Check out the fifth track, Summer 25, on Maleek Berry's album, If Only Love Was Enough, the song's infectious rhythm and clever lyrics will have you hooked.
If Only Love Was Enough Album Cover Art
Maleek Berry Lyrics
Yo bounce (legendary) Bounce yo bounce Yo bounce Pipito bounce yo bounce
Baby, why do I feel like this I’m going insane babe I’m going insane babe That’s why I put it in a song baby Cause I know it may sound crazy When I dey call you fiancé In my mind you’re my fiancé o Wanna give you all my love Baby Ooo yeah We be cruising in the sun baby Ooo yeah Girl your mine that’s all I say Ooo yeah Baby tell me now Tell me now
Spend the summer 25 with you We gone jala we gone catch this cruise Baby I don’t care what’s in my way Pack your bags girl I’m on my way Spend the summer 25 with you Got your own money girl, that’s cool You ain’t got spend a dollar I get stamina, stamina
When it’s dark outside and the seas are high We go dey alright girl with me by your side Baby ain’t no time Let me ease your mind through the night girl Baby tell me now Tell me now
Overseas, me and you for the whole summer Beach side when we see sun up Cover me, yeah Got you for the whole summer Girl, you got me drunk in love Girl you be missing this turn up You only round town this summer See you be working out oh mama Rocking on your body till sun up oh I wanna see you turn up Girl I got you dripping by the water All up in your mind I’m deeper yeah I get stamina
Spend my summer 25 with you We gone jala we gone catch this cruise Baby I don’t care what’s in my way Pack your bags girl I’m on my way Spend the summer 25 with you Got your own money girl, that’s cool You ain’t got spend a Dollar I get stamina Stamina
When it’s dark outside and the seas are high We go dey alright girl with me by your side Baby ain’t no time Let me ease your mind through the night girl Baby tell me now tell me now
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4 My Body, the tenth track on Maleek Berry's new album, If Only Love Was Enough, is a slow-burning duet with Tiwa Savage; the sensual rhythm and passionate vocals create an intimate atmosphere, read the lyrics below.
If Only Love Was Enough Album Cover Art
Maleek Berry & Tiwa Savage - 4 My Body Lyrics
I'm a wave I’m a wave I’m a wave I’m a wave I’m a wave It’s been long I’m a wave Yeah-yeah
You only want me for my body Boy I don’t mind just keep it 100 You only want me for my body Only want me for my (want me for my body) You only want me for my body I don’t mind just keep it 100 You only want me for my body You want me for my body My body yeah yeah
Can I say can I say what’s on my mind I ain’t rude but you know your body right Give me your keys I’ll take my time 'Cause I know you been patient It's more than just your body You got me where you want me Yeah I know say I be feigning But that’s the way you teasing I need a taste Aww yeah But I’ma wait for it Girl its your birthday, you throwing the cake on me You’re the only one that’s cruising in my jeep Only one that I want to see yeah see yeah I see you in my t-shirt I know one thing, baby you my lady We’re more then just friends Good at keeping secrets Playing no games, games
You only want me for my body Boy I don’t mind just keep it 100 You only want me for my body Only want me for my (want me for my body) You only want me for my body I don’t mind just keep it 100 You only want me for my body You want me for my body My body yeah yeah
You ain’t gotta say that You ain’t gotta act like You ain’t gotta talk like I don’t need you You ain’t gotta talk like I don’t see you see you see you yeah You get it from your mama You ain’t with all the drama Yeah Girl, I go take am easy Yeah Oh lord oh lord Srktt srkktt beep beep Go low for me Girl you got your own Baby put it all on me Srktt srkktt beep beep Spending all my cheese Along as you stay riding for me Im all you need
I see you in my t-shirt I know one thing, baby you my lady We’re more than just friends Good at keeping secrets Playing no games, games
You only want me for my body Boy I don’t mind just keep it 100 You only want me for my body Only want me for my (want me for my body) You only want me for my body I don’t mind just keep it 100 You only want me for my body You want me for my body My body yeah yeah
Check Lyrics of latest songs here, and get fresh updates as they drop via X and Facebook
Afrobeats veteran Olamide assembles an all-star cast on “99,” a banger released ahead of his forthcoming self-titled album. From Young Jonn to Asake and Seyi Vibez, the Nigerian contingent supplies the colorful hedonism that’s been at the center of its pulsating music culture, and with his riveting verse, Zimbabwean Daelcolm polishes off the guest performances. It’s a fine celebration of the African sound, with disco flourishes that should make it bang in the U.S. – Emmanuel Esomnofu
K.O. - “Supernova” feat. Cassper Nyovest
K.O stands as a towering figure in South African pop culture. From his pioneering days with Teargas to a genre-defining solo career, he’s long mastered the art of hitmaking. On “Supernova,” a standout from his latest album Pharacity, K.O offers a sleek, retro-futuristic reimagining of Lebo Mathosa’s “I Love Music,” reintroducing the late icon’s classic to a new generation. Joined by Cassper Nyovest, the rapper delivers cryptic, staccato bars that only he could make land. This serves as a reminder of his enduring command of style and cultural resonance. - Tšeliso Monaheng
