Nigerian singer and rapper Ayo Maff first earned major attention with “Dealer”, his 2024 single featuring Afropop sensation Fireboy DML. On his debut EP, MAFFIAN, the unfiltered grit that propelled that track, shines through again. Born Ayorinde Mafoluku, the rapper got his stripes on the streets of Bariga—the same rugged Lagos neighbourhood where heavyweights Olamide and 9ice forged their identities—and he’s not afraid to showcase his credentials: “I be gangster/I no be loverboy,” he quips on “A BEAUTIFUL SONG”. Across the EP, the artist’s experience of transitioning from boy to man too early makes for emotional listening, but his assurance about being predestined for greatness also manifests: “I’ve been here before I was born,” he sings on “Are you there?”.