The African Songs You Need to Hear This Week
Stream the best African music this week, including new releases from Olamide, Young Stunna, Zinia, King Promise, and more.
King Promise has released his new single “Melody”
Credit: Photo Alt Image Tag:
courtesy of King Promise/Sony Music West Africa.
Every week, OkayAfrica highlights the top African music releases — including the latest Afrobeats and amapiano hits — in our best music column, African Music You Need to Hear This Week.
Read ahead for our round-up of the best new African music tracks and music videos that came across our desks this week.
Listen to the latest episode of Afrobeats Intelligence podcast featuring Afrobeats music video director Jyde Ajala.
Young Stunna - Busisiwe [LP]
It’s hard to fathom that Busisiwe is only Young Stunna’s second album. He’s been so consistent on features, laying waste to everything in his path across rap and amapiano, that it’s natural to assume his solo discography runs deeper. First announced in 2023 and pushed back several times since, the album finally arrives after more than three years of teasing. His genre-agnostic approach means we get hints of 3-Step (“Luzuko,” with Dlala Thukzin and Funky Qla) and soul (“Balinde,” with Blxckie and Sly), and, everywhere else, blistering amapiano built with intention and commitment. “Amanxeba,” “Umlenze” and “Asivuke” are among the standouts. The guest list is stacked: Focalistic, Djy Vino, Kabza De Small, TOSS, Nkulee 501, Sleazy, DJ Maphorisa. It’s a whole range.
Rush-Awa - Rush-Awa [LP]
South African hip-hop has long been dogged by accusations of disunity. What Rush-Awa, the duo of DJ Sliqe and MashBeatz, set out to do is shift that discourse, to suggest a way forward, as it were. Over the past year, the two have cemented their standing in the scene, serving up beats regularly through their mix series, The Mxr. On their self-titled debut, they assemble a cross-section of the country’s finest. Danya Devs and Dolphin_DX open the cypher with “Avuxeni,” and the August single “Ntshepe” features a scene-stealing, conversation-starting Spitori verse from Sjava. Elsewhere, 25K and BABYLOWSK1 bring the heat on “She Say,” Maglera Doe Boy links up with THE NORTHMOB and Wordz on “Kaofela,” and Durban’s Nasty C, Blxckie and Usimamane decimate “Streetz” with the illest bars. It’s 15 tracks of mind-boggling rap, so take your time with it.
Zinia - Devotion & Other Mistakes [EP]
Devotion & Other Mistakes, the debut EP from Eswatini-born Zinia, is her life in progress: a record to mark the moment, to etch the present into something more permanent, something that shifts the frequency. Across six tracks, we reckon with our own limitations (“Storm”), embrace the extremes of loving someone on “Stuck With You,” where she sings, “Thinking out loud, baby you should be here / but it’s all one now, ’cause I don’t want you here,” and negotiate freedom on “Next Mistake.” The songwriting is ethereal, the production outstanding and the voice a constant source of assurance, a guide toward better versions of ourselves.
Thakzin, Mpho.Wav & Atmos Blaq - “Maphorisa” (feat. Tete, Ozana, Kisto, Moonchild Sanelly, Baby S.O.N, Suffocate SA & Citizen Deep)
Following his genre-spanning 2025 debut, Gods Window Pt. 1, innovative producer Thakzin makes his next move with “Maphorisa,” a link-up with Mpho.Wav and Atmos Blaq that pulls in Moonchild Sanelly, Tete, Baby S.O.N and more. It’s an outstanding exhibit of collective effort, almost a rallying cry against the prevailing, AI-assisted trend of artists wanting to claim all the credit. It’s the first single from his forthcoming album, Common Ground, out on Sondela Recordings on November 13.
Yadis - “Mhamha”
Zimbabwe’s Yadis lets her heart bleed on “Mhamha,” a song dedicated to her mother. “Mama, you’re my everything,” she declares, a sentiment as old as time. Her voice soothes the soul, her pen game runs circles around most, and the dancehall tip she’s on makes it all the doper.
King Promise - “Melody”
On “Melody,” King Promise hits a sweet spot, serving good ol’ Afrobeats with R&B sensibilities. He’s student and teacher, offering lines that land and leave an impression. “You body sweet past melody/ e dey tick my fantasy,” he sings, embodying romance and letting the heart lead the way. The production, courtesy of Gideon Frempong, suits the vibe and makes for a delightful listen.
The Joy - “Jessica”
The Joy, the quintet of quintessential soul seekers, has always had a way with words, especially words that express love, longing and heartbreak. On “Jessica,” the group tells the tale of a woman of the world, untethered by societal expectations. Musically, the five venture into amapiano territory while holding on to the essence of their vocal supremacy.
Olamide - “Burukutu”
Olamide is readying his next album, and “Burukutu” plays like an embargoed manifesto, an inside joke only those in the know will get. He’s soulful with it, the result of resisting trends and sticking to his own lane. A constant refrain, “Baddo, we wanna party,” hooks the song onto something cyclical, familiar and memorable. A certified hit; we approve.
