It has taken over a decade, but the moment Nigerian music fans have been quietly waiting for has finally arrived. Adekunle Gold and Olamide, two of the most beloved figures to ever come out of the YBNL dynasty, have released their first ever collaboration. The single is titled “Formation,” and it is out now across all major streaming platforms.
The significance of this release cannot be overstated. While Adekunle Gold’s career was launched under Olamide’s YBNL Nation imprint in 2015, the two had never appeared on a song together, a fact that had been a quiet point of curiosity among fans for nearly a decade. That wait is now over.
In a heartfelt message shared online ahead of the release, Adekunle Gold reflected on his journey with his mentor, Olamide, tracing their relationship back to a defining moment long before his mainstream breakthrough.
His words carried the weight of everything the collaboration represents. “In 2014, he heard one song and that was enough,” Gold wrote. “He gave me a chance when all I had was a dream and a voice, and he took me out of the country for the first time in my life. Formation is more than a song; it is a legacy and brotherhood. A reminder that wherever life takes us, we still share the same roots, the same spirit, and the same love.”
The bond between the two stars actually predates Adekunle Gold’s singing career. Before finding fame with his debut hit “Sade,” Gold was famously the King of Photoshop, serving as YBNL’s official graphic designer and creating the iconic label logo still in use today. The story of mentor and protégé runs deeper than most fans may have realised.
“Formation” delivers exactly what the pairing promises. The fuji inspired record mixes AG Baby’s smooth, soulful delivery alongside Olamide’s signature street-smart rap flow, forging an undeniable party (owambe) banger.
Since leaving YBNL in 2016, Adekunle Gold evolved from his alternative highlife roots into a globally recognized Afrobeats act with multiple albums and international collaborations. Meanwhile, Olamide has remained a dominant force in Nigeria’s music industry, expanding YBNL into a leading platform and continuing to mentor a new generation of artists. Two paths that grew separately are now, as the title implies, back in formation.
“Formation” is out now. Stream it everywhere.