A breakthrough masterpiece from Nigerian pop hitmaker Davido, 2019’s A Good Time celebrates its fifth anniversary this month. Featuring a huge cast of guest stars and producers, the album has grown a legacy as one of its genre’s milestones over the last half decade, and still feels just as essential today. 

Born in Atlanta and raised in Lagos, Davido is one of the key pioneering figures in the runaway rise of Afrobeats outside of Africa. He released his debut album Omo Baba Olowo in 2012, and enjoyed success with a string of incendiary singles. However, it took seven years growing as an artist and producer to create his critically acclaimed follow-up A Good Time, cementing his reputation as one of Afrobeats most important and influential figures. 

Recorded in Atlanta, Davido wanted to incorporate a range of genres alongside the album’s trademark Afrobeats sound. He worked with all Nigerian producers, with the exception of American artist and producer London on da Track, who co-produced D&G, a wavy sun-kissed single which features his wife, Atlanta-based singer Summer Walker. 

Released on November 22nd 2019, the album picked up instant critical acclaim from international press, including the prestigious Best New Music tag on Pitchfork, who called it “a buoyant, unsinkable record, one of the genre’s finest ever.”

The cover features a vibrant collage, akin to The Last Supper, which includes his father and a sculpture of his late mother. The title is both a reference to the rise in popularity of Afrobeats and his place in life as a new father. 

The album’s first single, If, was certified diamond in South Africa and won two awards, Best Pop Single and Song of the Year at The Headies, Nigeria’s flagship music awards ceremony. Follow-up release Fall, which samples a line from Kojo Funds’ Dun Talkin’, was a top ten record on Shazam in New York upon release. 

The album also features guest appearances from the likes of A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Popcaan and Chris Brown, who joined Davido on fourth single Blow My Mind. The accompanying clip was directed by filmmaker, activist, and entrepreneur Edgar Esteves. Upon its release it amassed more views in its first 24 hours than any Nigerian music video before it. 

Following the release of the record, Davido had a large North American tour scheduled, but it was unfortunately postponed due to the pandemic. Davido donated proceeds from his D&G music video to the Dolce & Gabbana and Humanitas Together for Coronavirus Research Fund.

The album has been certified twice platinum in South Africa. This month Davido will toast his thirty-second birthday and the record’s fifth anniversary with a celebratory concert in Atlanta. “With so many friends and family in the area, Atlanta is like a second home to me, so there was no better spot to throw my birthday party. We’re doing it bigger than ever though, and I can’t wait for everybody to see what we’ve got planned,” he said in a statement. Announced as Davido & Friends, he hasn’t commented on who might guest, but given the album’s star-studded cast and his connections, it’s sure to be a massive party.