Asake

Asake has attained worldwide recognition as a Nigerian performer who merges Afrobeats with amapiano. Breakthrough arrived for the vocalist in 2020 through "Lady," a persistently bright recording driven by swift percussion and celebratory energy. Momentum continued over the ensuing two years via further successes such as "Mr. Money" and the prominent 2022 Olamide collaboration "Omo Ope." Both of his opening albums, Mr. Money with the Vibe (2022) and Work of Art (2023), entered the upper half of the Billboard 200. Following a Grammy nomination, Asake issued his third album Lungu Boy in 2024, which featured appearances by rappers Travis Scott and Stormzy.

Raised in Lagos State, Ahmed Ololade Asake trained in theater and performing arts at Obafemi Awolowo University while initially concentrating on dance. Music releases began around 2018, uniting lively Afrobeat patterns with his distinctive combination of singing and quick-witted improvisation. Refinement of that approach across early tracks including "Ayeeza" and "Kanipe" preceded the 2020 arrival of "Lady," which effectively established his profile. Support from established voices such as Broda Shaggi and Tunde Ednut broadened the song’s audience, paving the way for "Mr. Money," now regarded as one of his signature recordings. The 2021 releases "Don't Hype Me" and "Yan Yan" heightened expectations for the 2022 debut EP Ololade Asake. Its lead single "Omo Ope," which featured Nigerian superstar Olamide, subsequently became Asake’s largest commercial achievement.

Those developments culminated in the September release of Mr. Money with the Vibe, the artist’s first full-length project. An expansive blend incorporating Afrobeats, Fuji, classical passages, and abundant luminous pop, the album extended his U.S. reach by peaking at number 66 on the Billboard pop chart. Follow-up material included the Tiwa Savage collaboration "Loaded" together with the 2023 singles "Yoga" and "2:30," which preceded Work of Art. That second album also reached number 66 on the Billboard 200, and the single "Amapiano" (with Olamide) earned a nomination for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. The characteristically buoyant single "Only Me" surfaced in early 2024, followed months later by the Central Cee collaboration "Wave." The latter initiated the cycle for Asake’s third LP, Lungu Boy, issued in August. Crafted with longtime associate Magicsticks alongside Mike Dean and P.Priime, the album’s autobiographical verses framed it as an origin story tracing the singer’s swift ascent from Lagos streets to international prominence. It reached the U.K. Top 20, peaked at 115 in the U.S., and included guest appearances by Stormzy, Travis Scott, and Wizkid.