Wizkid is a terrific musician. He has been on the music scene for about a decade. The growth of his career and the spread of his influence are just are remarkable. He has had so many hit songs since his debut hit track years ago.
In anticipation of starboy’s forthcoming album, Made in Lagos, which he has teased so many times, I have put together 10 Wizkid songs worth revisiting as we wait. Listening to these songs will remind us of where this superstar is coming from as well as how far he’s come.
This is Wizkid’s breakout song. Even though we’d heard him sing on collaborations with His then label boss, Banky W and MI Abaga among others, this was the song that made us notice Wizkid and he hasn’t left our collective minds ever since.
Don’t Dull had a refrain every Nigerian agreed with. The title itself is a Lagos mantra. It was one of those tracks of his Superstar album that took on a life of their own. When we hear the song, nostalgia is the first thing we feel.
I love my baby, that’s my baby. Gratifying love song, it was. We danced to it while making romantic promises.
“Jaiye Jaiye” defined the beginning of a new phase in Wizkid’s musical career. His experiment with Femi Kuti’s saxophone and the Afrobeat sound it produced moved his sound to a new direction.
An immensely successful song. For one, it is about the support his Lagos neighborhood availed him and how it pushed him to successful heights. On the other hand, Wizkid’s new sound was clearly defined here and we all loved him for it.
“Pakurumo” is a song about dance. It was classic Wizkid of his early days of his career. His “iye ye ye” signature intro was still very much in use. The comic rendition of the video made it even more lovable.
It is said that this song was a freestyle. The claims are unconfirmed. We are, however, aware that the lyrics were delivered over a mixed beat of Bob Marley’s One Love. Wizkid sang about the meaning of his birth-given name, Ayọ́, and what might have meant to his mother when he was born. It is a delightful song.
“Are you gonna dance if I show you my money?”, Wizkid asks in the song. He gave us a song. We danced to it – money or not.
“Closer” was one of the substantial pointers to his international success as an artist. His collaboration with drake, first on the Canadian-American rapper’s “One Dance” and subsequently on Closer. Starboy was driving closer to his international breakout
alright.
Wizkid’s love songs are often filled with exaggerated promises in the lyrics(aren’t most love songs?). We did not mind at all. We loved the song.
Made in Lagos is expected to drop later this year.