Photo: Instagram

Twenty-five-year-old Nigerian superstar Joeboy returned from his short hiatus with a swingy easy-listen called ‘Likkle Riddim’. The title is in Jamaican patois, and if loosely translated, it will imply “little beat or rhythm”. ‘Likkle Riddim’ is Joeboy encouraging his love interest to loosen up some more, to continue dancing with him, and if he gets lucky, is willing to take her home. He signals that he has a girlfriend, but he is willing to give in to the temptation of lust. The plot gets more sinister as the ‘Sip (Alcohol)’ hitmaker suggests that the woman he is dancing with also has a man but is willing to risk it all at that moment.


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Unlatched by a muted bass following the Kizomba snare pattern, ‘Likkle Riddim’ unfolds into a danceable mid-tempo typical radio hit. Euphonic Rhodes compositions hug up the percussion and bassline, creating a smooth and daring jingle that clearly has some sugar. Joeboy’s vocals are the icing on the cake. The Lagos-born maven goes ahead to experiment with pitch shifts, a technique usually used in modern Pop and Dance music. Watch the TG Omori direction below.