British Nigerian artist Darkoo returned this week with her latest single, “Like Dat,” a track that blends Afrobeats and British hip-hop, her usual formula.
While the fusion remains signature to her sound, it doesn’t bring anything the excitement that has accompanied her previous works.
This release stood out during an otherwise underwhelming New Music Friday, mostly because there wasn’t much competition. The Nigerian music scene, which usually delivers back-to-back bangers, felt quiet this week.
Despite the traffic on social media trying to crown it a “song of the summer,” the track doesn’t quite live up to the hype. It’s catchy enough, sure, with a few memorable lines like “I like the things you do / Girl I’ll be good for you / I think I’m made for you / Hold me down always”, but that’s about as far as it goes.
The track doesn’t feature any elements that truly stand out or capture attention
Visually, the music video is vibrant and well-produced, clearly influenced by early 2000s aesthetics. Darkoo even credits Sean Paul as an inspiration.
“Sean Paul walked so I could catwalk, Had to pay homage to a classic Respectfully, I borrow am small, she posted on her X page.
The beat also clearly resembles P-Square’s “Do Me,” even though it’s not an official sample. This follows her recent feud with Peter Okoye (Mr P) over her earlier song “Focus on Me,” which sampled P-Square’s “Gimme Dat” and sparked a public dispute over credit and clearance.
Some may find comfort in her use of early 2000s samples, but for others, it only reinforces the notion that she’s leaning more on nostalgia rather than pushing boundaries with fresh, original music.
In response to someone suggesting she shouldn’t sample old songs again and asking if her new release would follow the same ‘sampling’ approach, she replied, “Sorry to burst your bubble, babe, but there’s no actual sample on this one. The essence is definitely to make it feel like the 2000s, but it’s not a sample. We’ve studied 2000s sounds & instruments for the past year! I HOPE YOU LIKE IT THO.”
Darkoo has proven herself before, with solid collaborations featuring the likes of Davido, Rema, Ayra Starr, Tion Wayne, and Black Sherif.
