Azekel ft: Ebo Taylor - Love & Death Part 2 (Single)

Nigerian-born, London-raised artist Azekel reveals his latest track ‘Love & Death Part 2’ ft. Ebo Taylor taken from his forthcoming mixtape ‘Analyze Love’ (out March 17). Moses Boyd, Charlie Stacey and Sheila Maurice-Grey all lend their magic touches too. The track is out now on all good streaming platforms via Mr Eazi’s EmPawa Africa label.

The fourth track to drop from Azekel’s long-awaited mixtape ‘Analyze Love’, ‘Love & Death Part 2’ sees the artist collaborate with none other than guitarist, composer, bandleader, record producer and arranger: the esteemed Ghanaian Ebo Taylor. Originally recorded in Ghana, he called upon a stellar band of supremely talented artists when he returned home to London – including Moses Boyd on drums, Charlie Stacey on keys and Sheila Maurice-Grey from Kokoroko on horns – to add a completely unique spin on the original. Following the success of releases Dupé, Palm Wine Dreamz and Just Expectationz, Azekel continues the narrative of masculine love and humility through the eyes of a Black man.

Analyze Love is a 15-track mixtape recorded across London and Ghana during the Covid-19 lockdown, showcasing Azekel’s deft production, songwriting and vocal abilities. Exploring notions of love ranging from romance to parenthood to kinship and community, it’s all expressed from Azekel’s vantage point as a British-Nigerian. The first of a three-part trilogy of projects, the artist called upon Grammy winner Om’mas Keith to executively produce all three records to be released on Mr Eazi’s ever-lauded imprint EmPawa Africa. Experiencing a wide range of emotions during the recording of the album, he tapped into the complex yet natural concepts of masculinity – at once strong and tender, proud and humble, expressive and restrained. “It was good to tap into these emotions, I think it's something that isn’t done often and needs to be done more, it's a specific nuanced emotion that isn’t regularly explored”, the artist states.