Throughout 2023, Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy has been dropping singles off his forthcoming seventh album, I Told Them…, and yesterday, he delivered one last song before the project’s scheduled release this week. It’s called “Cheat On Me,” and it features U.K. rapper Dave, whom Burna Boy teamed with for the 2019 smash “Location,” off Dave’s album PSYCHODRAMA. Fans are evidently glad to have this duo back together—“Cheat On Me” shot into the Top 5 of the Genius Top Songs chart.
Produced by LiTek and whYJay, “Cheat On Me” features a sped-up sample of British singer-songwriter Kwabs’ 2015 track “Cheating On Me.” It’s heard in the intro and the chorus.
Ah, and I couldn’t see, I was cheating on, cheating on me
Ah, and I couldn’t see, I was cheating on, cheating on me
Ah, and I couldn’t see, I was cheating on, cheating on me
On the first verse, Burna Boy—who’s faced visa issues in North America, Australia, and the U.K.—makes the case for why he and his crew should be allowed to travel the world.
Getting bigger, oh, I swear down
Make embassy no deny my people visa, oh
No be Taliban, oh, no be Al-Qaeda, oh
And they do not intend to permanently leave town
Dave takes the second verse and touches on his own difficulty obtaining travel visas. He might also be reflecting on his family history. The rapper is the son of Nigerian immigrants, and in 1998, his father was deported to Nigeria for visa issues. Dave’s mother stayed in the country to raise her three sons.
For the fact I had to fight for my visa
I’m swiping my Visa
Kilonshele, said Kilogram, kilometre
My woman got incredible features
Dave has come a long way from those humble beginnings. As he describes his posh lifestyle, he nods to Ghanaian football great Asamoah Gyan, who famously missed a crucial penalty kick in the 2010 World Cup by hitting the top bar of the goal.
Hennessy, Casamigos, it’s all in the car
I’m Asamoah Gyan, the way I hit the bar
Fine boy, no pimple, no tats
I got a V12 under the bonnet, she got plaits
I’m Mario, my princess got a peach
In my Rolls-Royce seats, so repeat
“Cheat On Me” arrived with a music video packed with travel and concert footage. I Told Them… is slated to arrive this Friday, August 25.
You can read all the lyrics to “Cheat On Me” on Genius now.
