Nigerian dancehall star Patoranking is something of a legend in his home country, whipping up a sound that combines the spirit and sound of Afrobeats and dancehall into something bursting with vibrancy. He's been honing the sound and representing his home country for the better part of a decade and today he release his third studio album, fittingly titled Three.
Alongside that, he's also dropping off the project's latest single, "Abule", a hyper-energetic Afro-dancehall banger built for big sound systems and blazing heat. The video, which was directed by Director K, shows Patoranking at the centre of a street party filled with dancers pulling off unbelievable physical feats. "Before I write any song," he told Complex via email, "I always have a visual in mind and with this video, it was important to show everything that happens when we party in the ghetto. It gets wild."
It looks like it was incredible fun to put together, but there's also a serious side to it. With Coronavirus still ravaging many corners of the world, Patoranking wanted to put his art to good use. As part of a partnership with TikTok for the #AbuleDanceChallenge, TikTok SA is donating funds for communities across Africa in need of Coronavirus relief, adding to the extensive work he's done all through the pandemic to alleviate the damage to his home country and the rest of Africa.
"I'm proud to be from my abule, Ebute Metta, because to have made it coming from there it's only by God's grace," he says. "It's made me who I am today and it's part of my story. So I waste no opportunity to let people know about my ghetto. I feel it's important through this new song to give my fans a chance to celebrate their own abules. And to protect their abules, too. Back in May, my team and I partnered with Ebele & Anyichuks Foundation to go to many ghettos across Lagos to give away masks and relief items. It's important we stay safe and do our part to protect."
Three is out now. Watch the video for "Abule" exclusively above and buy the album here.
