In early 2022, a short freestyle video caught Olamide’s attention. The singer in it, Ahmed Ololade, had a gravelly voice and a style that mixed street Yoruba, fuji chants and amapiano log drums. Olamide signed him to YBNL, and within months Asake was everywhere. His debut album, Mr Money with the Vibe, broke streaming records in Nigeria, and a year later he was selling out arenas abroad.
Early life, YBNL and Sungba
Asake was born in 1995 and grew up in Lagos. He studied theatre arts at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, where he sang and danced in campus shows. He released music for years with little success before his breakthrough. He has spoken about hardship and doubt during that period. Signing to Olamide’s YBNL label in 2022 changed everything. Olamide’s backing and marketing gave Asake a huge platform.
The remix of Sungba featuring Burna Boy became one of the biggest songs of 2022.
Mr Money with the Vibe and the O2
His debut album, released in September 2022, set streaming records for a Nigerian album and included hits such as Joha, Terminator and Peace Be Unto You. Asake blends fuji, a Yoruba Muslim music style, with amapiano and Afrobeats, often using chant-like choruses and choirs. In 2023, he sold out the O2 Arena in London, joining a small group of Nigerian artists to do so.
His second album, Work of Art, released in 2023, confirmed his popularity and earned international attention. His song Amapiano, with Olamide, was nominated for the Grammy for Best African Music Performance. His third album, Lungu Boy, followed in 2024, and he toured it widely in Europe and North America.
Image, live shows and fans
His fashion, including bold outfits and his signature hairstyle, is part of his appeal. His concerts are known for big choirs, dancers and crowds singing every word back at him, something critics often compare to the call-and-response of fuji performances. Olamide has a track record of discovering street-rooted talent, and Asake became one of the biggest successes of that approach.
His releases regularly top Nigerian streaming charts within hours, and fans share his dance moves widely online. Asake spent years releasing songs that few people heard. Then one freestyle reached the right person, and the boy from the neighbourhood became the sound of Lagos.
