# Wanted (Wande Coal album)

Wanted is the second studio album by Nigerian singer Wande Coal. It was released on 26 October 2015 through Black Diamond Entertainment. It serves as a follow-up to his debut, Mushin 2 Mo' Hits (2009). The album features a number of other artists including AKA, 2Face Idibia, Burna Boy, Maleek Berry, and Wizkid, along with production from J Fem, Xela, Maleek Berry, Major Bangz, Sarz, Da BeatFreakz, Legendury Beatz, and LeriQ.

## Background

Wanted is the first Wande Coal album in six years, and his first album since the dissolution of Mo' Hits, a record label founded by fellow Nigerian musicians Don Jazzy and D'banj, in 2011. In an interview with Vanguard, he revealed that he chose to work with Don Jazzy over D'banj due to their strong bond and Don Jazzy's role as a producer. Despite not having a contract, Wande Coal collaborated with Don Jazzy out of mutual respect. In 2013, Coal and Jazzy had a disagreement which led to Coal deciding to pursue his own creative path. He left Don Jazzy, leading to the start of a new project. The album, originally close to completion, had to be reworked from scratch, resulting in the delay of its release.
Wande Coal announced the album's release on 16 October 2015. He stated, "Finally, Black Diamond presents 'WANTED', My sophomore album. This is for the die hard fans, the critics, haters, the media houses and more importantly, those who never stopped believing. This is a reminder of who I was and who I have evolved into. This is where I want to be; WANTED".

## Singles

The album's lead single "My Way" was released on 14 February 2013. It was produced by Maleek Berry. The second single, "Amorawa", featuring Burna Boy was released on 29 November 2013. It was produced by LeriQ. The third single off the album "Baby Hello" was released on 5 April 2014 and was also produced by Maleek Berry. The fourth single, "Ashimapeyin" was released on 1 July 2015 and features production by Sarz. The fifth and final single "Same Shit" features AKA and production from Da Beatfreakz. It was released on 9 September 2015.

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| NotJustOk | 5/10 |
| tooXclusive | |
| Pulse Nigeria | |
Wanted received mixed reviews from music critics. Joey Akan of Pulse Nigeria praised the album as a strong comeback, highlighting its mix of commercial appeal and artistic depth. He noted that the album, though more "patchwork than conceptual," showcased Wande Coal’s "dexterity of sound and a shrewd understanding of the market", describing tracks like "Wanted" and "Monster" as Wande at his best. He rated the album 3.5/5, calling it "good for Nigeria". Tola Sarumi of NotJustOk found the album underwhelming, citing a lack of artistic hunger, weak production choices, and limited standout tracks. While praising songs like "Adura", "Monster", and "Ashimapeyin", Sarumi concluded, "Wanted has been found wanting." The album was rated 5/10.
Ogaga Sakpaide of tooXclusive critiqued Wanted as a disappointing follow-up to his debut, highlighting its lack of "artistic growth and depth" despite rare flashes of brilliance. He described it as a "fast food album" filled with "ordinary fillers," with standout moments like "Superwoman" and the Burna Boy-assisted remix of "Wanted" overshadowed by mediocrity. The album received a 2/5 rating.
Abisola Alawode of Leadership described Wanted as a good album that showcased his talent but fell short of greatness. While tracks like "Adura" and "Superwoman" were highlights, and Wande’s vocals remained "unrivalled", the album had some "unnecessarily boring" moments like "We Ball" and certain skits. Alawode praised Wande’s chemistry with Maleek Berry and called the production "mostly top-class" but noted room for improvement in mixing.
Oris Aigbokhaevbolo of Music in Africa critiqued Wanted as a flawed attempt to reclaim his debut’s magic, noting that while songs like "Ashimapeyin," "Same Shit," and "Make You Mine" stood out, the album was bogged down by "uneven production" and "forgettable lyrics". He observed that Wanted failed to reinvent or capture the zeitgeist, calling it a "losing game" and lamenting that the skits referred to a "non-existent record".

### Accolades

Awards and nominations for Wanted :
| Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
| The Headies | 2016 | Best R&B/Pop Album | Nominated | |
| The Headies | 2016 | Album of the Year | Nominated | |

## Track listing

Notes
* "—" denotes a skit

## Release history

List of release dates, showing region, formats, label, editions and reference :
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Edition(s) |
| Worldwide | 26 October 2015 | CDdigital download | Black Diamond | Standard edition |