Ajebutter 22 is not your mate when it comes to this alté music thing; that man is your daddy. Way before artistes like Cruel Santino, Odunsi the Engine and Tems helped make alté music and culture popular, Ajebutter was dropping bangers people didn’t quite get but still loved.
With his new album, Soundtrack to the Good Life, featuring collaborations with Oxlade, Ajebo Hustlers and Ladipoe, I decided to look through Ajebutter’s collab discography and rank these songs based on how alté they are
Omo Pastor featuring BOJ
Eight years before Beyoncé made a song for church girls on Renaissance in 2022, Ajebutter 22 and BOJ dropped Omo Pastor, a hilarious song that describes the adventures of a pastor’s daughter they know. While Beyonce’s church girl can drop it like a thotty, Ajebutter’s omo pastor is the superior babe here, downing four bottles of beer in one sitting right after choir practice and prayer meeting.
Alté-ness of the song: 9/10. This was Ajebutter and BOJ’s first major hit, and even though many people weren’t used to the sound, it crossed over into mainstream culture big time. Shoutout to Seyi Shay for flying that fence in the video.
Serenre featuring Taymi B
You just had to be there when Ajebutter’s Serenre first hit the streets. No one knew what the song meant, but it was provocative, it got the people going. I remember hearing it for the first time on Ndani TV’s Gidi Up back in 2012 and going, “Whoa, who TF is this?” The sound was fresh and groundbreaking if we’re keeping it 100.
Alté-ness of the song: 8/10. This is Ajebutter 22’s Like to Party, his Dami Duro, his Ojuelegba — his game changer.
Damiloun featuring Show Dem Camp and BOJ
You know it’s a vibe when you see Show Dem Camp’s name on a track that opens with the line, “classic”. Teaming up with my fave rappers and his music husband, BOJ, Ajebutter 22 delivers a romantic bop that’s perfect for trad weddings. You can’t listen to Damiloun and not think of firewood jollof rice and aunties asking you when they’ll be coming to your own wedding.
Alté-ness of the song: 7/10. This song has all the OGs of alté music. Chelsea, come on now.
Tungba featuring BOJ
Another Ajebutter and BOJ record? Hell, yes! These two work so well together they’ve dropped two EPs over the years — Make E No Cause Fight in 2018, which had Tungba, and Make E No Cause Fight 2 with Falz.
Alté-ness of the song: 8/10. The fact that the word alté became a thing after BOJ mentioned it on Paper is enough to have Ajebutter’s BOJ features occupy the top 5.
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Enjoyment featuring Ajebo Hustlers
A song that finds Ajebutter 22 threatening his lover with an overdose of enjoyment? Inject it, please. In a collaboration destined to happen (Ajebutter 22 and Ajebo Hustlers, get it?) Ajebutter reminds his babe that the butter in his name isn’t there for decoration. My guy is really about that soft life.
Alté-ness of the song: 5/10. This might not be an alté song, but it’s my song for sure. I have an Ajebo Hustler bias.
Lekki featuring M.I Abaga and Odunsi the Engine
M.I Abaga’s 2017 EP, Rendezvous, was a big creative risk that paid off. After years of wearing Nigeria’s rap king crown, M.I pushed himself by working with artists like Nonso Amadi, Cruel Santino and Tomi Thomas, who were growing the alté scene at the time. But if there’s one track that stood out on that EP, it’s Lekki with Odunsi the Engine, Ajebutter 22 and Falz. Powered by a house-inspired beat, these men spend over four minutes coming for girls who prefer men who live in Lekki.
Alté-ness of the song: 4/10. Outside of the runs girl obsession, this song actually works. MI was able to curate a sound that appeals to his core fans and the alté crowd. None of the artistes sounded out of place, but maybe it’s because they were talking about something they seemed to be super passionate about.
Bad Gang featuring Falz
Remember when Ajebutter and Falz made themselves the morality police with Bad Gang in 2017? From those who love wearing all black and taking shots to those who don’t comb their hair (I’m bald, can’t relate), no one was safe from Falz and Ajebutter’s stray bullets. Bad Gang also started Falz and Ajebutter’s unnecessary obsession with runs girls.
Alté-ness of the song: 3/10. While Bad Gang is a bop, Falz was never an alté artist, and don’t get me started on that “body count going way up” line. We do not slut-shame in this house, dears.
Amapiano x Shisha featuring Toby Shang
Ajebutter 22 making amapiano music is shocking but still very much on brand. His signature baritone skates so seamlessly over the amapiano beat that I can’t imagine him doing anything else. This is one Ajebutter song that has the clubs in a chokehold.
Alté-ness of the song: 2/10. It’s not an alté song, but it slaps harder than pounded yam and efo riro. Something about Toby Shang shouting, “Amapiano is the rave right now” just sends me. Not him saying what we already know like it’s brand new information.
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