In 2018, WANI introduced himself with his nostalgia-driven interpretation of Afrobeats on Lagos City Vice, fitting classic 2000s melodies into new formats that channeled the urgency of the upstart’s roving global sound. On his long-anticipated follow-up, he heads in a new direction, crafting confessional songs about the joy and tensions of life in Lagos, while floating over wispy production with his signature balmy tone. From the lustrous vibe of opener “Grown Girl,” he sets the stage for a second extended gaze into the life of a young man growing up in modern-day Lagos.
Teaming up with Afropop star Buju on “Times Two (X2),” WANI dissects the complexities of a 21st-century crush, while the passive bragging of “Level” is gilded with gorgeous horns. Optimism powers much of his work here, and “Hennessy”—featuring an assist from Prettyboy D-O—is an unapologetic promise to make money and live the fast life in his city. “Calvin Clean” and “Jailer” are as smooth as they are heart-tugging, possessing the unabashed emotion that made his debut so resonant. On the closer, “God Bless the Child,” he’s at his most sentimental, single-handedly taking credit for all of his successes. “I hustled everything I made on my own,” he says, wrapping up a collection packed with panoramic observations of his life in Lagos.