British Breakout TKandz Shares World Cup Anthem “90 Minutes”
TKandz‘s motivational bars and athletic flows have made him a favorite of athletes and footballers from across the globe. Today, the 19-year-old hitmaker behind “NOW OR NEVER” delivers a new anthem, “90th Minute,” inspired by the 2026 World Cup. Co-signed by major stars like Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and world-famous football fan IShowSpeed, TKandz delivers football-themed bars over triumphant horns and drill percussion, comparing his rapid rise to a lightning quick counterattack, but making clear that he understands that his career is an endurance match, and he plans to stay on the field until the final whistle blows. With millions of views across TikTok already, the new anthem is the perfect soundtrack to the World Cup as the knockout stages begin, inspiring fans and players alike to give it their all on the pitch.
“90th Minute” is TKandz’s first new song since the release of Prodigy, his debut EP. Home to “NOW OR NEVER” and recent single “WORK OF ART,“Prodigy is a showcase for the Nigerian-British artist’s inspirational anthems and endlessly quotable bars. The new EP finds the young rapper working his lockstep flow over airy samples and thumping drill percussion as he introduces his fan to the man behind the hit. Over 9 songs, TKandz welcomes listeners into his world, dwelling on the peaks and perils of overnight fame, and embarks upon a journey of self-discover that culminates with the EP’s outro, “LETTER TO MYSELF.” Prodigy is available on all platforms via Timing Is Everything Ent.
TKandz turned heads last year with “NOW OR NEVER,” a viral smash that climbed charts across the globe. The song peaked at #28 on the UK Official Charts, generating hundreds of millions of streams across platforms. The song received a boost from its traction in the world of international football, earning posts from superstars Kylian Mbappe (over 120 million IG followers) and Lamine Yamal (38 million followers), playing on a stream by noted football fan IShowSpeed, and making its way into official videos by brands like FIFA, FC Bayern, FC Barcelona, and many more. The song charted on the Billboard Global 200, reached #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50, and topped the Viral chart in the USA, UK, Spain, and several other countries. At its peak, “NOW OR NEVER” racked up over 3 million on-demand streams per day. Earlier this year, TKandz shared a remix featuring Lil Baby, and dropped the official video, appropriately football-themed and filmed at the home grounds of AFC Wimbledon. The video racked up over 2.9 million views in its first month of release, adding to the 204 million streams generated on Spotify alone. TKandz followed-up “NOW OR NEVER” with the blistering single “One Hit Wonder.” Most recently, TKandz earned recognition from XXL, who included him as a candidate for their annual 10th Spot competition for XXL Freshman.
Though TKandz has experienced massive success so far in his short career, he knows his work is not done. “There’s always another level, another step,” said TKandz in a recent interview with NME, who named TKandz one of the year’s NME 100 essential emerging artists. “Getting a gold record or going platinum won’t make me feel finished; it’ll just make me hungrier. I’m always in competition with myself. I’m not complacent. I’m taking everything one step at a time.”
With Prodigy out now, TKandz looks to solidify himself as one of the new generation’s vital hip-hop artists. Stay tuned for much more from the ultra-talented emcee in the near future. This is definitely a worthy World Cup anthem.