Fireboy DML's "Imali" Takes Him Into South Africa's 3-Step Sound With JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela

Fireboy DML released "Imali" this week with South African artists JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela, moving into the 3-Step Afro house sound that has been a streaming success in South Africa. Audiomack lists the release date as 16th September. Album Talks reports that "Imali" and "CLAAT!" are the lead singles for ZUKO, his fifth studio album, which is scheduled for 16th October 2026 with 13 tracks. This update covers what has been released, who is on the song and how it fits a wider Nigeria and South Africa exchange.

What Fireboy DML Released

Notjustok reports that "Imali" was released through YBNL and EMPIRE and that Fireboy DML taps into South Africa's dance-driven 3-Step sound on it. The song follows "CLAAT!", his August collaboration with Jamaican dancehall artist Masicka, and Notjustok describes it as part of a recent pattern of experimenting across African and Caribbean sounds. The publication says the 3-Step setting gives the track a stronger dance-floor feel than his usual vocal style carries.

Imali cover art. Source: YBNL on Instagram.

Who Fireboy DML Is

Fireboy DML, born Adedamola Adefolahan, signed with Olamide's YBNL Nation in 2018 and released his debut album, Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps, in 2019, according to Wikipedia. His later albums include Apollo in 2020, Playboy in 2022 and Adedamola in 2024, and "Peru", from Playboy, was remixed with Ed Sheeran.

Fireboy DML. Source: @fireboydml on Instagram

Who JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela Are

Notjustok says the duo's partnership is already prominent in South Africa's 3-Step and Afro house movement, and that their track "The Most Wanted" became a major streaming success in the country. OkayAfrica adds that JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela used 2025 as a launchpad, a year of chart-topping hits that mainstreamed 3-Step worldwide, and have spent recent months focused on continental expansion.

JAZZWRLD, born Kamohelo Monese in Lesotho, began as a producer under the name Jazzworx and rebranded in late 2025, the Cape Times reports, while Thukuthela, born Kgotso Dube, is a vocalist and producer from Daveyton. In a separate OkayAfrica feature, five of their songs reached number one across Southern Africa in 2025, among them Ciza's "Isaka (6 am)" and "Vuka" with Oscar Mbo, and the duo played the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in March 2026. The Cape Times describes 3-Step as a sound that blends Afro house, Afro jazz, Afro tech and amapiano rhythms.

JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela. Source: Their Instagram pages.

How the Song Sounds, According to Early Coverage

Notjustok writes that the pairing places Fireboy DML's melodic delivery inside a South African-rooted rhythmic setting, giving his vocals a different frame from the dancehall direction of his previous single, and that Thukuthela's presence sits naturally alongside him instead of feeling tacked on. OkayAfrica places "Imali" in a line of songs about attaining wealth, including Karyendasoul and Zakes Bantwini's similarly titled 2021 hit, and notes that Fireboy DML sings about grinding all day and getting his bread up while stacking harmonies. It calls the result exceptional.

A Wider Nigeria and South Africa Exchange

DancehallMag says Nigerian Afrobeats artists have been gravitating toward South African dance music with growing regularity and that "Imali" fits that shift. It argues that the collaboration reads as more considered than trend-chasing because JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela are embedded in the sound, and it asks how South African listeners, who tend to notice whether an artist is engaging with their sound or only borrowing its surface, will respond to Fireboy DML in their lane.

The same week brought Seyi Vibez's SWAGUU, which OkayAfrica says includes "Pansa", the track that brings amapiano to the album, and PINCHED covered that release in its SWAGUU update.

How the ZUKO Rollout Has Unfolded

Album Talks reported on 11th July that Fireboy DML had announced an album titled ZUKO, and a later post gave the release date of 16th October 2026, 13 tracks and the two lead singles. The album follows Adedamola, his 2024 album, according to Album Talks, and DancehallMag says "Imali" is doing the work of widening expectations of Fireboy DML before the album arrives.

What to Watch Next

The first signals will be how "Imali" performs with listeners in South Africa and Nigeria over its first weeks and how the sound it previews carries into ZUKO on 16th October. DancehallMag frames the open question as whether the song crosses into South African playlists and club sets the way it might in Nigeria. The coverage PINCHED reviewed did not include a ZUKO tracklist.

This article is a release update, and PINCHED has not rated the song.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Was Fireboy DML Imali Released?

Audiomack lists 16th September 2026 as the release date of "Imali", and Notjustok covered the song on 17th September.

Who Is on Imali?

Fireboy DML is joined on "Imali" by the South African artists JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela.

What Is 3-Step Music?

3-Step is a South African dance-driven sound within the Afro house space, according to Notjustok. OkayAfrica says JAZZWRLD and Thukuthela's 2025 hits helped bring it to listeners worldwide.

Is Imali Part of an Album?

Album Talks reports that "Imali" and "CLAAT!" are the lead singles for ZUKO, Fireboy DML's fifth studio album, scheduled for 16th October 2026.

Which Label Released Imali?

Notjustok reports that "Imali" was released through YBNL and EMPIRE.