AQT fits his Nigerian heritage into his American reality [Review]

AQT’s debut album 'Olanrewaju' wears its name like a mission statement. The Yoruba word, which translates to “a steady advancement in wealth, status, and industry,” is the perfect title to capture the career of a rapper taking deliberate steps toward his purpose.

The project embodies Nigerian resilience, determination, and a hunger for success, conveyed through genre-blending music that reflects Afrobeats’ global ambitions.

The album opens with 'Journey', a track that announces itself with layered synths and urgent percussion before Leaf B’s vocals lift it into a captivating experience.

It sets the tone immediately. AQT is less interested in swagger for its own sake and more intent on tracing the distance between who he has been and who he is becoming.

From there, 'Olanrewaju' moves with restless energy. 'On Fire', he declares the eagerness with which he awaited his breakthrough. His sampling of Olu Maintain’s Nigerian classic 'Yahooze' is symbolic, a nod to wealth, enjoyment, and his desire to claim a place in the good life.

'Outside', featuring Ichaba, delivers one of the album’s most accessible grooves, built on tightly wound percussion and airy hooks.

It shows AQT’s instinct for crafting music that works just as well on the dancefloor as it does through headphones.

The variety across the project is one of its strongest points. One song leans on Fuji-inspired drum patterns, another draws from Arabian melodic phrasing, while others bend toward Western trap and R&B structures. This cultural blend feels natural for an artist who has lived his life in transit.

AQT is a Nigerian American, but he doesn’t carry himself like an outsider seeking validation. Instead, he wears his Yoruba identity with pride while embracing the ideals of his American upbringing.

It is a combination he hopes will help others in the diaspora merge their heritage with their present reality.

He declares this most clearly on 'Outside' and reinforces it throughout the album, where Afrobeats rhythms sit alongside hip-hop flows and Western production.

“I am going to win a Grammy one day,” he says on Many Inspiration, a track built on an American trap beat that carries strong echoes of Shallipopi’s 'Laho'.

Yet, for all his ambition and range, AQT sometimes struggles with originality. Several tracks sound like bold impressions of the stars who shaped him. On 'King', his singing straddles hip-hop, dancehall, and Afrobeats, but his delivery doesn’t fully convince listeners of where his strengths lie.

On 'Story for the Gods', punctuated with log drums, he sounds more like a cautious Atlanta trapper experimenting with Afrobeats than someone seamlessly merging both sounds.

Production-wise, AQT successfully brings a Western polish to Afrobeats, albeit occasionally feeling borrowed. 'Americana' carries a drum pattern reminiscent of Asake’s 'What’s Up My G'. 'Outside' recalls the bounce of Magicsticks’ famous Amapiano fusions, while ‘Many Inspiration’ leans heavily toward Shallipopi’s Laho'.

Overall, AQT’s debut does not pretend to have all the answers, but it signals where he is headed. ‘Olanrewaju’ is the offering of a rising star who is boldly taking pride in his Yoruba heritage while fitting it into his American reality. Through music, he is finding his place in both worlds and helping others like him do the same.

Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.4/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.3/2
Production: 1.3/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.3/2
Execution: 1.5/2

TOTAL - 6.8