Two artists, two different styles, bouncing off each other’s creative energy and delivering hit after hit. That’s why we love collab projects. And it seems the Apex village rapper-singer duo of PsychoYp and Azanti have hacked it with the very much anticipated sequel to their 2020 collaboration project, YP & Azanti Vol.2.
The very first time we got a real taste of this duo was four years ago, when they dropped Vol.1. Two exciting teenagers with sounds as novel and equally exciting as them, pushing their music to the world. A sixteen year old Azanti had the whole Nigeria hooked with his vocals and song writing and the more experienced yet still young Yp was delivering bar after bar matching Azanti’s chorus with harder lines. I mean “Caro’’ one of the hardest love songs came from that project and it’s still in everyone’s rotation and was a sign of more to come.
In the four years since Vol.1 dropped, the boys have gone on to show that wonders in 2020 was no fluke. YP continued his stellar run of dropping projects every year including a collaborated Extended Playlists with fellow rapper Jeriq, ‘Evil Twin’. As well as delivering hits after hits and cementing his place as of the hardest rappers out of the Capital city and Nigeria too. The wonder kid Azanti was not left out too. The multi-faceted singer released his first individual studio album Heart Parts &Nostalgia in 2022as well as a deluxe the following year with guest features from The Cavemen, Rowlene and Ag Baby. The boys were not playing around.
And after four years, filled with amazing projects and singles as well as giving each other features in their respective projects and hit singles to the project, YP & Azanti VOL.2 was finally upon us. Shout out everyone involved.
The first track, ‘Don’t Need Nobody’ begins with a YP hook, didn’t expect that but it goes hard regardless, he glides melodiously on the track produced by Thrill Max, Malik Bawa and YP himself! He goes about being independent and not needing nobody, and when Azanti enters it’s more or less the same theme, as usual his voice is smooth, syncing with the beat. A perfect intro if you ask me.
‘Somebody’ is the second track. It’s more upbeat. And an Azanti hook, you know it’s going to be good cause I can already hear myself singing ‘ebelelebebe’(I don’t know he says, Spotify lyrics save me) and a YP verse coming in, you know he’s always going be iced out. Wondah produced.
Please what carried this two Abuja boys to ‘Lekki Epe’ on the third track? The transition from somebody to ‘Lekki Epe’ is wonderful. The fusion of funk, R&B and hiphop sounds like melodies to my ear. Ramoni, Thrill Max and Azanti all producing, the duo have really grown up from just rapping and singing to producing their own music. Big YP delivers as usual always flowing expertly no matter the beat but its Azanti’s voice and range that really wow me. His vocals have always been exceptional and once again he reminds us. He is that guy.
The fourth track ‘Clear Road’ was a lead single to the album. A song that interpolates the dancer and celebrity Poco lee hyping YP, because ‘na him fresh pass for the whole club’. I can make a strong case that it’s an amapiano beat fused with other elements. It’s a sure club banger and trust me everybody is going to be dancing to it. And once again I’m wowed by this kids range, Azanti is special man, out here pulling vocals very similar to the legend Wande Coal. Thrill Max, MUT4Y and Azanti again producing.
‘Breathe’. The fifth track. The first and only own with a feature and its Malik Bawa that lends his sweet sultry voice as well as producing the track. It sways from the reoccurring uptown funk beats of the album so far but nonetheless it’s a very proper song. All I can say is that it’s entering “that playlist” if you know you know. Right it into the sixth track, ‘I Know’ and the funk is back. Malik Bawa again producing and wow these funk, electro pop beats go so crazy and that bass line I keep hearing. It’s the shortest song in the album but the boys need less than two minutes to shoe us that they’re going to murder any beat regardless.
The seventh track is another lead single to the album. ‘Naija Funk’. Already a hit in my books. It’s the track that encapsulates the rhythm of the entire album. The funk, electro beats mixed with the duo’s unique style and a blend of the motherland. Shout out to Aykbeats.
Azanti and Malik Bawa are producing together on the eight track ‘2 Hot 2 Handle’ and that’s not all. YP is singing! Yes! Reminds me of ‘Losing you’. I think that was the last time I heard him sing like this. He still raps though and Azanti as usual never missed with the hook.
Tera Kòrá produces the penultimate track. ‘Lockdown’. It’s slow paced but not a slow song. Azanti sings, and he sings melodiously. And YP comes in and does YP things, flows are inevitable, and it’s repeated again. The standard collab. It’s going to be a classic someday.
Wow, finally on the last track. Azanti once again producing with Arieenati. ‘Should’ve Been Here’ marks the end of the album. Seeing the name and it being the outro, I was expecting a melancholy but no. I was wrong, very. It’s a sex song, I think, but it’s clear the subject is no longer here, and from Azanti singing, it’s a bad breakup or some sort. YP’s gives us two different flows in his two verses going from breaking backs in the first with a deeper range to turning pressure into diamonds in the second verse.
Vol.2 showcases the duo’s growth. More in tune with their sounds and a better understanding of music seeing as they’ve both picked up production as well as a mastery of their original skill sets. As far as collab albums go, it’s very much up there and like all fans I hope it’s not the last.