On a cool evening in Toronto, I joined a tightly-knit crowd of fans gathered in a cosy listening space. Soft chatter filled the air but our attention soon fell on the music: Show Dem Camp’s latest album, ‘Afrika Magik’, and the carefully curated world it unveils. These listening parties, which have been hosted in cities across the globe in the run up to the release, are living reflections of the community the duo have built since dropping their first mixtape back in 2010. Since then, their trajectory has read like a blueprint for persistence in Nigerian hip hop. Ghost (Olumide Ayemi) and Tec (Wale Davies) met as university students with a shared love for rap, navigating a scene that largely ignored their genre. Over time, they’ve not only carved out their own lane but created an entire ethos. “We built a community from the ground up,” Ghost tells me. “We’re proud of our releases and what we’ve contributed to the culture.”

Their early projects were experiments in identity and craft. The ‘Clone Wars’ series was a space for them to flex creatively and socially. Later, the ‘Palm Wine’ series was a sonic portrait of Lagos capturing its moods, rhythms and contradictions. Palm Wine has also become an itinerant annual music festival in Lagos, London and NYC. And now, hot on the heels of their support slot with Miss Lauryn Hill, comes ‘Afrika Magik’ – a mature work that carries the weight of the duo’s experience while still embracing curiosity and sonic exploration.

Here, women’s voices play a central role, including interludes nodding to the Nollywood stars who have pushed the industry forward. This reflects a cinematic sensibility to the whole project. “The album respects the narrative structure of a film: different scenes for different moods,” Tec says, adding that the album is calm and contemplative, a mirror of their own milestones: the quiet victories and lessons learnt as they’ve navigated both the industry and their own life paths. Likewise, the title nods to Africa Magic, the entertainment channel many grew up watching. Tec describes it as an homage to a DIY spirit that has always shaped their artistry. “We see parallels with early Nollywood where young people picked up cameras and started creating without a formal industry. That independence mirrors our journey in music.”

Collaboration has always been central to their work (from The Cavemen and Burna Boy to Bellah and Amaarae) and on ‘Afrika Magik’ they continue to approach it with that same care. “Not every collaboration works,” Tec explains. “It’s not about names, it’s about who fits the story we’re trying to tell.” A playful feature comes from Ajebutter22 on ‘Small Chops and Champers’ while Tems adds her haunting vocals to ‘You Get Me’. Boj appears alongside Joey B on the single ‘Normally’, Taves lends his voice to the driving track ‘Pressure’ and Moonchild Sanelly injects her kinetic energy into ‘Magik’. Elsewhere Lusanda, Winny, Mereba, Lulu and Moelogo also appear. Each collaboration adds a distinct colour to the duo’s ever-evolving sound while avoiding gimmicks or chasing trends. The duo’s ability to let the music lead has defined a career rooted in intention and longevity.

While the new music is polished and precise, there is a quiet reckoning with legacy and influence. Nigerian rap, once the “uninvited cousin at the party,” as they put it, has found its seat at the table, and Show Dem Camp’s role in that transformation is clear. “Rap is in a good place,” Ghost says. “What’s exciting is that artists are being authentic to their sound and movement, which is the essence of hip hop itself.” Beyond their own music, it’s about shining a light on artists and ideas they find compelling. “Even though it's our album, it's also a platform to champion what we think is amazing,” Tec says. Which is why they stay loyal to those they’ve featured over the years, spotting talent and supporting them again and again, such as Odunsi (The Engine), Ladipoe and Tems. “When you look at their earliest works, you can see the fingerprints of SDC,” Tec adds.

They’re also steadfast in celebrating those who paved the way for them: “We honour those who built the foundation before us. From early Nigerian artists like Fela Kuti, Victor Olaiya and William Onyeabor, to pioneers of modern afrobeats and hip hop such as P-Square, Wande Coal, Naeto C, Trybesmen and Mo’ Hits – we come from a rich lineage, so whether the world wants to highlight it or not, we highlight it ourselves,” Tec says. To which Ghost adds, contemplatively: “Our music has stood the test of time and gets better with each album. Awards are nice but we care more about how future generations will view our music.”

From day one, their work has been conscious of its place within a continuum of artistry, one that is simultaneously personal, communal and generational. And with ‘Afrika Magik’, Show Dem Camp’s sound feels more fluid and assured than ever, marked by a maturity that comes from years of refinement. As Tec says: “From ‘Palm Wine Volume 1’ to ‘Afrika Magik’, that’s eight albums over eight years. Every album has its own life, showcasing our growth, lyricism, sonic palette and collaborations. This project adds another layer of quality music to our journey. The consistency and experimentation reflect the work and prayers we put in years ago, and we’re grateful to continue creating at this level.”