As one of the foundational blocks of Afrobeats, the futuristic sonics and ribald virtuosity of fújì have always been appreciated as a map for the sound’s future. With a resurgence of interest in fújì over the last few years, the genre has received a new lease of life perhaps best exemplified by the rise to prominence of oSHAMO. The London-based singer pays homage to the storied history of the genre while putting new spins on the sound, just as innovators like Alhaji Ayinde Barrister, K1 De Ultimate and Adewale Ayuba did decades ago. On I D R I S, oSHAMO’s swaggering embrace of fújì reaches a new intensity, capturing a zest for the oral genre that is matched by his lyrical proficiency. Across I D R I S, oSHAMO deftly blurs the line between tradition and modernity with a jolt of youthful energy that keeps things ticking. The result is a seven-song set that confidently explores resilience, love and gratitude with influences from R&B and amapiano. An emotive, choral-inspired grass-to-grace story on “Hallelujah” leads to “Magba”, where oSHAMO channels the bombast of the TikTok-led street pop subgenre, mara, for a call to persevere. His ease with fújì convention is evident on “Owo (Olomoge)”, helming a party summons that is a stylistic throwback to the genre’s golden age. Still, oSHAMO has his gaze on the future of fújì, as demonstrated by the twinkling keys and muffled drums on his homage to love, “Superfuji(GOBE)”, as well as the sweltering jazz-inspired flow that enlivens “Contour”. I D R I S is a vibrant snapshot that accurately approximates its creator’s love of fújì and reveals his ambition to write a new chapter in the sound’s history.