The last time Joey Akan caught up with Lojay, it was at the dynamic Nigerian artist’s house. This time, the roles are reversed: Lojay is in Akan’s territory – the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast – for a free-ranging, joyful conversation that lasts just over an hour.

"It's interesting how much you've grown since then," Akan reflects, as Lojay lounges comfortably on a white sofa, dressed in a black hoodie and relaxed jeans. That growth becomes a central theme, echoed in Lojay’s thoughts on artistry, honesty, and intention. “At the end of the day, it’s like, what do you truly want? Are you doing it for something else?” he muses, a mindset he applies to everything from music-making to getting a tattoo.

Akan’s poise allows the conversation to meander without ever losing track. He riffs off Lojay’s reflections, guiding the dialogue with an ease that feels more like a catch-up between old friends than a formal interview. The result is an atmosphere that invites candor, laughter, and the occasional surprising admission.

Lojay speaks openly about the emotional layers that shape his music, like why heartbreak often inspires his most potent songwriting, how fame has complicated his relationships, and the burden of always being viewed through the lens of success.

On this week’s episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, presented by OkayAfrica, the Afrobeats story gets a new arc through one of its most intriguing characters. Bella Shmurda holds a unique place in Afropop due to his insistence on crafting only music that comes from his heart, with a distinct voice that has vivified the mainstream in no small ways.

In conversation with Joey Akan, the artist provides a conscious map of how he fought his way through the inner streets of Lagos, armed with nothing but his sound and his heart. It’s a deeply personal episode, as Bella Shmurda has always been a candid conversationalist, and here we get even deeper into his process.

The evolution of Bella Shmurda’s writing is one of the early points in the episode; the artist talked about how using songbooks made him a more precise songwriter. “I think I had more inspiration when I used to write in books,” he said. “I have to think properly about my lyrics before writing because I have to cancel, and I don’t want to cancel. So, you have to be precise about what you write on that paper, and I feel like I need to go back to that. I’m more reasonable when I’m writing.”

Entering into what Joey called the intersection in Bella’s work, aspects such as spirituality, love, and inspiration were discussed. “I just want to see people happy,” says the artist about why he has a sense for motivating people, a quality he traces back to his childhood. With a clarity that his listeners are familiar with, the episode peels back the influences behind the artist as they discuss various subjects that circle back on emotions and subjectivity.

It’s clear from this Afrobeats Intelligence episode that impact will always be central to the music Bella Shmurda makes. “At this moment, I feel like I’m not in the industry anymore,” he says. “My kind of music, I’m not doing songs now for trend, because this beat is hot, this sound is hot, let me jump on it. I don’t think I’m in that space anymore. I just want to do this music for the reason I want to do it, which is uplifting people’s souls, making people self-conscious, and helping people go through life with my music.”