2024 was an interesting year for Afrobeats and African music. Musically, we were all over the place. We failed to leverage the global attention and have another global moment, and we struggled to have hit singles back home. Of the top 20 songs of 2024 on Apple Music Nigeria, 15 were released in 2023. Our fans opted for nostalgia because our inventions weren’t cutting it.
We had a year full of good albums and great guest verses though. What we lacked in global success, we made up for with good albums. What we were missing on hit singles, we had it on guest verses. Here’s a list of the best guest verses of 2024, based on the quality and impact of those verses and their resulting commercial success.
Asake on Victony’s Stubborn.
Asake was on a spectacular feature run in 2024. In fact, he found his way to almost every mainstream album this year, from Ayra to Tems, and Wizkid to Victony. He was up and about, dropping amazing verses everywhere he went.
His moment on Victony’s Stubborn elevated the record and took it to the streets, making it resonate faster with the average Nigerian. The song immediately became a smash hit, and was followed up with an amazing music video. Asake’s pen game, delivery and relatability on the song makes it one of the best guest verses of 2024.
Rema on Bnxn’s Fi Kan We Kan
Rema and Bnxn was something most people didn’t see as possible sonically, but both artists always had huge respect for the other person’s craft. When the single was announced and then released, it became a smash hit. Rema’s entry into the song gets the crowd screaming every time it comes on and his melodies are in perfect sync with Bnxn’s vocals. It was difficult to imagine Rema would top what he did on Darkoo’s favorite girl, but he certainly took things a notch high on this record.
Wizkid’s verse on Asake’s MMS
When the track list of the Lungu Boy album was released to the public, fans were specially eager to hear what Asake and Wizkid would sound like. Many expected what they eventually did on Bad Girl, but MMS got people really singing. Wizkid’s verse elevates the single, and him using the opportunity to address his loss was poetic. It went on to become the most successful record off the album.
Fireboy Dml on Ayo Maff’s Dealer.
Fireboy’s presence on this song basically built the career of the biggest street hop act this year. He introduced the industry to Ayo Maff, and delivered a spectacular verse while at it. It was initially difficult to see how a lover boy like Fireboy would blend with a street act like Ayo Maff, but he seemed to understand the assignment clearly.
Fave on Llona’s Cold War
Llona’s homeless album was a special moment for Afrobeats this year, and Fave’s verse was one of its highlights. Here, we saw two next-generation acts complement each other, like fire and ice. Her vocals, writing, and delivery were on a different level, and she gave Llona a run for his money.
Special mentions:
Seyi Vibez on Young Jonn’s Big Big Things
Rema on Darkoo’s Favorite Girl Remix
Zlatan on Wizkid’s IDK
Odumodu Blvck on Smurlee’s Juju
Seyi Vibez on Terry Apala’s Apala Disco.
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