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When it comes to a movement that took over the internet as Covid19 emerged and people were trapped in their houses, ALTÉ comfortably sits on the crown of that life-changing era. Unapologetically coming from the region of Nigeria, it is a culture to reckon with and still prevails on the playlists of many music listeners today. At its peak, it ranked amongst the leading African genres such as Afrobeats, Afroswing, Amapiano and more- nodded for being the odd little brother of the bunch with a rebellious flare. In 2025, ALTÉ may have lost some of its momentum; however, as new voices rise and its influence extends across continents, Deeds has someone in mind you need to watch for and who will surely be a face of the new skool kids soon.
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To best explain what ALTÉ is, I believe it is what you make it. No seriously, just by being yourself, boundless of expression and not caring what others think is perhaps the most accurate definition of ALTÉ as we know it today. The ALTÉ kid isn’t afraid to do things out of the norm, in fact, it is celebrated for it. Also, it understands that rules are meant to be broken. At its center, there is the internet and it fully values the undeniably force behind this. Whether it is in music, fashion or simply just an aura, the ALTÉ kid doesn’t fall short of making its mark known. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that 00ab, a East Londoner of Yoruba descent, was the first emerging act to pop in mind when it comes to someone who follows a similar formula.
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That is to say, when we actually sat down with Abolaji Oshun, the young lad revealed that he wouldn’t consider himself an ALTÉ artist as he is not in direct communication with the likes of Cruel Santino, Mowalola, Odunsi the Engine and such. Maybe that is the thing with sounds without borders, the risk is anyone and anything can be categorized as part of this community, if not called out. When asked how he would best describe his sound, 00ab shared; “I like to explore and experiment with my music. I always like to be playful and thoughtful at the same time.” Just like any other kid in this day and age, Oshun got his first shot in the limelight through modelling. If it wasn’t already obvious, the aura is here and he manages to encapsulate viewers with his presence alone. Shortly after, this was followed by 00ab freestyling with friends. Even in the Lo-Fi and Boombap-sounding first tracks of the lad, we can hear him playing around with the thought of crossing a bridge, in fusion of Afrohouse, Amapiano and anything his heart may desire.
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Similar to the rise of ALTÉ, Oshun chose to transform his boredom and Uni days into a creative outlet, bending genres as he sees fit. However, when speaking of his music inspiration and what he would listen to in the early 2019, 00ab makes mention of A2, Cruel Santino, Skepta, Bryson Tiller and Frank Ocean. In a space of intangible access, collaborations play a key role in the evolution and maintenance of a genre still in development. Adam or AR888, a persistent beatmaker, producer and collaborator of 00abs. “I met Adam in 2021 and we just formed a friendship.” He added; “I can’t stress enough how important Adam is.” From tracks like `Geeked!’, ‘Senses!’ to ‘Took My Heart’, their collision is just immaculate and proves that as long as these multifaceted distinctive artists work with one another, the movement will only continue to grow.
00ab makes reference to drawing inspiration from ALTÉ, although not classifying himself as a member. Regardless, we believe 00ab would make a great candidate and future collaborator of this growing African community. From just a few listens, we can draw similarities and would understand why anyone would mistake him for one of the ALTÉ kids blazing our ears with pure uniqueness. We can’t wait to hear ‘ab, we wanna party!’ when it is set to release very soon.
