strong>Saul Williams</strong>, as well as <strong>Well$</strong> and <strong>Alec Lomami</strong>.</p><p><div class="dfp_atf-slot" data-not-loaded="true"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Follow our ‘Songs You Need to Hear’ playlist on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/curator/okayafrica/id1173591451" target="_blank">Apple Music</a> for weekly updated of new music.</h2><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="500px" src="//tools.applemusic.com/embed/v1/playlist/pl.96a0f6d531a54cbb959cbc4442d310d0?country=us&at=1001lph9" width="100%"></iframe></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Mr Eazi "Fight" feat. DJ Cuppy</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="eb974f39c3bdf5d6b9233ebabba65aec"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/llDP4MHZOAA?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>Man of the moment <strong>Mr Eazi</strong> and <strong>DJ Cuppy</strong> connect in "Fight," an addictive song about putting in the work for someone's love which can be found on his <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/audio/mr-eazi-life-is-eazi-download-accra-to-lagos/" target="_blank"><em>Accra to Lagos</em> mixtape</a>.</p><p>In the single's new music video, Eazi and Cuppy search for each other in the streets of London to make things right.</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Tuareg blues from Tamikrest</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4f0f435e0393c7bcf725c12191255722"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2p4BFfG2unc?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p><strong>Tamikrest</strong>’s latest album, <em>Kidal</em>, <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/audio/tamikrest-kidal-new-album-tuareg-blues-mali/" target="_blank">is a Tuareg Blues love letter to their northern Malian hometown</a>. Check out the group's video for "Wainan Adobat."</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Iyanya's new EP</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d04880f66946c7398df940a6aef01ea4"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a1Bu3melrbk?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>Iyanya’s <em>Signature</em> EP, his first release since joining <strong>Don Jazzy</strong>’s <strong>Mavin Records</strong>, is a confident step forward. <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/audio/iyanya-signature-ep/" target="_blank">Read our review of the new EP</a> here and watch the clip for "Up 2 Something."</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Montess x Stanley Enow</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7df31d55c4f02459aef308124b8c5be6"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fj8Sub0t_uU?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>Cameroon's <strong>Montess</strong> and <strong>Stanley Enow</strong> join forces for the Caribbean-influenced party track <a href="https://itun.es/us/T586ib?i=1223414553" target="_blank">"DJ Play Ma Song." </a></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Niyola's "The Word"</h2><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e4589ff07af4567e8e379e528e1b160e"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uh0mK1EbWlM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p><p>Finally, a throwback clip. Revisit Nigerian singer <strong>Niyola</strong>'s piano-backed ballad <a href="https://itun.es/us/EvX2hb?i=1205540194" target="_blank">"The Word,"</a> which is newly available on iTunes along with <a href="https://itun.es/us/ks-2hb?i=1205593410" target="_blank">"Crazy,"</a> <a href="https://itun.es/us/V0_2hb" target="_blank">"Na You,"</a> and <a href="https://itun.es/us/oV22hb" target="_blank">"My Prayer."</a></p>
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