Pasuma and Qdot link up on “Up Up Way,” a record that sits where Fuji meets street-pop and gives you something to nod along to. The Nigerian Fuji legend, real name Wasiu Alabi Odetola, teams up with the indigenous street-pop singer for a collaboration that pulls two Yoruba musical worlds into the same room.
Pasuma has spent decades in Fuji and has never been shy about testing new sounds or working with artists from other genres. Qdot, for his part, carries his own identity, the Yoruba expressions and cultural touches that run through his music. Here those two identities sit side by side rather than one swallowing the other.
The song carries an encouraging message about moving forward, which gives it a fitting mood for a morning commute, a gym session or any moment you need a small push. It is a meeting of old-school Fuji and the newer street-pop generation, and that gap is exactly what makes it interesting.
Give “Up Up Way” a spin and tell us what you think in the comments.