With his breakout hit “Vision 2020 Remix,” Bella Shmurda (Akinbiyi Abiola Ahmed) emerged as the new voice of the street, relaying a tale that reflected his journey alongside Naija rap stalwart Olamide. The Lagosian achieved further prominence after 2020’s Zlatan and Lincoln-assisted “Cash App” went viral and positioned his brand of street-hop firmly in the mainstream. After the two-volume High Tension EP series, debut album Hypertension followed, incorporating dancehall, highlife, and Afroswing. On DND, Shmurda makes a return to the EP format and comes into his own by striking a balance between Afrobeats and amapiano. Offering a more rhythmic take on his style, Shmurda signals the direction of his evolving sound assuredly as the violin-led opener “In Charge” suggests. The subsequent tracks are similarly embellished as hypnotic guitar licks (“Ara (Gen Gen Tin)”) and sparkling keys (“Jojo”) are cushioned between vibe-inducing drums. Short for ‘non-stop vibe,' “NSV” co-stars Tiwa Savage and embodies the EP’s aura through its mellow bassline, infectious rhythms, and crowd vocals. Upbeat title track “DND,” meanwhile, reflects the artist’s headspace with the lyrics “Got my phone on lock do not disturb/If I no respond,” before fellow street-hop maven Lil Kesh briskly delivers risqué bars. On “Bankruptcy,” Shmurda lays an addictive hook over a percussive beat by Pheelz, who masterfully complements fellow EP producers Reward Beatz, larrylanes, Krizbeatz, and Eskeez.