5 Years Of “Made In Lagos (Deluxe)” — The Album That Refused To Leave Us Alone
Some albums come, they slap for a season, then they fade into playlist archaeology. “Made In Lagos (Deluxe)” is not one of those albums. Today marks exactly five years since Wizkid dropped the deluxe edition, and honestly? The album still sound like say e just drop yesterday.
Wahala Network dey here to celebrate properly. Oya make we reminisce.
A Quick Refresher On The Gist
Let’s rewind small. The original “Made In Lagos” dropped on October 30, 2020, right in the thick of a global pandemic when the world needed something soft, sunny, and full of ease more than ever. The 14-track album carried by records like “Smile” with H.E.R., “No Stress,” and the eventual global smash “Essence” featuring Tems didn’t just do numbers, it redefined what Afrobeats could sound like on the world stage. Within a year, the album had crossed 1 billion streams and pulled in two Grammy nominations, cementing Wizkid’s status as one of the genre’s true architects.
Then, on August 27, 2021, exactly five years ago today, Wizkid returned with the deluxe edition adding fresh tracks to an already stacked project, including new guest appearances from Buju (now BNXN) and, most famously, a fresh “Essence” remix featuring Justin Bieber. That remix alone became a cultural moment of its own, climbing all the way to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 a genuinely rare feat for an African artist at the time, and one of the clearest signs that Afrobeats had officially entered the global mainstream conversation for good.
Why The Deluxe Still Hits Different
There’s something about “Made In Lagos (Deluxe)” that refuses to age. Maybe it’s the effortless blend of Afrobeats, R&B, and soul that P2J and the rest of the production team stitched together. Maybe it’s the way Wizkid’s voice floats over every beat like he’s not even trying, yet somehow every track still lands. Or maybe it’s simply timing an album that gave the world exactly the kind of warmth and escape it needed at exactly the right moment.
Whatever the formula was, it worked. The deluxe additions weren’t just bonus filler either tracks like the “Essence” remix expanded the album’s reach into rooms Nigerian music hadn’t fully broken into before, while still keeping the same laid-back, sun-soaked energy that made the original such a comfort listen.
The Legacy, Five Years Later
Half a decade later, “Made In Lagos” deluxe included still gets talked about as one of, if not the, defining Afrobeats album of its era. It set a benchmark that Wizkid himself has had to live up to with every project since, from “More Love, Less Ego” to last year’s deeply personal “Morayo.” Producers still study its sound. New artists still reference its influence. And fans still return to it, year after year, the way you’d return to a favorite home-cooked meal.
Now, The Big Question
Every “Made In Lagos” conversation eventually lands here: which song is THE song? Is it “Essence,” the record that quite literally changed the trajectory of Afrobeats on the global charts? Is it “Smile,” for that effortless H.E.R. collab energy? “Ginger” with Burna Boy, for pure vibes? Or are you a deluxe purist who swears by “Mood” featuring Buju, or one of the other bonus additions that only the real ones remember?
Wahala Network wan know drop your favorite track from “Made In Lagos (Deluxe)” in the comments. No dulling, everybody get their own answer, and we dey ready to argue about it all day.
Wahala Network Verdict
Album Longevity: Certified classic. Global Impact: Still being felt. Replay Value, Five Years Later: Undefeated.
