When you talk about artists who have gracefully evolved while staying true to their roots, Adekunle Gold is a name that stands tall. AG Baby, a fuji maestro for a reason.
He started off as the “urban highlife” prince under YBNL and has grown into one of the most refined and stylish voices in today’s Afrobeats scene. AG baby has since been blending Fuji, highlife, pop, and soulful storytelling and this has earned him a lasting legacy.
Let’s take a classy walk through his journey.
Humble Beginnings: From Graphic Designer to Gold
Born Adekunle Kosoko, a descendant of the royal Kosoko family of Lagos, Adekunle Gold didn’t begin his career in a recording studio. In fact, he was a talented graphic designer. If you ever saw some of YBNL’s cover arts from back in the day, there’s a chance AG Baby designed them.
In 2015, he made a striking entrance into the Nigerian music scene with his debut single “Sade“, a soulful highlife rendition of One Direction’s “Story of My Life.” The song wasn’t just a cover; it was a bold artistic statement. Soon after, he signed with Olamide’s YBNL Nation.
Adekunle Gold’s first album, “Gold” (2016), dropped while he was still under YBNL. The 16-track project was a beautiful blend of Yoruba highlife, storytelling, and love ballads. Songs like “Orente,” “Pick Up,” and “Ariwo Ko” painted him as a soft-spoken, culture-rooted gentleman in a music industry full of pop heavyweights.
His time under YBNL was crucial. It gave him a platform, resources, and visibility. But even more importantly, it showed Nigeria a different flavor of pop, one that had Fuji, highlife, and emotional depth all rolled into one.
One of the most beautiful parts of Adekunle Gold’s journey is his relationship with fellow artist Simi. They’ve created musical magic together from “No Forget” on his debut album to “By You”, and most recently “Look What You Made Me Do” off his latest album “Tequila Ever After”.
Reinvention and Global Sound
After leaving YBNL, Adekunle Gold rebranded. No longer just the soft-spoken crooner in native attire, he returned as AG Baby, a bold, stylish, and genre-bending star. His sophomore album “About 30” (2018) showed artistic growth, touching on themes of purpose, faith, and heartbreak.
Then came “Afro Pop Vol. 1” in 2020, a complete sonic switch. With hits like “Something Different“ and “AG Baby”, Adekunle proved he could flirt with pop, Afrobeat, and Caribbean sounds without losing himself. His writing got sharper, his melodies got catchier, and his global appeal grew stronger.
Let’s not ignore the visuals. Adekunle Gold has become a fashion king in his own right, bold prints, tailored suits, crop tops, beads, boots; you name it. He wears fashion like music: with confidence, creativity, and class. Every red carpet or video shoot feels like a runway. He isn’t just an artist; he’s a brand.
In 2022, he surprises us with another album, “Catch Me If You Can”, a project that shows how Adekunle Gold is confident and creative. It’s an album full of bold sounds, smooth vocals, and strong storytelling.
Released in 2023, “Tequila Ever After” is Adekunle Gold’s most colorful and adventurous album yet. With songs like “Party No Dey Stop,” “Ogaranya,” “Do You Mind?”, and “Falling Up”, AG Baby celebrates life, self-love, and freedom. It’s an album you can dance to, reflect with, and simply enjoy. His sound is now truly global, but still proudly African.
A Fuji Heart in an Afrobeats World
Despite his pop evolution, Adekunle Gold has never lost his Fuji roots. You can still hear it in his vocal delivery, his use of traditional percussion, and his call-and-response style. He’s brought Fuji to younger audiences in a modern way, proof that cultural music doesn’t have to stay in the past to be powerful.
He may not label himself a Fuji artist, but his respect and nods to legends like K1 De Ultimate, Saheed Osupa and Pasuma are clear. He carries the Fuji spirit, street-born, Yoruba-rich, and full of rhythm, into every beat he touches.
Over the years, AG Baby has worked with artists like Davido (“High”), Lucky Daye (“Sinner”), Ty Dolla $ign, Pharell Williams, and Zinoleesky. His features are always classy, never noisy, always soulful. His sound has influenced a new wave of “alté-pop” artists who now blend traditional African music with global sounds.
Adekunle Gold’s lyrical pen is one of the best in the business. From heartfelt ballads to vibey anthems, his writing connects deeply, especially when he sings about love, growth, and life.
Fuji is Adekunle Gold’s sixth studio album, released in October 2025. The title Fuji is both literal and symbolic, a direct nod to the Fuji genre and other indigenous Yoruba sounds, while also standing for “Finding Uncharted Journeys Inside.”
Fuji is a strong and worthy addition to Adekunle Gold’s discography. It may not replicate what some old Fuji fans dream of, but it doesn’t pretend to either, the art is in its reinterpretation. If you like music that honors culture but isn’t trapped in it, songs that make you think as well as dance, Fuji delivers. It’s a bridge between past and future, between tradition and new expression.