Wizkid was born on 16 July 1990 in Ojuelegba, a suburb of Surulere in Lagos, and began recording music at the age of 11. In 2009 he signed to Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment. Since then he has released six studio albums, collaborated with Drake and Beyoncé, and put a Nigerian song in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. These ten songs tell that story.
1. Essence (featuring Tems, 2020)
There is no bigger song in modern Afrobeats. “Essence” came out in October 2020 as the fourth single from Made in Lagos, produced by P2J and Legendury Beatz, and grew slowly until it was everywhere. The video was shot in Aburi, in Ghana’s Eastern Region.
It became the first Nigerian song ever to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. A remix with Justin Bieber followed in August 2021. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Performance, and Billboard later named its Hot 100 top ten entry one of the defining music moments of the early 2020s.
2. Ojuelegba (2014)
Named after the Lagos neighbourhood where he grew up, “Ojuelegba” is one of Wizkid’s most personal hits, looking back at where he came from. It comes from his second album, Ayo.
The official remix brought in Drake and Skepta, which carried it to London and Toronto. At home it won Song of the Year at The Headies 2015 and Hottest Single of the Year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
3. Brown Skin Girl (with Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter and Saint Jhn, 2019)
From Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift, “Brown Skin Girl” is a celebration of dark-skinned women, produced by P2J and Beyoncé herself. Wizkid’s verse fits perfectly into a song that feels written for the whole diaspora.
Its video won Best Music Video at the 63rd Grammy Awards, making Wizkid a Grammy winner. At the 2020 BET Awards it won the BET HER Award, which made Blue Ivy the youngest BET Award winner in history.
4. Come Closer (featuring Drake, 2017)
Wizkid and Drake recorded “Come Closer” in early 2016, at the same sessions as “One Dance”, the global number one that Wizkid also featured on. It came out as the third single from Sounds from the Other Side.
It reached number 58 on the UK Singles Chart, his first chart entry there as lead artist, and went platinum in both the US and the UK.
5. Holla at Your Boy (2010)
This is where it started. Released on 2 January 2010 and produced by DJ Klem and Vebee, “Holla at Your Boy” was the lead single from his debut album, Superstar. It made his name in Nigeria.
Listen to it next to “Essence” and you can hear how far he has come, and also how much of the charm was there from the start.
6. Soco (2018)
Released under his Starboy label in February 2018, “Soco” brought together Wizkid, Terri, Spotless and Ceeza Milli over a Northboi beat. It is a label record, not a solo single, and a reminder that Wizkid was building a team as well as a career.
The video passed 100 million views on YouTube, and the song was certified gold in Canada in 2020.
7. Ginger (featuring Burna Boy, 2020)
The two biggest names in Nigerian music on one song. “Ginger”, produced by P2J and Kel-P, was a highlight of Made in Lagos, and on 9 November 2020 it became the very first number one on the TurnTable Top 50 chart.
For fans who had spent years arguing about which of the two was better, it was a welcome truce.
8. Joro (2019)
“Joro” came out in October 2019, one of the promotional singles for Made in Lagos. Produced by Northboi, it is a mid-tempo love song about devotion, and it pointed to the smoother, more sensual direction the album would take.
9. No Stress (2020)
Released in September 2020, “No Stress” was one of the singles that led into Made in Lagos. The album went on to earn a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Album and, after its deluxe edition, reached number 28 on the Billboard 200.
“No Stress” captures the album’s mood well: relaxed, confident and easy to play again.
10. Kese (Dance) (2024)
The most recent song on this list comes from Morayo, the album Wizkid dedicated to his late mother, released on 22 November 2024. “Kese (Dance)” was its second single, released a week before the album.
After the grief behind the project, it is a reminder that Wizkid can still make people move.
Explore Wizkid’s albums, with track previews, on his AfroYard artist page.
