BNXN, Fave, Blaqbonez, Angelique Kidjo & Others on New Music Friday

Friday the 4th of July is the first New Music Friday in the second half of the year, and it wastes no time as it kicks off with a release day that feels more like a statement than a routine drop. No gentle easing in, no warning shots. Just a headfirst dive into the deep end of genre, emotion, and ambition. From BNXN’s cinematic worldview to Fave’s emotional recalibration, today’s lineup are guaranteed to juice up your playlist, or perhaps rearrange them.

BNXN — CAPTAIN (ALBUM)

Following multiple lead singles and official music videos, Bnxn’s long-awaited sophomore studio album ‘CAPTAIN’ has now been released on streaming platforms. ‘CAPTAIN’ is an expansive 16-track body of work that feels like it was plotted on a weathered map, with each song marking a port he’s conquered or a current he’s survived. The album comes two years after the release of his debut LP, ‘Sincerely, Benson’, which, like earlier brief works, introduced listeners to Bnxn’s capabilities as an artist. Although ‘CAPTAIN’ is far from an experimental project in terms of sound for some, it may sound monotonous; it is, however, the perfect project for lovers of Bnxn’s uncomplicated melodies and flow. Production is helmed by a list of talented producers, including Kel‑P, Gemini Major, Vampire Craze, and more, who simply worked with Bnxn’s template. On ‘CAPTAIN’, Bnxn shines not only with his melodies and richly crafted production but also with his songwriting brilliance. The album opens with a slightly upbeat intro titled “I Alone”, which chronicles Bnxn’s mental state, which he largely talks about on the project, with the melodies and groovy production interfering with the emotional weight of some of the tracks.

Tracks like “In Jesus Name” strip everything bare, revealing a man equal parts haunted and hopeful. And the Soweto Gospel Choir doesn’t just lend vocals; they grant ‘CAPTAIN’ its spiritual centre.

What’s most impressive is how BNXN shape-shifts without sounding scattered. With ‘CAPTAIN’, Bnxn weaves a tapestry of Afro-Fusion, Afrobeats, R&B, and pop, proving his ability to transcend genres with effortless flair.

Blaqbonez — Go Crazy

Following a rap beef with his contemporary Odumodublvck, Blaqbonez doubles down on the shots he’s fired at him on AQ’s “Who’s Really Rapping”. On this week’s New Music Friday, Blaqbonez returns with a new, heated single ahead of his 16-track studio album “No Excuses”, which arrives on Friday, August 22. With “Go Crazy”, Blaqbonez fires off at rivals with his lyrical prowess and lethal songwriting. The beat, courtesy of Blaise Beatz, sounds like ambition on steroids—drums that stomp, synths that twist, and arrangements that leave no room for hesitation.

Blaqbonez is in full provocation mode with his ego-laced verses, clearly resulting from his rap feud and a claim for the Nigerian hip hop throne. “Go Crazy” pushes back at perception, at industry expectations, at anyone who ever mistook his confidence for cosplay. It’s a sonic hissy fit in the best way. Blaqbonez’s “Go Crazy” is loud, clever, and impossible to ignore.

While his recent string of releases has hinted at a more refined Blaq, this one feels like the final warning: “No Excuses” is coming, and Blaqbonez is pulling no punches.

Fave — Intentions

Fave remains one of the few new voices who can take emotional chaos and make it sound this graceful. In collaboration with ColorsxStudios, Fave delivers “Intentions” with polished vulnerability. The production is feather-light — bare guitars, warm percussion, delicate strings and writing that cuts deep.

On “Intentions”, Fave questions, pleads, and resists, all within the same breath. Her voice is equal parts confession and caution, floating above the beat without ever losing footing. She peels back heavy emotions in an oddly satisfying way that compels a listener to listen on replay. “Intentions” is the kind of track that grows teeth the more you sit with it. Jonah Little and OTIS’s production fuses gentle guitar with an infectious instrumental, infusing the track with a distinctive flair. The track follows the success of her 2024 EP, Dutty Love.

Zlatan — Happy Day

Zlatan has always known how to make the streets dance, but “Happy Day” proves he also knows how to uplift without losing his bounce. This one’s a mood reset—an Amapiano-tinged sermon disguised as a turn-up.

Chechdaproducer’s work is surgical here. The log drums pop like champagne corks; percussion glides with such ease it almost feels like the beat is dancing too. Zlatan’s delivery? All swagger and soul. On “Happy Day”, Zlatan is not celebrating because he’s arrived; he’s celebrating because he survived.

Between the Yoruba one-liners and melodic chants, “Happy Day” plays like Lagos heat bottled into a three-minute joy capsule. It’s the kind of record you put on when you’ve got nothing left to prove, just a reason to be grateful.

Angelique Kidjo, Fally Ipupa, Libianca, Black Sherif and More on New Music Friday

Angélique Kidjo – Nadi Balance

Only Angélique Kidjo could pull off a song that threads Benin, Congo, Nigeria, and the UK into one tight groove. “Nadi Balance” is more than a collaboration and cultural summit that brings together the sonic dialects of heavyweights like Fally Ipupa, The Cavemen, and Sheila Maurice-Grey. The result is highlife like you’ve never heard it: global, spiritual, and impossibly alive. Kidjo is in full celebration mode here. The production bubbles with rhythm, and her vocals—ever agile—move like a dancer through languages and genres. The Cavemen’s guitar licks glide. Ipupa’s Lingala croons sweeten the mix. Maurice-Grey’s trumpet adds cinematic brass that takes the song from jam to journey. “Nadi Balance” is like a love letter to balance between cultures, genres, past and future. The single comes shortly after news of the legendary singer Angelique Kidjo becoming the first African to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Samthing Soweto – Ama Get Down

South African icon Samthing Soweto delivers on his gift for storytelling in “Ama Get Down”, a track that pairs deep longing with rhythmic levity. There’s romance in the structure—Afropop edges softened by soul, amplified by rapper Blxckie’s textured feature.

Christer Kobedi’s production builds subtly, giving Samthing room to stretch. His delivery is part croon, part confession, channelling that late-night, half-smiling heartbreak. Blxckie, meanwhile, brings urgency with verses that remind listeners that love and thrill aren’t always linear.

Samthing Soweto’s “Ama Get Down” arrives on the studio album ‘Touch is a Move (Good Morning)’, and if this is the opening note, then we’re in for something personal, maybe even painful—but undoubtedly resonant.