Modern Nigerian afrobeats pioneer Kizz Daniel fuses the sounds of his home genre with grime on “We Must,” the second half of a two-track bundle released on September 26. Originally wanting to get a UK rapper to assist him on the song but failing to get one in time, he stepped into the genre himself, supplying his own English-language verse in the midst of lyrics laid down in Yoruba. 

“We Must” is a determined call-to-action that documents Daniel’s journey to establish himself past his continent, bridging the musical gap between the sounds of North Africa and the UK. With a trembling, dynamic groove complimented with crisp and snappy beats, Daniel takes these hallmarks that define the afrobeat culture and refreshes the sound with synth taps and solid yet witty bars marking the differences of each rap culture mentioned. He talks of Wu-Tang and “mandem with balaclavas,” but wants the “whole world to see” this blend come into play through his own music.

“I go retouch in my home base,” Daniel raps — a self-testament towards the work he is doing to pioneer a genre-bending sound. “We Must” has an easy and effervescent flow that transcends continents with a passion and pride towards his work. 

Listen to "We Must" by Kizz Daniel below: