Ghanaian rap icon M.anifest returns with New Road & Guava Trees, his sixth studio album and perhaps his most expansive yet. Released via Mass Appeal, the album finds him navigating the intersections of hip-hop, Afrobeats, and highlife with a cast of global collaborators, including Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Nigerian highlife duo The Cavemen, Ghanaian Afropop star King Promise, South African rapper A-Reece, and Bien of Kenya’s Sauti Sol.

The album’s title is both literal and symbolic. “New Road” references the neighborhood in Madina, Ghana, where M.anifest grew up, while “Guava Trees” represents resilience, patience, and reward. “New Road & Guava Trees is about embarking on a fresh path,” he shares. “I grew up in a part of Madina called New Road, where we had a guava tree that symbolized growth and beginnings. This record is about the climb, facing challenges to reach the fruits of our labor.”

That duality runs through the album’s 14 tracks, where he pairs pensive storytelling with some of the most lush and genre-blurring production of his career.

New Road & Guava Trees was recorded across Accra, Seattle, and Los Angeles, with production from longtime collaborator Budo, Grammy-nominated GuiltyBeatz, and MikeMillzOn’Em.

Lead single “Puff Puff” marries hip-hop, jazz, and highlife into a soulful meditation on endurance, while “Eye Red” delivers an urgent commentary on systemic failures and youth desperation.

Beyond its musical innovation, New Road & Guava Trees carries an emotional depth that elevates it beyond a typical rap album. “Spirit Riddim” is a breezy ode to escapism, while “My God” is a raw, tortured meditation on devotion and self-doubt. “Hang My Boots” featuring King Promise leans into love and commitment with warmth. The album closes with “Second Hand”, a reflection on time’s cyclical nature and the lessons that come with it.

M.anifest has long positioned himself as an artist unafraid to challenge convention. On New Road & Guava Trees, he pushes even further.

Listen to the album here: