By Obed David
Billboard has shared its list of best R&B albums of 2024, with Nigeria’s Tems occupying the second position for her debut ‘Born in the Wild’.
And ‘Mutt’, by American musician and actor Leon Thomas, released on 27 September ranks first.
Other entries on the list include Chris Brown’s ‘11:11’ (Deluxe), which occupies the 10th position; Bryson Tiller’s ‘eponymous’ album placed ninth; Marsha Ambrosius got eighth spot with ‘Casablanco’ and Laila!’s ‘Gap Year’! is seventh.
Others are NxWorries’s ‘Why Lawd?’ occupying the sixth position, PartyNextDoor’s ‘PartyNextDoor 4’ at number five, Muni Long’s ‘Revenge’ is number four, and Ravyn Lenae’s ‘Bird’s Eye’ is number three.
Tems’ debut album, released in June 2024 via RCA Records/Since ’93, featured collaborations with Afrobeats star Asake and US rapper J. Cole.
Reviewing the album, Premium Times described it as a ‘‘confident debut that cements her place in the global music scene, reaffirming her roots and influences’’.
Beyond the album’s impact, the singer has had an impressive run in 2024, especially in the US, where she is based. She performed at Coachella, headlined her first international tour by the same name and earned three Grammy nods: best global album, best R&B song (‘Burning’) and best African music performance (‘Love Me JeJe’).
