Adekunle Gold - IRE

What this video is

Released in February 2018 as the lead single from Adekunle Gold's second studio album About 30 (Afro Urban Records), IRE arrives at a pivotal moment in the global rise of Afrobeats, when Nigerian artists were increasingly pairing commercial ambition with deeply personal, culturally specific storytelling. The song — whose title means 'goodness' or 'blessing' in Yoruba — blends English verses with Yoruba choral…

Why it matters

IRE is a landmark entry in Nigerian Urban Highlife, demonstrating how the genre can carry philosophical and autobiographical weight without sacrificing melodic accessibility. Its fusion of traditional Yoruba percussion, choral harmonics, and contemporary Afropop production — alongside a visually…

The director

Anietie James (known professionally as Ani James) is the founder and creative director of AJE Filmworks Limited, a registered Nigerian production company established in Lagos in October 2006. Born in Akwa Ibom, he later relocated to Lagos to pursue…