Fireboy DML’s ZUKO! lands Friday with Masicka, Lojay and Thukuthela on 13 tracks
Fireboy DML's fifth album arrives on Friday, 16 October, through YBNL Nation and EMPIRE, with dancehall and South African guests on a 13-track list.
By John Christian Mmaduabuchi, Chief Editor
· · Video
The gist in 30 seconds
- Fireboy DML's fifth studio album, ZUKO!, was released on Friday, 16 October 2026, through YBNL Nation and EMPIRE.
- The 13-track list, reported by Premium Times on 15 October 2026 and matched by the album's Spotify listing, features Lojay, Masicka, JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela, and Judah Earl.
- The singles "CLAAT!" with Masicka, released on 7 August 2026, and "IMALI" with JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela lead into his first album since Adedamola in 2024.
Updated 10:32 WAT, 16 Oct 2026: ZUKO! has now been released, and its Spotify listing shows the same 13 tracks in the same order.
Fireboy DML’s fifth studio album, ZUKO!, is out. It was released on Friday, 16 October 2026, through YBNL Nation and EMPIRE, BellaNaija reported. Its 13-song tracklist, first reported by Premium Times on Thursday, includes features from Lojay, the Jamaican dancehall star Masicka, the South African artists JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela, and Judah Earl.
The album’s Spotify page lists the same 13 songs in the same order. Apple Music had listed it for release on 16 October with a “℗ 2026 YBNL Nation / EMPIRE” credit.
Why it matters
ZUKO! is Fireboy’s first album since Adedamola in 2024. Its two most recent singles reach beyond Afrobeats: “CLAAT!”, with Masicka, brings in dancehall, while “IMALI” draws on South Africa’s 3-step sound, Premium Times and Notjustok reported. Premium Times said “IMALI” has entered the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart.
What is on the tracklist?
According to Premium Times, the album runs in this order, which matches its Spotify listing:
- 1. DEAR FATHER (featuring Judah Earl)
- 2. BY FIRE!
- 3. CLAAT! (featuring Masicka)
- 4. GODDESS (featuring Lojay)
- 5. C’EST LA VIE
- 6. IMALI (featuring JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela)
- 7. ONE MAN REGIMENT
- 8. KILOWI
- 9. ONAZO!
- 10. S.L.U.T (SEX LOVE UNDERSTANDING TRUST)
- 11. LIGHT OF DAWN
- 12. MIMI NAWE
- 13. FIGHTING
Two songs that BellaNaija and DancehallMag listed among his releases before “IMALI”, “Dopamine” and “Story”, are not on it.
How did the album come together?
Fireboy first teased ZUKO! in July with a cinematic clip of himself in a red suit and blood-stained bandages on an empty highway, ending on a licence plate that reads “ZUKO”, Notjustok reported at the time. The announcement drew more than 1.3 million views on X, the site said.
“CLAAT!” followed on Friday, 7 August, announced on his verified X account with the words “CLAAT! w @MasickaMusic OUT NOW!”, Peoples Gazette reported. Rema was among those who cheered the release publicly, the paper said. “IMALI”, also released through YBNL and EMPIRE, came in September, according to Notjustok. Fireboy confirmed the 16 October date on Instagram in early October, DancehallMag reported.
Why is it called ZUKO!?
The title nods to Prince Zuko, the character from the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Premium Times reported. Red runs through the campaign, from a tailored red suit to a YouTube series called The Red Couch Session: ZUKO!, the paper said.
Where does it fit in his catalogue?
Fireboy, born Adedamola Adefolahan, signed to YBNL Nation in 2018 and released his debut album, Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps, in 2019, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. Apollo followed in 2020, Playboy in 2022 and Adedamola in 2024. His single “Peru” brought him international recognition, according to NAN.
What happens next
ZUKO! is now streaming, including on Spotify. Watch for how its songs perform on the Official Nigeria Top 100, where “IMALI” has already charted, according to Premium Times. On Monday, 12 October, Fireboy posted a 32-minute video, The Red Couch Session: ZUKO!, on his official YouTube channel.
Sources
We checked this story against these sources. How we check
- Premium Times: Fireboy unveils 13-track 'ZUKO!' album tracklist (15 Oct 2026)
- Apple Music: ZUKO! – Album by Fireboy DML (pre-release, 16 Oct 2026)
- BellaNaija: Fireboy DML Sets October 16 Release Date for Fifth Album "ZUKO!" (2 Oct 2026)
- DancehallMag: Fireboy DML Sets October 16 Release for Fifth Album 'ZUKO!' (3 Oct 2026)
- Notjustok: Fireboy DML goes 3-step on 'IMALI' with JAZZWLRD & Thukuthela (17 Sep 2026)
- Notjustok: What are fans saying as Fireboy DML ushers in a new era with ZUKO? (17 Jul 2026)
- News Agency of Nigeria: Fireboy DML sets Aug. 7 release date for 'CLAAT!' (30 Jul 2026)
- Peoples Gazette: Fireboy DML releases hit single 'CLAAT!' (7 Aug 2026)
- BellaNaija: Fireboy DML's Fifth Studio Album "ZUKO!" Is Here (16 Oct 2026)
- Spotify: ZUKO! – Fireboy DML (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
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John Christian Mmaduabuchi is a Nigerian filmmaker, creative director, and media professional with extensive experience in digital storytelling, visual journalism, and contemporary media. His Journalism interests span Nigerian and African current affairs, entertainment, culture, technology, lifestyle, media, and the people shaping public conversation. With a background in film direction and documentary production, he brings a strong visual and narrative perspective to editorial work, with particular attention to context, clarity, and compelling storytelling. John is also a creative entrepreneur focused on storytelling, entertainment, culture, and digital content. His professional experience across directing, cinematography, editing, media strategy, and emerging AI technologies gives him a broad understanding of how stories are created, distributed, and consumed in the digital age. At GistMatrix, John contributes to the development and presentation of timely, engaging, and relevant stories for a contemporary audience. His approach to editorial work is grounded in accuracy, context, responsible storytelling, and a commitment to covering stories that matter.
