Nigerian Afro-R&B singer FOLA joins forces with British-Nigerian act Darkoo on “Hold U Down,” a smooth cut built for late nights. The song sits on his sophomore album, 9, which landed on Friday, October 9. It is one of fourteen tracks on the project.
The record pairs FOLA with Darkoo for one of the album’s featured spots. But the guest list does not stop there. Davido, Ayra Starr, BNXN, Bella Shmurda, and Zlatan all appear elsewhere on 9. So the project spreads across several sounds and moods.
FOLA, born Afolarin Odunlami, broke through with “alone” and signed to Bella Shmurda’s Dangbana Republik. His debut album, Catharsis, arrived in September 2025. While his early work leaned into soulful Afropop, he keeps moving between Afrobeats and R&B.
“Hold U Down” fits that range well. Because the tempo stays warm and unhurried, it works for quiet evenings or a long drive. Yet it still carries enough pull to sit among the album’s bigger names.
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