Now, as newer acts are pushing the boundaries of Street Pop and exploring experimental terrains, we turn the spotlight on the top 10 artistes currently expanding the soundscape of the genre.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
My earliest memory of Street Pop is “Danfo Driver” by the unconventional duo, Mad Melon and Mountain Black, also known as Danfo Driver. The catchy chorus, “Shebi you be danfo driver, suo! I am a danfo driver, suo!” resonates deeply with many Nigerians familiar with the city’s yellow, bustling transportation system called “Danfo”.
Through their music, they sang of the streets as griots of their environment and captured the everyday theatre of the inner city in a language that felt raw. But they weren’t the only ones championing this sound. Daddy Showkey, Baba Fryo, African China, Daddy Fresh, and Original Stereoman were part of that era’s sonic movement, morphing imported Dancehall and Reggae cadences into a homegrown street sound called Galala and Konto.
By the mid-to-late 2000s, a new wave of Indigenous rappers—armed with mother-tongue inflections, unvarnished street diction, and the urgency of lived experience—began to ripple through the soundscape.
Unlike its purist Hip-Hop flow, this new sound rejected the rigidity of structured compositions, pulling freely from Fuji, Highlife, Afrobeat, and even Gospel to create Street-Hop—a raw, genre-blurring form that laid the sonic groundwork for what would eventually evolve into contemporary Street Pop.
Dagrin, Lord of Ajasa, Nigga Raw (formerly Dat N.I.G.G.A. Raw), and their peers were at the forefront of this indigenous rap wave, translating street life into rhyme and using Yoruba, Igbo, and Pidgin to provide a full-blooded perspective of life in their cities. The dreams, losses, and coded language of survival became the soundtrack to the everyday hustle, offering hope to listeners that they, too, could rise out of the hood.
Still, the sound remained somewhat underground until Olamide emerged in the early 2010s, showing that Street Pop could thrive commercially without losing its authenticity. He hybridised rap and melody so seamlessly and crystallised Street Pop as a sub-genre. From his rap-heavy “Eni Duro” in 2010 to slang-filled, high-octane “Wo” in 2018, Olamide fused Yoruba lyricism with street-driven beats, making the genre universal in its appeal.
His influence opened the door for a new wave of acts like Lil-Kesh, Zlatan, Naira Marley, Bella Shmurda, Mohbad, Seyi Vibez, and Zinoleesky, who have stretched the genre’s emotional and sonic palette, making it the throbbing backbone of Nigerian Pop and an undeniable pulse of our broader culture.
Tracks like “Shoki” by Lil-Kesh released in 2014, “Zanku (Legwork)” by Zlatan in 2018, “Soapy” by Naira Marley released in 2019, and “Cash App” by Bella Shmurda in 2020, are just a few of the tracks that have helped cement Street Pop’s place in mainstream consciousness.
Now, as newer acts like Ayo Maff, TML Vibez, and Zerry DL, are pushing the boundaries of Street Pop and exploring experimental terrains, we turn the spotlight on the top 10 artistes currently expanding the soundscape of the genre.
Asake
Since Asake burst into mainstream consciousness in 2022, it’s been impossible to ignore the seismic shift he brought with him. The remix of “Omo Ope” with Olamide signaled the arrival of an artiste poised to rewire the DNA of Afro-Pop.
In the months following his signing to YBNL—and even after his exit—Asake redefined the soundscape with a heady blend of street-wrought poetry, hypnotic chants, and an alchemical fusion of amapiano’s log drums, Fuji’s cadence, and hip-hop swagger.
Central to this transformation is Magicsticks, the producer who laid the sonic framework for Asake’s vision. Across three solid projects, especially his third album Lungu, Asake has proven himself a visionary, consistently expanding the boundaries of what Street Pop can be.
Shallipopi
Shallipopi stepped into the mainstream with the breezy, hypnotic vibe of “Elon Musk” in early 2023, a track that crowned him the self-styled Pluto President. By then, his distinct blend of Street Pop, infused with Benin lingo and quirky charisma, had begun attracting a loyal following, drawn to his refreshing spin on the genre.
He has since scored multiple hits built on that template, and released two albums, President La Pluto and Shakespopi, in 2023 and 2024, respectively. His swift ascent to the top of the music food chain mirrors Street Pop’s ongoing evolution: increasingly experimental, yet still grounded in its gritty, streetwise roots. His latest release, “Laho”, fuses Lo-Fi textures with club-ready energy, and is already shaping up to be one of the biggest songs of the year.
Seyi Vibez
Seyi Vibez has carved a niche for himself as one of the most versatile and inventive figures in Street Pop, threading the traditional textures of Fuji and Apala into a sound unmistakably his own.
Long before his mainstream rise, tracks like “God Sent” and “Better Days” revealed his ability to document the grit of street life with raw emotion, all while delivering melodies that reached far beyond the trenches. It’s the kind of sound often tagged as “Afro-Adura”.
Since then, Seyi Vibez has continued to elevate the genre, cultivating a fiercely loyal fanbase drawn to his authenticity and spiritual undertones. His latest project, Children of Africa EP, already climbing the charts, is a proof to his growth and a hint at what’s still to come from an artist who’s redefining Street Pop through music and fashion style.
