Sarz announced Protect Sarz At All Costs with a release date of 26 September 2025, accompanied by a cover art showing him in silhouette against a red background. Initially, the album was set to feature artists like Ayra Starr and Big Sean, however, that was not the case.[3] Its track listing was revealed on 24 September 2025.[4] Before its release, Sarz shared a series of promotional videos. One depicted a mock press conference in which he was asked about the release date and potential appearances from Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido; other videos included a fan discussion and a short scene with comedian Layi Wasabi.[5][6] The album follows Sarz's previous projects as a lead artist and collaborator, including the solo single "Good Morning Riddim" from the Sarz Is Not Your Mate EP (2019), the Memories That Last Forever 2 compilation (2023), the LV N ATTN EP with Lojay (2021), and the Sweetness EP with Obongjayar (2021). The projects show his work across afrobeats, R&B, dancehall, and hip-hop, as well as his involvement with emerging artists from the Sarz Academy.
Protect Sarz At All Costs features a blend of genres like afropop, amapiano, house, dancehall, and R&B, reflecting Sarz's two decades of experience as a producer and his interest in blending global and African sounds.[17] The album opens with "Grateful", where Wurld's vocals are accompanied by acoustic guitar and harmonies from the Ndlovu Youth Choir, establishing a reflective tone for the project.[1] "Happiness", featuring Asake and Gunna, uses a log-drum groove and buoyant percussion to create a rhythm-driven track that emphasizes enjoyment and well-being.[1] On "Getting Paid", Sarz combines Asake, Wizkid, and Skillibeng over bouncy percussion and shimmering guitar loops, sampling Toumani Diabaté's "Jarabi".[18] The track mixes Yoruba lyrics with Caribbean patois and hip-hop sensibilities.[1] "Mademoiselle" is a mid-tempo dancehall track that blends French-language verses and features Odumodublvck, Shallipopi, Theodora, and Zeina, creating a cross-cultural interplay between the performers.[1]
"BMF" is a 1990s-inspired R&B track featuring Fireboy DML and Byron Messia, characterized by slinky basslines and lush synth pads that complement the vocal performances.[1] The Joeboy-assisted "Body" is a groove-oriented Afropop track, while Qing Madi's "In a Mustang" uses amapiano-influenced percussion and ethereal vocals.[19] "Nice N Slow" features Wurld over log drums, ambient pads, and saxophone riffs, blending jazz and African percussion to create a sensual atmosphere.[1] On "Love Me Then", Lojay performs over crisp guitar and amapiano percussion, lamenting a past relationship.[19] "African Barbie", featuring Teni and Libianca, combines afropop and dancehall rhythms, with lyrics focused on assertiveness and self-possession.[20] The album closes with "Up", a house-influenced track featuring Victony, and "Billions", a reworked percussive version of Sarz's earlier collaboration with Lojay.[19]
Critical reception
Jason Okundaye of The Guardian praised Protect Sarz At All Costs as a "momentous, Black diaspora-surfing debut" that showcased Sarz as "Nigeria's most deft curator and enchanter of swinging hips." He highlighted the album's genre-fluid mix of Afrobeats, amapiano, hip-hop, afroswing, 90s R&B, and alté, calling it an "assertion of his prodigious talent".[2] Matthew Cooley of Rolling Stone described Protect Sarz At All Costs as a carefully crafted debut, adding that "each track is rich and sumptuous, bringing the best out of a diverse, elite cast of 17 collaborators." He concluded that the album united these artists "under Sarz's unique vision," showcasing his skill nearly two decades into his career.[21] Abioye Samson of Afrocritik described Protect Sarz At All Costs as a showcase of Sarz's skill in blending genres and drawing out the best from his collaborators, saying the album "radiates effortless joy" on tracks like "Happiness" and dazzles with moments such as "Getting Paid" and "BMF". He concluded that while the album displayed technical perfection and innovation, as a full-length project it "rarely surprises or ignites the kind of thrill that makes the listening experience truly unforgettable," giving it a rating of 6.9/10.[1]
Patrick Ezema of The Native described Protect Sarz At All Costs as a well-curated debut that balanced danceable beats with thoughtful collaborations, stating that "Sarz is not so keen to show off his production virtuoso that he loses sight of his primary goal of a well-curated album." He concluded that the project was "a reminder, for anyone who would dare forget, of Sarz’s industry and ingenuity as a music producer," giving it a rating of 6.9/10.[19] Adeayo Adebiyi of Pulse Nigeria commended Protect Sarz At All Costs for its meticulous production and ability to inspire strong performances from collaborators, writing that "with Sarz, the quality is in the fine lines as much as it is in the manner in which his production inspires superlative performances from the stars." He concluded that "For two decades, he has shaped the soundscape, and you just know, he has another 20 years of magic left in him," and gave it a rating of 8.5/10.[17] Chibuzo Emmanuel of the Culture Custodian praised Sarz' production on Protect Sarz At All Costs, highlighting how he seamlessly blended the styles of artists like Wizkid, Asake, and Skillibeng, creating moments of "sublime chemistry" across the tracks. He concluded that while the songs were individually brilliant, the album lacked a thematic or sonic anchor, making it feel "more like a mixtape than the album it’s promoted as."[22]
Temiloluwa Adeyemo of Digimillenials wrote that Protect Sarz At All Costs felt like "both a victory lap and a reminder of [Sarz’s] legacy but also feels like a producer caught between statement and showcase." He concluded that while the album lacked direction, it was "more than a collection of collaborations, [it]'s a reminder of Sarz’s unmatched touch and quiet dominance."[23] Michael Kolawole of the Lagos Review stated that the album showed that "the best way to protect Sarz is to allow him room to evolve." He concluded that the album was "a celebration of his influence and a declaration of his untouchable status," highlighting Sarz's role as a curator of sound and creative vision.[18]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
