For someone who has had a sporadic rise within two years of mainstream acceptance, dominated the charts in Nigeria and the diaspora, and gained global recognition in such a short time, the story of Asake is a clear reflection of consistency, hard work, and tenacity.
Asake, who has been doing music since 2018, officially witnessed his breakout into mainstream when his jefe, Olamide, signed him to his record label in 2022. This seemed like all he needed as he made sure to milk this opportunity to the fullest. He started his impressive run with the release of his hit single Omo Ope ft Olamide and Sungba remix Ft Burna Boy, before he went on an all-time hits spree, where he had a viral song every month in 2022.
From Palazzo to Peace Be Unto You, Bandana to Terminator, he was involved in some way in the biggest songs of that year. Having showcased his amazing talent and capability with these singles, he took it up a notch and released his debut album Mr Money With The Vibe, in September 2022. This album would go on to become the game changer for him and propel him to gaining attention from the international music market, as well as listenership around the world, especially in the U.S. where this album debuted at No. 66 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest debuting Nigerian album on the chart and in the U.K, where it debuted as No. 25 on the U.K official album chart.
With the hype and gyration around his debut, Asake was determined to constantly be in the hearts and minds of listeners, and In January 2023, he released a distinct song, away from his energy-driven tunes, Yoga, which unveiled a different side of his artistic career. With an interpolation of Michel Legris 2007 song, Mo Capitan, this soulful tune with mellow beats, unmasked a new side of Asake which listeners initially had reservations on, but eventually circled back to accepting.
It was as though Asake had felt the underwhelming chill that swept through his fans, who were more in tune with his sing-along type of songs, than the reflective tune yoga provided. Few months later, he came back with a more recognizable tune, 2:30, which instantly became a hit track. ‘Asake with the log-drums’ was back, and his amapiano reign was here to stay. This was further strengthened with the release of Amapiano ft Olamide, which became a viral hit and reached number one on Spotify Top Songs Nigeria Daily Chart within 24hrs of its release.
In June 2023, Asake released his Sophomore album, Work of Art, exactly 9 months after his debut, which created a rush of excitement for fans. This was a clear nod to his famous statement – “Mr Money No Dey Waste Time”. This album had several deep cuts including Lonely At The Top, Remember, Basquiat, amongst others. It was a true testament to the super talented nature of Asake and how this project was indeed a Work of Art. He ended the year with a surprise collaboration from the American rapper, Gunna on Happiness, produced by the legendary Sarz.
Asake kicked off 2024 with the release of his single, Only Me. Although this song was enjoyed by his core fans, it did not receive the same level of excitement that came with his previous releases. Soon after this, Asake took on an explorative route which had him in his collaborative bag, and brought to light an interesting lyric off his viral song, Peace Be Unto You, which says ‘Now everybody wants to tear my shirt’. From the collaboration with Zlatan on Buss down, to Ayra Starr’s Goodbye, Tems’ Get it right and Victony’s Stubborn, Asake was on a roll. He had played pivotal roles as a featured artist on these songs, and filled up the void created by his music draught since his last release in January. Despite this collaborative run, fans continued to look forward to the release of his third studio album.
On the 10th of June, 2024, Asake announced a Lungu boy tour, which also came as a pointer to the release of his forthcoming album, ‘Lungu boy’. This came with lots of excitement and high spirits for the fans, in anticipation of a new body of work from the superstar. His label exec, Olamide, in a recent tweet also hinted that this project was set to drop this summer. As a lead up to his third studio album, Asake released a song with the British rapper Central Cee titled ‘Wave’, with interesting visuals of Central Cee on the streets of Lagos, having a good time.
As the world waits in anticipation of a new body of work from the Lungu boy, with the day and time of its release remaining unknown, we hope it comes through sooner than later, and gets the summer party started!
Chukwuebuka Mgbemena is a writer focused on the Nigerian & African entertainment industry. He loves fashion, art and is a staunch chess player.
