Words by: Blossom Maduafokwa

After a year of solid singles and international collaborations, Ghanaian rapper M.anifest has come to round off the summer with his latest track “La Vida.”

With six studio albums, countless awards, and top-class collaborations under his belt, M.anifest has been a consistent trailblazer in Ghanaian and African music at large - one who arguably has nothing more to prove. This year, however, he has continued to bring the heat, dropping a slew of singles including “Confusion” with UK producer Juls, “We Dey Manage”, and “No Fear” with Chicago rapper Vic Mensa and Ghanaian-American singer Moliy. Most recently, he released the chilled summer track entitled “La Vida".

The track was released ahead of M.anifest’s upcoming project Madina To The Universe, “Madina” being a suburb of Accra, Ghana and the musician’s hometown. True to the track's title, “La Vida”’s pristine visuals take listeners back to M.anifest’s childhood home, while the lyrics take us through an alluring tale about summer love in Accra.

With calming piano at its introduction, a sophisticated beat laced with soothing vocals, M.anifest’s simple yet sly lyricism, and compelling production by Ghanaian mastermind Øbed, strikes a flawless balance between laid-back and upbeat. M.anifest also rides the beat effortlessly, switching from a slow rhythm in the chorus to a faster flow with the ease of one who has been doing this all his life. The visuals, too - complete with the tropical colours of the Madina beachside and the vibrance of vintage clothing - encapsulate everything summer.

Most importantly, “La Vida” depicts Madina in its fullness - showing everything from a beachside party to a game of checkers with Ghanaian locals to a football match in a compound. M.anifest does not forgo his upbringing but, instead, puts it in full relief, making sure that Madina is, indeed, shown to the universe. This staunch authenticity is the exact tool that has set M.anifest apart from the beginning of his career, and it is something that no amount of fame has been able to shake from him. The local nature of the visuals injects the track with a warm nostalgia that makes it even more irresistible. In essence, “La Vida” and its music video are a crucial end-of-summer package, and their beauty only hints at the magic M.anifest has prepared for us in his upcoming tape.

Stream “La Vida” here.

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