Uncle K: Lemon Chase is a short but striking reminder of Kizz Daniel’s versatility and staying power in Afro-Pop.
By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro
There are two things one can always come to expect from Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe, popularly known as Kizz Daniel; first, that he will always secure his West African home front with a hit record; and second, that his music, in more ways than one, will always expand the sonic landscape of Afro-Pop. These two concepts come together seamlessly on his latest project, Uncle K: Lemon Chase.
Kizz Daniel’s status as a seasoned hitmaker has been undeniable since his 2016 debut project, New Era, which launched him as a rising star within the mainstream genre just as it was being ushered into global domination. By the time his heavily polarising 2023 album, Maverick, was released, he already had the continent in a chokehold, with records that both young and old could recite word for word. His blend of easygoing, digestible, and relatable music was dubbed Afro-Alausa, the music of civil servants.
Although opinions were divided over Maverick’s impact on the music scene, Kizz Daniel has since tinkered and improved his sound once again, releasing the 2024 TZA (Thankz Alot) EP, a project that infused his signature style into more textured and layered compositions, delivering numbers like “Showa”, “Twe Twe”, and “Too Busy to Be Bae”.
On Uncle K: Lemon Chase, Kizz Daniel comes across as an artiste with nothing left to prove, as both his approach and execution exude confidence, the kind that comes from over a decade of making music. Over a runtime of 17 minutes, the “Buga” crooner touches on themes of love, pain, and self-assuredness, all delivered with a sprinkle of the swagger he’s known for.
The project opens with “Black Girl Magic”, and sees the singer delivering a love letter and an affirmation to a muse. He cleverly blends his native Yoruba with Nigerian Pidgin along with playful punchlines to convey his infatuation with her. He expresses his devotion to her with lines like, “Make I be your Joseph, knack you like carpenter/ Make I be your Clyde, make we go ride till we die”. The trio of Reward Beats, Bando, and Blaise Beats delivers a bouncy composition that makes the track an instant earworm.
Kizz Daniel builds on the theme set on “Black Girl Magic” with the next track, “Titi”. This time, he enlists the support of rising star, FOLA. Over staccato drums and stringed elements, he reassures a love interest he has wronged with lines like, “Forget the kele wey I match up/ Ọmọ na just one time thing no go try am again/ I’m not a thinking guy but I swear I don’t want to lose you girl”. FOLA’s lyricism ties seamlessly into the narrative, blending sweet-talking with vulnerability in the face of losing someone special. The sonic treatment feels nostalgic, and perhaps intentionally so, echoing the breezy simplicity of Evi Edna Ogholi’s 1988 nationwide hit, “Happy Birthday”.
What’s a Kizz Daniel project without a reverberating Street-Pop anthem? “Secure” swings in and changes the sonicscape of Uncle K: Lemon Chase. Kizz Daniel is no stranger to this sound and wastes no time in delivering street slang centred on financial security–not just for personal comfort, but for loved ones, too. For the only fitting feature on the track, he taps Street-Hop act, Zlatan.
Their lyricism embodies real-life struggles, aspirations, and perhaps the mindset required to thrive in a flailing economy, where money often defines power and success. “I’m looking forward to a Friday, a must/ If you no get money no collect a table, e cost”, Kizz croons, establishing that financial sufficiency is essential for the lifestyle many desire. He acknowledges that hard work and prayer may play a role in achieving success, singing: “You dey pray dey work/ Very soon a jawo/ Baba God no like liability, ododo.”
Zlatan’s verse reinforces the need to stay sharp, avoid recklessness, and build solid savings, with lines like: “No loseguard, anybody fit turn old taker/ Person wey do money dey suffer.” Ultimately, “Secure” promotes resilience and responsibility in the pursuit of a better future. And who says you can’t dance while doing it?
Uncle K: Lemon Chase reaches its midpoint with “Al-Jannah”, one of the project’s most poignant offerings. Here, Kizz Daniel teams up with Odumodublvck and Bella Shmurda to deliver a deeply emotional tribute to lost loved ones, including the late Nigerian Street-Hop talent, Mohbad. The artistes take turns reflecting on personal grief — fathers, brothers, and friends gone too soon. Bella Shmurda mourns Mohbad directly, expressing the mental toll of his passing. Odumodublvck recalls the loss of his father and younger brother, while Kizz Daniel longs for one last moment with a departed friend. “Al-Jannah” (Paradise) symbolises hope and the possibility of reunion in the afterlife.
Runtown appears on the Blaise Beatz-produced “Peace I Choose”, a mid-tempo, soulful tune exploring love, lust, and emotional boundaries. Over a mellow, sultry beat, Kizz Daniel confesses his devotion to a partner he deems perfect–so perfect, he jokes, “You don dey mess with my diet, ma/ I’ve been eating coochie after 9 o’clock (wow)/ I no dey complain o cos I like it”. But he quickly pivots, hinting at emotional exhaustion: “Everything be perfect now/ But later, later when your craze wan start…”. Runtown mirrors this tension with laid-back flair, torn between indulgence and the need to retreat. In a world where toxic love is often romanticised, “Peace I Choose” offers a moment of clarity and emotional self-preservation.
Another potential club banger emerges in the high-octane “Eyo”, where Kizz Daniel taps into the euphoric energy of breezy Lagos nightlife. With a sonic landscape reminiscent of Asake’s 2024 track “Uhh Yeahh”, the track pulses with celebration, debauchery, and excess. Kizz glides effortlessly over the composition, blending Yoruba idioms and party slang with casual bravado: “This is real / We outside / Like we homeless / We don’t care / We don’t care.”
Perhaps the best was saved for last, as Uncle K: Lemon Chase closes with the scintillating Afro-Fusion bop, “Police”, featuring Beninese luminary, Angélique Kidjo, and fellow Nigerian artiste, Johnny Drille. Kizz opens the track with a series of light-hearted contradiction directed at a love interest: “On a Sunday morning, she wan do something, I wan go church o / On a Monday morning, I wan do something, she wan go work o”. These lines reflect the unpredictable dance of modern relationships, where desire and duty often clash. Drille’s verse complements this narrative with an introspective stance, his frustration palpable: “She want attention/ I wan do yoga.” Meanwhile, Kidjo, whose 1994 song “Agolo” is interpolated in the track, injects her signature essence and cultural depth. With its multilingual flair, “Police” captures the intimate moments where love shifts from desire to devotion, and from passion to permanence.
Uncle K: Lemon Chase is a short but striking reminder of Kizz Daniel’s versatility and staying power in Afro-Pop. It is not a reinvention, but rather an iteration of his artistry–confident and deeply rooted in both street and soul. Like the tangy, refreshing burst of a citrus cocktail, Lemon Chase serves up melodies and themes that quench the thirst of a generation navigating faith, heart, and hustle.
Whether he’s mourning lost ones on “Al-Jannah”, celebrating nightlife on “Eyo”, or navigating the chaos of modern love on “Peace I Choose” and “Titi”, he delivers with the composure of a veteran who no longer has to prove anything, yet still does, effortlessly. If this EP is any indication, Kizz Daniel isn’t coasting on past glory — he’s still carving the path forward.
Lyricism – 1.4
Tracklisting – 1.5
Sound Engineering – 1.5
Vocalisation – 1.4
Listening Experience – 1.4
Rating – 7.2/10
Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro is a content writer and journo with an insatiable knack for music and pop culture, with bylines on Afrocritik, PM News Nigeria, Tribune, ThisDay Live, Vanguard, and The Guardian. When he’s not writing, you will find him arguing why Arsenal FC is the best football club in the multiverse. Connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads: @BughiLorde.