Award-winning Ghanaian musician and Africa’s most innovative hip-hop artist M.ANIFEST has teamed up with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and exciting Nigerian highlife fusion band The Cavemen. for his glorious new single titled ‘PUFF PUFF’. The collaboration was born out of a chance conversation between M.anifest and The Cavemen. at his annual music festival Manifestivities in Accra two years ago, and seamlessly evolved over time, with M.anifest and The Cavemen. reconnecting in Lagos to work on the track. M.anifest would then link up with Flea in Los Angeles to bring the track further to life. While bonding over a shared love for jazz music, books, and Tony Allen, Flea offers up an unexpected and yet resounding trumpet solo on ‘Puff Puff’, despite being one of the two best bassists of all time. The result is ‘Puff Puff’, a powerful song that is a melting pot and collision of three diverse musical worlds.

Produced by Budo (Doja Cat, Lil Yachty, Macklemore) and The Cavemen., ‘Puff Puff’ is a feel-good anthem that masterfully fuses hip-hop, jazz, and highlife music together to deliver a true celebration of life and music. At its core, the song is a meditation on life’s challenges and the resilience required to navigate them, with M.anifest offering a raw and honest reflection on the pressures of the quotidien amid a call to keep pushing forward despite life’s difficulties. The Cavemen.’s melodic hook, “puff puff pass, keep the fire burning,” serves as a reminder to persevere, no matter the obstacles. The phrase “puff puff pass,” often associated with sharing, takes on new meaning here as a metaphor for passing on strength, wisdom, and resilience. Flea’s trumpet solo adds a soulful, reflective layer to the track, underscoring the emotional weight of the lyrics, while maintaining the laid-back vibe of the song.

What’s the story behind this new single ‘Puff Puff’?

PUFF PUFF is a creative triumph. It’s a testament of my good fortune in knowing some of the most inspired musicians across many genres. Being able to bring together vibes from Accra, Lagos and Los Angeles together was creatively exhilarating. 

What inspired the production and sonic aspect of this track?

The sonic foundation of the track is Highlife. The Cavemen have a quintessential highlife sound which is fresh as it is retrospective. I’ve always had a knack of bringing a Hip Hop perspective to indigenous African sounds cause they’re familiar and I’m drawn to them. So it was an instant no-brainer when my producer Budo introduced the 808’s to manipulate the groove during the verses. Flea’s Jazz trumpet was a sublime addition.

Were there any life experiences that inspired you to want to write this?

“Keep the fire burning” is a familiar sentiment especially on our side of the world where problems never seem to finish. But we’re resilient as a people so often we sit, exhale, jam and essentially pass good vibes around. I just channeled those feelings in my writing. 

What’s the main message you want your fans to leave with after listening to ‘Puff Puff?

I want to pass on how I feel everytime I hear the jam. Which is good vibes only and passing that on to people around me, near and far. Life’s too short to harbor the residual feelings of problems. 

How did this collaboration with FLEA happen?

I met Flea circa 2011 when I was invited by Damon Albarn to be part of their collab project with Tony Allen. He’s a really special person and musician which is evident to the world. We reconnected when I was recording parts of my album in L.A last year. 

What was it like working with him and The Cavemen. on this song?

It was effortless. I got the initial skeleton done with The Cavemen. before I got Flea to hop on it. 

What are the main themes of your visual storytelling when you come up with your music videos?

I tend to avoid glossy over-produced visuals. So I often opt for something conceptual and relatable or something minimal and abstract. In this case it was a minimalist performance vid with colors and locations to reflect the mood of the song.

What were some of the key records and artists that you grew up on artistically?

I grew up on Osibisa, Hugh Masekela, Nas, Naughty by nature, Sade, Shabba ranks and a plethora of African music my grandpa would collect and document. I remember records like “It was written,” “The Score,” and “Atliens” as much as I do a bunch of Highlife and Hiplife classics which were the sounds that defined growing up in Ghana in the 90’s.

What is the most important part of your African heritage?

It’s in the unparalleled diversity but shared struggle that simultaneously exists being African. It’s not all bliss and euphoria where we come from, but there is a clarity in belonging as well as a common understanding and yearning for a dramatic turn in our continent’s trajectory. Africa and it’s diaspora remain a magical demographic that can create and flourish despite material lack and earthly mishaps.

What are your plans for 2025?

Drop the album, tour, and really make the right moves to bring all these watered seeds and dreams to full bloom.