One of the most interesting things about Shaney Poo as an artist is how wide his ears are open. He does not stay in one lane when it comes to what he listens to. Music from around the world finds its way into his rotation and everything he absorbs eventually makes its way into how he creates.
That curiosity led him to Singeli music, a genre rooted in Tanzania known for its rapid rhythms and infectious energy, and eventually to producer Iddy Classic, one of the most notable names in that scene. Bringing Iddy Classic into the album was not a gimmick. It was a natural extension of an artist who genuinely seeks out new sounds and is not afraid to let them shape his work.
The result is an album that feels genuinely global without ever losing its identity.
Birthday Party Remix and the power of music without borders
The moment that crystallized everything "Welcome To The New World" stands for is the "Birthday Party Remix" featuring Balaa MC. In Tanzania, Balaa MC is a major name. An artist whose reach and influence in East African music is real and significant.
Getting him on the track was already a statement. But what happened after the song dropped said even more. Balaa MC embraced it so fully that he filmed his own mini music video for it. Fans from Tanzania connected with it. A song by an artist from one part of the world resonated deeply with people on the other side of the planet because the music was simply undeniable.
"Good music can shatter all cultural barriers and bring us all together in peace," Shaney Poo says. This album is the proof of that belief put into practice.
Evolution looks good on him
Over ten years into his career Shaney Poo has never released the same album twice. Every project has pushed into new territory, challenged him creatively and added a new chapter to the story he is telling through his music. That commitment to growth is not accidental. It is intentional. It is how he operates.
"Every album I release I try to challenge myself to do something new," he says. "So far I think I've done a good job at that."
Looking at the journey from those early experimental years to an album that features Tanzanian artists and production, it is hard to argue otherwise.
Welcome To The New World is out now.
Stream it at https://ditto.fm/welcome-to-the-new-world and find out more at https://blacpop.com