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Imohiosen Patrick, known professionally as DJ Neptune, is an award-winning Nigerian producer and DJ who parlayed a successful radio disc jockey gig into a prosperous music career. Combining elements of hip-hop, R&B, house, dancehall, and Afrobeat, Neptune issued a string of crowd-pleasing mixtapes and singles before releasing his debut studio LP, Greatness, in 2018.

A native of Lagos State, Neptune took to music early, entertaining friends, family, and neighbors while barely into his double-digits. By the time he was in high school Neptune was spinning wherever he could, from school parties and clubs to fast-food restaurants. He went pro in 2001 after joining the team at 100.5 FM Lagos, where he would spend the next decade influencing and entertaining.

Popular Nigerian rapper Naeto C hired Neptune as his own personal DJ and hype man in 2008, and the two began issuing promotional mixtapes to expand the brand. Following in the footsteps of other regional DJs who morphed into recording artists like M.I Abaga, the late Dagrin, and Naeto C, Neptune began expanding his own musical vision, releasing a string of remixes and singles featuring some of the Nigerian hip-hop and DJ community's biggest names, all while taking home multiple trophies at the NEAs (Nigerian Entertainment Awards).

In 2018 he released his first full-length effort, the star-studded, club anthem-heavy Greatness, which included guest spots from the likes of Jesse Jagz, M.I Abaga, Burna Boy, DaVido, Olamide, Maleek Berry, and Skales, among others. A remix EP, Love and Greatness, arrived one year later, and in 2020 he dropped a pair of feel-good singles, "Yoyo (feat. Shaggi)" and "Nobody (feat. Joeboy and Mr. Eazi)." That same year saw Neptune release The Quarantine Playlist, a four-song collaboration with singer, songwriter, and entertainer Teni. ~ James Christopher Monger

Afrobeats singer/songwriter/dancer Qing Madi has gained viral attention at home and abroad with singles like 2022’s “See Finish” and 2023’s “Why,” which are both featured on her 2023 self-titled EP.

Born Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma in Nigeria, Qing Madi was encouraged to sing by her mother, a former singer/dancer herself. While participating in school talent shows and her church choir, and winning local awards as a ballet dancer, Madi self-released several EPs as a teenager. Her big break finally came in 2022, when she signed to the local label Jton Music, which soon inked a distribution deal with Columbia Records. Debut single “See Finish,” released that same year, conjured a late-‘90s/early-2000s R&B style with modern Afrobeats rhythms, and became a viral hit on TikTok. Its upbeat follow-up “Why” continued Madi's success at home. “See Finish,” “Why,” and a third viral single, “Ole” -- a streaming chart-topper throughout Africa -- were all featured on Madi's self-titled debut EP, released in late 2023. ~ Mike Duquette