Diamond Platnumz – “Katam” feat. Bien
A sweet tease of a record, “Katam” has guitar licks and soft drums that will set your heart rolling. There’s that inimitable East African flavor that Diamond Platnumzhas perfected throughout his career. But now we hear even more soul and less activity, a touch that is amplified by the feature Bien. The ex-Sauti Sol man has a voice and tone that’s impossible to miss, and he relishes this beat, going over and over with Diamond as they toast East African ladies. With a video to follow, this has strong potential to become a hit song, no less, considering the profiles of the musicians. – EE
June Freedom – “Spiritual”
In what sounds like a tribute to Fela Kuti, the production on “Spiritual” plucks colorful drums and an effervescent note that never goes away. June Freedom’s ever-alert vocals find just the perfect spirit for it, floating with the enchanting allure of a ballet dancer across the record’s sonic space. “Spiritual” is a song about desire and all that goes in between; every performance here delivers on its simple but evocative premise. – EE
Mlindo The Vocalist - “Izinkomo Zika Baba” feat. Cowboii, DJ Maphoris & Madumane
Mlindo The Vocalist crept into the scene unannounced and never quite left. “Inkomo Zika Baba,” a striking amapiano cut from his forthcoming album (due in July), sees him team up with Cowboii and DJ Maphorisa. It’s the sound of summer in the heart of winter, a tender, groove-laced confession from a man lost in the heat of love. - TM
ZerryDL – “My Amigo”
For those paying attention, ZerryDL is one of the more inventive storytellers around. Between himself and his siblings, Shallipopi and Famous Pluto, the family contributed to the rise of an interesting subgenre that strongly entrenches southern Nigeria’s narratives on the country’s sprawling street pop culture. “My Amigo” carries a theme you’ve heard before—fake love among friends—but Zerry’s language and cadence make all the delivery, grooving assuredly over Busy Pluto’s thumping club-ready production. — EE
Maleek Berry – ‘If Only Love Was Enough [LP]’
For an artist who’s been part of the Afrobeats story for over a decade, it feels a little strange that Maleek Berryis only releasing his debut album now. But Berry has largely operated on his own time and with his own style, shunning popular choices for what has felt true to him. Holding such a dramatic premise, the title of the project prompts a lot of thought, and through its 15 songs, the artist charts an expansive storyline over taut sonic choices that mostly revolve around Afropop and R&B, with features coming from assured voices such as Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, and Zlatan. Read our exclusive new interview with Maleek Berry. – EE
Banda Banda - “Sombhuluka” feat. Fatoumata Diawara & Muneyi
While he may be best known for his work with Zoë Modiga, composer and producer Banda Banda’s footprint on South African live music is both deep and expansive. He operates on a frequency entirely his own– one that, as “Sombhuluka” reveals, resonates far beyond local borders. Featuring the masterful voices of Muneyi and Fatoumata Diawara, the track vocalizes the things we often dare not say. “Sombhuluka” is love personified: a feeling that travels through language and spirit, completely unbound by geography. - TM
Ric Hassani – ‘Lagos Lover Boy [LP]’
Through this sprawling journey that centers Lagos and its infamous love narratives, the artistic Ric Hassanihits another incredible milestone. It’s a setting and story that has attracted many artists, and yet for those who are attuned to their impulses, it’s a rich field. Hassani certainly makes the journey varied, even including several interludes that ease the album through its different soundscapes and concepts. – EE
Nasty C - “Soft” feat. Usimamane
It seems Nasty C has only grown more powerful since embracing his independence. He’s already delivered “Psycho” and “Nobody,” so there’s no real reason he needs to go this hard. But he does. As the title suggests, this track offers a gentler landing than his usual high-octane fare, revealing a more measured but no less lethal side of the rapper. TM
Mayorkun – “Blessings On Blessings (B.O.B)” feat. Davido
Off his Still The Mayor album comes this great union, the mentor and his mentee. Mayorkun definitely has a lot to be thankful for, recently announcing his deal with Sony Music Africa, which he attributed to Davido’s help. Indeed, their collaboration has that groove and movement about it, with bouncy percussion that leans towards Mayorkun’s tendency for upbeat production. “Follow who know road,” in this context, is quite clear considering the duo’s relationship, a history that consistently translates on wax. – EE
Maleek Berry was starting to sense that something was missing. The British Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer was aware that the emotional and technical elements that once enlivened Afropop music were being overlooked by those who grew up with it.
