Wizkid and Asake have effectively frozen the African music ecosystem. On January 23, 2026, the Afrobeats heavyweights released their long-awaited joint EP, REAL, Vol. 1—a four-track body of work that feels less like a collaboration and more like a moment. Within hours, charts buckled, timelines erupted, and a new power alliance was officially sealed. Luxury Sound, Lagos Spirit Primarily produced by Magicsticks, with support from Lolu and 4Tunes, the EP leans into a sleek, elevated Amapiano sound. Thumping log drums collide with lush strings and bold brass, creating a polished, high-life atmosphere that stretches far beyond standard club records. “Turbulence” opens the project as its anchor, unpacking fame, pressure, and the chaos of life at the top. The accompanying visual places both artists inside a colorful, maze-like celebration—controlled excess, perfectly staged. “Jogodo,” the lead single released a week earlier, made history with 1.388 million Spotify Nigeria streams in a single day, setting a new national record for collaborative releases. “Iskolodo” is a melodic flex, blending Wizkid’s effortless glide with Asake’s raw, choral-textured vocals over a Calypso-leaning groove. “Alaye” closes things out in full motion—an Afro-house-adjacent banger engineered for packed dance floors and late nights. With REAL, Vol. 1, Wizkid and Asake don’t experiment—they execute. The EP stands as proof that when two era-defining forces align, the culture has no choice but to pause and pay attention.
Critical Reception: Vibes Over Depth? While the project has been a commercial juggernaut, critics have been divided on its artistic ambition. Some reviews suggest the duo "delivered vibes, not depth," noting that the project prioritizes atmosphere and "intentional simplicity" over complex lyricism or creative risk-taking. According to The NATIVE, the EP feels like a "satisfying cross-generational dialogue" that celebrates their shared origins in Surulere and Lagos Island, even if it occasionally plays it safe. Chart Dominance and Global Reach The commercial impact of REAL, Vol. 1 was immediate and global: Spotify Records: The EP recorded 7.04 million streams globally on its opening day, with 4.51 million of those coming from Nigeria alone. UK Milestone: It became the first Afrobeats EP to peak at #1 on the UK Apple Albums Chart. Multi-National Success: Within 11 hours, the project hit #1 on Apple Music in 11 different countries, including Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. This release follows a historic year for both artists, with Wizkid recently becoming the first African artist to surpass 10 billion total streams on Spotify. As fans digest the four tracks, the "Vol. 1" tag has already sparked intense speculation regarding a follow-up project.
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