Rotimi is back on the music scene with a new song and visual. On Nov. 1, the Nigerian actor and singer dropped the music video for his new track “Bestie,” an Afrobeat banger that features an interpolated sample of the Fugees classic “Killing Me Softly.”
The 3-minute video captures the Power star playing tennis with a slew of sexy models as he flirts and serenades the athletic baddies.
On YouTube, fans flooded the comments section to show the artist love after the video dropped.
“This man always delivers, we need to give him his flowers,” wrote one stan.
Another user commented, “It’s the quality. It’s the video grading. It’s the simplicity. It’s the composition.”
A third fan said, “Love the Caribbean beat and the fun message. Music to get you on your feet and vibe!”
Before the debut, Rotimi took to Instagram Live Oct. 31 to chat with fans about the new single.
“I’m so excited. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had this type of energy and vibe. I’m in a great space where music is back to reflecting what I do best,” the 34-year-old star said.
In 2021, Rotimi released his debut studio album All or Nothing. The Afrobeat-infused project featured viral hits like “I Do” and the album’s self-titled track. That same year, the multi-talented celeb earned his first gold certification from the RIAA thanks to his hit single “In My Bed” featuring Wale.
However, Rotimi took a hiatus from the music scene after his historic year. During his Instagram Live session on Wednesday, the Nigerian hitmaker opened up about his brief departure from the industry.
“I got a whole new team and a whole new mindset about life. For a while, I wasn’t making the music that I was wanting to do because I was doing so many other things, and it was just me trying to balance everything, but the music itself was taking a backseat,” the singer explained.
“I went back to making melodies and went back to just being in a happy space with it. And shout out to my girl as well. You know, so that’s been very very helpful with the whole process of just being creative again,” the actor told fans on Instagram while giving a nod to his fiancée Vanessa Mdee.
“In this new space of making music ‘Bestie’ was the first record that came from all of this new sound.”
Rotimi, who wrote his new song in 30 minutes, revealed that he shares a close connection with Lauryn Hill. The interpolated vocal sample from Hill on the new track was his way of honoring the iconic singer’s legacy and the fact that they attended the same elementary and high school. Both Hill and Rotimi attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. They also shared some of the same mentors throughout their music careers, according to the singer.
“I always pay homage whenever I have an opportunity to,” Rotimi added. “It’s one of those songs that has a deep meaning to me. It’s representing the music I personally want to make again. It’s another timeless record.”
Check out Rotimi’s new music video for “Bestie” above.
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