Balloranking
Since Balloranking stepped onto the scene in 2020 with “Time No Dey” with Seyi Vibez, he has quietly carved out a space for himself within the fabric of Street Pop. With a style rooted in the rhythms of Konto and Galala, he has emerged as one of the genre’s most authentic torchbearers, ensuring that the legacy of those sounds continues to thrive in this new era.
His spiritual inclinations, paired with his aspirational lyricism, offer a window into a world shaped by hustle, faith, and resilience. That street representation pulses through projects like Trench Kid EP, released in 2022, and his debut album, Ghetto Gospel, released in 2023.
While he may not enjoy the same mainstream spotlight as some of his peers, Balloranking’s art continues to resonate deeply with the streets, and for his devoted fanbase, that unfiltered authenticity remains his most powerful asset.
Ayo Maff
It’s no coincidence that Ayo Maff hails from Bariga, the same vibrant streets that birthed Olamide, the undisputed king of Street Pop.
Born Mafoluku Ayorinde, Ayo Maff is part of a new generation of Street Pop artistes who channel their personal struggles and experiences into music, all wrapped in deep Yoruba lines that speak directly to the soul of the streets. His breakout came with “Dealer”, a 2024 single featuring Fireboy DML, and since then, he’s been steadily tightening his grip on the genre, capturing its pulse with each new release.
It’s no surprise, then, that he’s named his upcoming album Prince of The Street, set for release on May 5th, a title that speaks to his rising dominance and the weight of the legacy he’s already beginning to build. In a scene crowded with rising voices, Ayo Maff’s authenticity and unwavering devotion to his roots mark him out as one of Street Pop’s most compelling storytellers.
Smur Lee
The line “If no be Juju, I no do. Mama sent a photo” is one of the standout lyrics from “Juju” by Smur Lee featuring Odumodublvck, a track that captured hearts after going viral on TikTok in 2024, eventually making its way to dancefloors across the country.
Smur Lee, a fresh female artiste from Port Harcourt, brings a unique blend of speaking and singing delivery with melodic flows in a style reminiscent of the quirky, offbeat cadence popularised by Shallipopi.
Her debut project, Jujupiano La Presido, a four-track, party-ready EP, puts her versatility on full display, fusing street slang, catchy one-liners, and pulsing beats into a vibrant new expression of the genre. It’s a breakout moment that positions her as one of Street Pop’s most exciting new voices.
TML Vibez
TML Vibez is one of the emerging leaders in the next wave of Street Pop, advancing the genre through a vibrant fusion of sounds that speak to both the streets and the mainstream. His big break came in 2024 when Seyi Vibez, recognising his potential, signed him to Vibez Inc, marking the beginning of a promising rise.
Since then, TML Vibez has solidified his place in the music scene with standout tracks like “Wells Fargo” and the Lasmid-assisted “Maria”, among others.
His style is bold and his musicality reflects a deep understanding of “Afro-Adura”, a subgenre born from Street Pop.
Rybeena
What sets Street Pop apart is its unfiltered, relatable storytelling, capturing the essence of ordinary life and resonating deeply with listeners. When Rybeena dropped “ID. Me” in 2023, it sparked conversations about a new voice in the genre, one with a unique vocal tone and lyrics that speak directly to the street.
The track quickly gained momentum, especially after Olamide gave his co-sign, cementing Rybeena’s place in the scene. That recognition paved the way for their follow-up collaboration on “Wise 2.0” in 2024, further cementing his rise.
His 2025 record, “New Taker”, off the Virtuoso EP, has since emerged as one of the year’s standout Street Pop records and a solid proof that Rybeena’s ascent is only just beginning.
Zerry DL
Zerry DL is one of the freshest faces in Street Pop, bringing a bold and experimental approach that blends the rich sounds of Benin lingo with Amapiano-tinged beats.
His entry into the scene was amplified in 2023 when he collaborated with his brother Shallipopi on the log-drum driven hit “Puff & Pass”, a track that further cemented their musical synergy.
Since then, Zerry DL has been steadily carving out his own path, releasing the Danger EP in 2023 and following up with Wara Wara Szn in 2024. Each project reveals his knack for breathing new life into Street Pop, expanding its boundaries with a sound that’s both infectious and distinct.
Shoday
Shoday is part of the new school of Street Pop acts who understand how to fuse emotion with danceable rhythms. His 2024 collaboration with Ayo Maff, “Casablanca”, showed his knack for making music that is as emotional as it is replay-worthy.
In February, he teamed up with Olivetheboy on “Screaming Beauty”, a track that has since picked up viral momentum on TikTok. His most recent collaboration with Pocolee and Rahman Jago on the high-energy anthem “Hey Jago” has become one of the biggest Nigerian Pop songs of the first quarter, dominating airwaves and playlists alike.
With every release, Shoday continues to leave his vocal imprint on the evolving sound of Street Pop.
Abioye Damilare is a music journalist and culture writer focused on the African entertainment Industry. Reading new publications and listening to music are two of his favourite pastimes when he is not writing. Connect with him on Twitter and IG: @Dreyschronicle