Raking in over 500 million YouTube views, a quarter of a billion DSP streams for his previous 2020 album Three, Nigerian star Patoranking lives up to his anointed moniker “World Best” from his devoted fans, a following of over 8.7 million on Instagram alone. Through his long standing reputation of layering afrobeats, dancehall and reggae, the Lagos-born artist is in a class of his own. He was instantly drawn to the pulsating native rhythms of galala, an uptempo reggae-inspired music and dance that took over his streets in the 1980s and 1990s. His fourth studio album, aptly titled World Best, is a masterfully modern culmination of this genre fusion – driven by love, life and conscious lyricism.
On World Best (out today Sept 6, 2023), Patoranking taps international icons like American hip hop legend Ludacris, Jamaica’s own dancehall don Beenie Man and Kingston’s unruly boss Popcaan. His homegrown sound is nurtured with more talented collaborators hailing from Africa – including hitmakers Kizz Daniel (Nigeria) and Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) as well as rising stars Victony (Nigeria), Gyakie (Ghana) and Zion Foster (UK by way of Nigeria). From lush instrumentation to synthesized beats, the LP’s range of production holds a celebratory tone and is provided by an all-star cast of up-and-coming and well-known African producers. The list includes Phantom (Nigeria), Kel P (Nigeria), Killertunes (Nigeria), C-Tea (Ghana), Mix Master Garzy (Ghana) and many more.
Over the last year, Patoranking has been steadily releasing key cuts from World Best. The intoxicating “Kolo Kolo” ft. Diamond Platnumz (produced by Young Willis) has already received almost 30 million YT video views and recently won Best East Meets West Collaboration at East Africa Arts Entertainment Awards (EAEA) 2023. “Abobi” followed with its full-bodied melodies created by Nigeria’s Kel P, whose credits include multiple hits on Burna Boy’s African Giant 2019 landmark album. Over the summer, Patoranking dropped “Higher,” a spiritual vibration featuring cracking percussion sound and soft glowing synth chords produced by Mix Master Garzy, and unleashed the party starter “Tonight” ft. Popcaan produced by DJ Breezy (who is responsible for Patoranking’s 2014 hit “My Woman, My Everything” ft. Wande Coal. The latter Nigeria-meets-Jamaica anthem is already over 2m+ YT views and climbing Nigeria’s Top 100 chart.
The swoon-worthy collaborations continue throughout World Best. Ludacris finds common ground with Patoranking as they recall their humble beginnings before fame on “Miracle Baby.” On “Gyal Like You” featuring Nigerian star Kizz Daniel, both icons are smitten over a breathtaking sight as their vocals ride over the feel good beats by the young Nigerian producer Killertunes (Wizkid, MUT4Y, Duncan Mighty‘s). “Women of the Year” ft. Zion Foster is a sultry ode to the ones they dedicate their hearts to. The words of admiration float over a mid-tempo afrobeats groove by N2THEA, the UK-based Ghanaian producer (Tion Wayne, Afro-B and Alicai Harley). With an earnest feeling fueling the melody in every word on “Amazing Grace,” Patoranking and the self-crowned King of the Dancehall Beenie Man declare their vows and boast unconditional love to their prospective queens. The song’s shimmering guitar licks and an ensemble of wind instruments are courtesy of C-Tea, the Ghanaian producer/sound engineer who earned a Grammy win for Black Coffee’s 2022 album Subconsciously. Patoranking is head over heels and hypnotized on “Control Me” complemented by the vocals of the fast-rising Ghanaian songstress Gyakie and rhythms built by Mix Master Garzy. The album’s standout track “Babylon” features one of Nigeria’s latest musical exports Victony and is an alluring wonder into the unknown. The seductive sounds are crafted by Nigeria’s renowned Phantom, the man behind Burna Boy’s “Ye” and Camidoh’s 2022 anthem “Sugarcane.”
World Best follows Patoranking’s albums: God Over Everything (2015), Wilmer (2019) and Three (2020).