ONERPM MARKS FIVE YEARS IN NIGERIA WITH OCTOBER HIT PARADE

Afrobeat

On the evening of February 20, 2025, Lagos’ creative and business elite gathered at SORA, the sleek rooftop venue in Victoria Island, to toast a milestone: five years of ONErpm’s operations in Nigeria. Since its 2020 launch, the label and distribution powerhouse has empowered hundreds of Nigerian artists with global infrastructure, helping turn local movements into international phenomena.

 

The celebration reached its apex with a speech from Emmanuel Zunz, ONErpm’s founder and CEO, on his first visit to Nigeria. “We’re going to double down on our investment in Africa, and Nigeria in particular,” Zunz declared to a room of artists, executives, and media. “You inspire me.”

 

That commitment crystallized this October with the label’s “Afrobeats Global Push 2025” initiative, a coordinated rollout of three landmark albums from Lagos, each embodying a different dimension of Nigeria’s musical future. Leveraging ONErpm’s full-stack capabilities, global distribution, data-driven marketing, sync licensing, and DSP playlist strategy, these releases are destined not just for local resonance but for worldwide cultural impact.

Bella Shmurda – Sanity (October 3 | ONErpm)

 

Since his 2019 breakout on Olamide’s “Vision 2020” remix, Bella Shmurda has built a following on raw emotional honesty, a vulnerability rare in street-pop. With Sanity, he trades urgency for equilibrium. “They say heavy is the head that wears the crown,” he reflects. “This album is about holding on to yourself through chaos.”

 

The 16-track project weaves Fuji, Apala, and contemporary Afropop into a soundscape both ancestral and forward-looking. Standout collaborations include “Fuji Fusion,” featuring Fuji legend K1 De Ultimate, and “Bounce,” featuring chart-topping artist Seyi Vibez, which bridges generations and subgenres.

 

Fueled by ONErpm’s global campaign, Sanity generated 30 million streams worldwide on day one and reached #7 on Spotify’s Top Albums Global Chart on release day, according to official Spotify data, a rare feat for a Nigerian artist outside the established global tier. The success underscores ONErpm’s ability to amplify homegrown fanbases to reach worldwide audiences through targeted DSP amplification and cross-territory marketing.

Peruzzi – Sabali (October 10 | ONErpm)

 

Long hailed as a songwriter’s songwriter, crafting hits for Davido, Burna Boy, and more, Peruzzi steps fully into the spotlight with Sabali — a title drawn from the Bambara word for “calm endurance,” widely used across West Africa as a mantra of quiet resilience.

 

After years of refinement and whispers that he’d been “written off”, Peruzzi delivers on the proverb: “All good things come to those who wait.” The album blends soulful R&B, Afrobeats, and Afro-fusion with masterful restraint. Standouts include “Mad Oh” featuring The Cavemen, the tender “You” featuring Kemuel, and “ANTR” alongside veteran Timaya, a bridge between eras.

 

His 2025 singles “Mad Me” and “Die It” already found homes on Apple Music’s Afrobeats R&B playlists; now, Sabali is being positioned for global impact, with ONErpm leading coordinated Africa, U.S. radio outreach and international press campaigns.

Zlatan – Symbol of Hope (October 17 | ONErpm)

 

With Symbol of Hope, Zlatan transcends his legacy. No longer just the architect of the Zanku dance or the voice of Ikorodu’s streets, he emerges here as a self-made entrepreneur and cultural strategist. The album reframes his journey not as a rags-to-riches tale, but as a blueprint of self-belief in action.

 

Fueled by the success of “Get Better” (featuring Fola), a Top 10 hit on Billboard’s US Afrobeats Songs Chart and #2 on Nigeria’s Official Top 100, with more than 200K Tiktok creates, the album expands his sonic palette without losing its kinetic energy. Highlights include “Demons” (featuring Qing Madi), the euphoric “Bebe” (featuring Victony), and “Hip Hop Messiah” (featuring Davido), a declaration of Afrobeats’ global dominance.

 

Supported by ONErpm’s end-to-end global rollout, including U.S. media placements, sync moments, and multi-platform playlist campaigns, Symbol of Hope reimagines street-hop for the world stage: confident, communal, and unapologetically Nigerian.

 

Why This Moment Matters

 

The back-to-back release of Sanity, Sabali, and Symbol of Hope, all under ONErpm’s banner, signals a new phase in Afrobeats’ global journey. No longer reliant on a handful of megastars, the genre’s next wave thrives on artistic diversity, cultural authenticity, and infrastructure-enabled ambition.

 

As Zunz affirmed in Lagos, ONErpm’s bet on Nigeria isn’t just about music; it’s about amplifying African narratives on their own terms. With its “Afrobeats Global Push 2025,” the company isn’t merely distributing albums. It’s helping write the next chapter of global popular culture, one song at a time.