Taves Makes History Sampling Wizkid’s “Don’t Dull” on New Single “Uche Jumbo”

Taves just pulled off something no one else has dared to do—officially sampling one of Wizkid’s most untouchable classics. The Ibadan-born artist has dropped “Uche Jumbo,” a track that reimagines Wizkid’s 2011 anthem “Don’t Dull” for a whole new generation of Afrobeats listeners. This isn’t just another sample flip; it’s the first time anyone has gotten clearance to rework the iconic record that helped define Nigerian pop music over a decade ago.

Produced by Arieenati and OG Sterling, “Uche Jumbo” takes the beloved melody from “Don’t Dull” and transforms it into something entirely fresh. Taves doesn’t simply recreate the original—he rebuilds it from the ground up, layering his own vocal stylings and contemporary production over the foundation Wizkid laid back in the early 2010s. The result is a bridge connecting two distinct eras of Afrobeats: the pioneering sound that put the genre on the map and the boundary-pushing experimentation happening right now. By tackling such a legendary track, Taves is making a bold statement about where he sees himself in the lineage of Nigerian music.

Anyone who’s followed Taves knows he’s never been one to play it safe. From his early days creating acoustic covers that went viral to his eclectic mix of mainstream Afrobeats, trap-influenced R&B, and experimental production, the artist has always resisted being boxed in. His 2024 project “Are You Listening?” showcased his refusal to follow predictable formulas, and “Uche Jumbo” continues that tradition. Released through the Mother Africa Reigns Supreme (MARS) imprint, this single proves Taves isn’t interested in simply respecting Afrobeats history—he’s here to reshape it on his own terms.

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