Collaborations are a gamble. Put two artists who share nothing on one beat, and the odds are it just sounds like two people who showed up on different days. But ever so often, the mismatch is the point. While highly anticipated pop crossovers and strategic remixes have often broken streaming records, the true magic of music usually lies in the unpredictable.
From street-pop artists linking up with refined UK grime and drill artists to Apala flowing over modern R&B melodies, the Nigerian music scene has interesting cases of defying expectations. These are 10 Nigerian songs that shouldn’t have worked on paper, but did anyway.
“Dangerous” sees Ayra Starr tapping deeply into traditional Nigerian roots by bringing in Apala-fusion artist Terry Apala. It was unforeseen to see Ayra Starr collaborate with Terry Apala, whose sound is deeply niche and grounded in Apala music. The production seamlessly merges modern sounds with heavy talking drums. Ayra’s silky, melodic R&B vocals float beautifully over the beat, while Terry Apala’s raspy, indigenous chanting evokes a hypnotic feeling.
Portable was, at the time, a loud and largely unknown street artist. “ZaZoo Zehh” is the viral hit that introduced the hyper-energetic Portable to the world. Orchestrated by Poco Lee and blessed by a catchy verse from Olamide, the track became the inescapable street-pop anthem of 2021. The collaboration was wildly unexpected, but despite Portable’s unpopularity then, he commanded the track alongside a veteran and superstar like Olamide. It bangs because it’s undiluted Nigerian street artistry, driven by heavy percussion and slang-heavy lyrics.
It brings together Davido’s mainstream Afropop, WurLD’s alternative soul, and the gritty, Zanku street-hop of Zlatan and Naira Marley into a single, cohesive track. The inclusion of the latter’s street brand seemed impossible on paper. Yet, it bangs. WurLD sets a seductive tone, Davido carries the hook, and the street rappers bring an infectious bounce to it.
After Fireboy DML’s “Peru” organically became a big hit on its own, British pop megastar Ed Sheeran — who had expressed a strong desire to jump on an Afrobeats track — hopped on the remix. It skyrocketed to the top of the UK charts and Billboard Hot 100, and solidified Fireboy as a global star. The surprise factor came from Sheeran completely leaving the standard pop style, leaning into the Afropop cadence. The song hits because of its irresistible, earworm melody and laid-back Shizzi production.
This song is a single from Ayra Starr’s sophomore album The Year I Turned 21, and it brings together the Gen-Z Afropop star and street-pop sensation Seyi Vibez. Ayra Starr noted she wrote the song while angry and heavily caffeinated, and eventually reached out to Seyi Vibez because she felt the track perfectly suited his specific style. Ayra is R&B-infused Afropop, and Seyi is more of the raw, choral, Apala-infused street sound. The collaboration was highly unexpected due to their vastly different fanbases and music sounds, but it’s a jam.
Skepta shocked the music industry when he enlisted one of Nigeria’s most controversial music artists, Portable, for “Tony Montana.” No one could have predicted the collaboration. Portable gives a melodic, restrained hook that sets the tone for Skepta’s sharp and boastful grime flow. This song proves that both artists are masters of adapting to unconventional sounds.
Released as the lead single for Asake’s Lungu Boy album (2024), “Wave” linked the Nigerian superstar with British drill heavyweight Central Cee. The collaboration was solidified with a visually striking music video shot across the streets of Lagos, showcasing Central Cee embracing the local culture alongside Asake. The beauty of the song is in how it blends Fuji elements with a UK drill verse.
This track is a popular romantic ballad that the two artists debuted live together at Wembley Stadium. While Burna Boy usually commands heavily percussive, uptempo Afro-fusion songs, a tender acoustic-led ballad with Ed Sheeran is a surprising pivot. It works because of its simplicity, stripped-back production and emotional resonance. Burna’s rich, gravelly baritone grounds the song, while Sheeran’s light, folksy tenor provides a sweet contrast.
This song is from P-Square’s Double Trouble album (2014). “Ejeajo” is one of the earliest high-profile crossovers between Nigerian pop and American hip-hop. The duo brought in T.I. for a track heavily inspired by 1980s pop and disco, which is a detour from their usual Makossa or R&B-infused Afropop sound we’re used to.
It bangs due to its sheer infectious groove and nostalgia-inducing bassline. T.I.’s smooth, southern rap flow glided over the upbeat, funky instrumental, matching the Okoye brothers’ ecstatic pop vocals.
This is a standout track on Ric Hassani’s 2025 Lagos Lover Boy album that links together two artists sitting at the opposite ends of the Nigerian music spectrum. Ric is a romantic R&B ballad guy. On the other hand, Portable is the wild and controversial face of Nigerian street-pop. The collaboration was completely surprising and felt almost like a fever dream to fans, as their public personas and music couldn’t have been more polarised. Despite the bizarre pairing, the song is a sweet one. The two artists bounce over a mid-tempo Afropop beat produced by Kenzy Beats.
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