Keypoints:
- Sixth album blends fuji traditions with R&B
- Pays tribute to Lagos and Yoruba culture
- Singer launches sickle cell support foundation
NIGERIAN star Adekunle Gold has released his sixth album Fuji, a body of work he describes as a tribute to the ancestral rhythms of Lagos that gave rise to Afrobeats.
‘That sound is the soundtrack of Lagos. It’s everywhere. That sound gave birth to Afrobeats and all the things that we hear right now,’ Gold told AFP in Paris.
Known as AG Baby, the 38-year-old Afrobeats artist is a descendant of the Kosoko royal family and draws inspiration from Yoruba traditions, which he calls ‘one of the oldest sounds of Nigeria’.
Fuji music and Yoruba legacy
Fuji music, born from Yoruba Muslim culture in the 1960s after Nigeria’s independence, is defined by fast-paced percussion and lyrics addressing social and political themes.
Its pioneer, Ayinde Barrister, named the style after Japan’s Mount Fuji, and the genre has since become a hallmark of Nigerian music.
With Fuji, Gold brings these traditional elements into dialogue with contemporary R&B, placing him alongside artists like Burna Boy and Davido who bridge Nigerian heritage with global pop culture.
‘You listen to it, and it makes your body move. It’s magical,’ Gold said. ‘Fuji, Highlife, every sound from Nigeria makes you feel alive.’
Global reach and viral hits
Gold first gained attention in 2014 when he covered a song by boy band One Direction. Since then, he has signed to Def Jam Recordings and worked with music legends Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams.
His duet with Zinoleesky, Party No Dey Stop, has amassed 29 million YouTube views, becoming his first major hit in the United States.
Despite living abroad, Gold insists his roots remain central: ‘I’m spreading the culture, talking about my heritage, talking about tradition.’
A personal album with social themes
The new album also reflects Gold’s personal journey. ‘I talk about my grief when I lost my father. I talk about my love life, my daughter, about being a family man,’ he explained.
The singer addressed Nigeria’s broader struggles, noting that nearly 60 percent of the population lives in poverty. While acknowledging small improvements, he called on citizens to take greater responsibility: ‘It is not enough for the government to do everything. We must do what we can as citizens.’
Advocacy and philanthropy
Gold, who has lived with sickle cell disease all his life, launched a foundation this year to fund treatment and support local charities.
‘My heart is in Lagos,’ he said, underscoring his mission to keep Nigerian culture alive while helping others through his platform.