"Good songs, great songwriting, great storytelling… Afrobeats fans are yearning for that right now. That's why I had to go away and put together a collection of amazing songs that people can relate to for years to come. Not only party to, but cry to, get married to, have babies to," Berry, born Maleek Shoyebi, tells OkayAfrica in an exclusive interview.
The result of that time off is Berry's debut album, If Only Love Was Enough. It's Berry's most anticipated work, which arrives just about a decade into his time in the industry as one of the most important pioneers of contemporary Afropop music.
A predominantly R&B and Afropop blend, 'If Only Love Was Enough' pays homage to the early 2010s Afrobeats sound with a strong awareness of the times. The album features new-age artists likeRuger, as well as longtime collaborators of Berry likeTiwa Savage andWizkid. In a music landscape that has been hurtling towards global expansion and evolving its sonic identity at a dizzying pace, Berry wants to slow things down a bit. If the project sounds like a time capsule, it is likely because it has been in development for several years and incorporates a range of sonic influences from various eras.
"I've gone through so many different versions," Berry says. "I've gone through many phases of not liking a particular song or not liking a certain group of songs, and changing them over and bringing them back. The album was supposed to have dropped a long, long time ago, but I'm glad I waited this long, and I've finally arrived at this version now. I'm very proud of it."
If Only Love Was Enough is not, thematically or structurally, a cultural statement after all. The songs here explore unrequited love, romance, and existential reflections, all classic Maleek Berry themes, but the project is highly symbolic. It's a well-articulated response to the creative slump that Nigerian music has found itself in recently. Berry is aware that, on a sonic level, this project has the potential to kickstart a return to basics, reminding music makers and Afrobeats listeners of the magic and thrill of a musical era that should never have been forgotten. "In my opinion, it's going to bring a breath of fresh air and carve out a whole new direction musically and sonically for the space as well," he adds.
Berry from the past
Much of what has made Maleek Berry's sound distinct is his devotion to drawing from the past while keeping his ears open to what the present has to say. His journey into the Nigerian music scene began in 2011. While on vacation in Nigeria at the time, he would connect with some of the voices who were already molding the scene —Davido,Naeto C,Wande Coal, and Wizkid — and eventually got his first major hit with "Carolina," featuring Sauce Kid and Davido. Then there was 2013's "The Matter" featuring Wizkid. A recurrent feature of that sound was an intelligent blend of percussion and hip-hop flows. It was modern, quintessentially Nigerian, and helped blaze a trail for what the genre would go on to become.
On If Only Love Was Enough, Berry seeks the expertise of former collaborators who also ruled the scene in that era while also drawing from the R&B music he grew up listening to. "I wanted to bring those worlds together. I had to do a little bit of looking into myself as well and getting out of my way, listening to my previous projects, figuring out the greatest songs that I've written that people liked, and not overthinking it, and making sure I have something on the album for everybody."
For Berry, the sounds of the early 2000s are timeless because it was also a time with minimal distractions.
"People were writing some of the best music ever to come out. The world was a lot less distracted during that period. That was one of the main reasons for my prolonged absence. I had to go and live life to experience what it felt like to truly live the meaning of these songs. This is what real artists used to do back in the day."
Berry worked with longtime collaborators like Legendury Beatz to keep himself rooted in the sound he wanted to create. "All of us started together back in the day, working with Wiz during the Star Boy era. There were points where I was stuck, and I had certain creative blocks, and I'd go down and ask their opinion."
Berry was also tempted to jump on the amapiano wave, but his close collaborators were opposed to the idea. "We've had many moments like this during this album creation process. Legendury Beatz would sit me down and be like, 'You know you have a sound, right? You created something back then that is tangible.' Getting reminded about that and what that sound meant to people, and what it still means to people today, gave me the confidence to stick with this sound and stick with the theme."
Berry hopes that If Only Love Was Enough will be inspirational. "I always want people to be inspired by my music," he says. "I want my music to stand the test of time. So, the same way my fans are still listening to music we released in 2013 or 2016, I want to have the same impact with this music, if not more." Even more important to Berry is how this work might inspire his peers. "All of us are sharpening each other, and I want my peers to hear this album and be blown away just like everybody else."
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