Fuji elder statesman Pasuma lifts Qdot onto a high-flying new record titled “Up Up Way.” The title talks about rising, and both men sound ready to climb.

The two sit on different rungs of fuji’s ladder. Pasuma carries decades of crowns, while Qdot brought a street-pop swing into the genre. So the link-up reads like a mentor and his protégé sharing one stage.

Expect talking drums, tight sekere rattles and a bass that rolls under everything. Bright keys or horns probably flash in the gaps, so the sound stays festive. Even so, the drums keep a firm pulse for the dancers.

Pasuma opens in his gravelly, praise-singing style. He pours out blessings and boasts as if the owambe tent is already full. Each line rides the percussion with an old master’s timing.

Qdot follows with a lighter, more melodic touch. His verse adds young-hustler energy, and the hook gives the crowd a simple line to chant. The words seem to celebrate progress and money, though a joke or two probably slips in.