Wikipedia

Asake

Ahmed Ololade (born 13 January 1995),[1] known professionally as Asake,[2] is a Nigerian singer, rapper and songwriter.[3][4][5] He is signed to YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution.[6][7] His stage name "Asake" is his mother's name.[8]

Asake
Background information
Birth nameAhmed Ololade
Also known asMr. Money
Born (1995-01-13) 13 January 1995 (age 29)
Lagos State, Nigeria
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
  • actor
  • dancer
InstrumentVocals
Years active2018–present
Labels

In September 2022, his debut album Mr. Money with the Vibe was released, breaking the record for the biggest opening day for an African album on Apple Music at the time. The album debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200 chart and recorded the highest charting Nigerian debut album in the history of the chart at the time.[9][10] His sophomore album Work of Art was released in June 2023, becoming his second album to debut at number 66 on the Billboard 200.[11]

In 2020, Asake won Break Out Artist of the Year at the 2022[12] All Africa Music Awards, and was nominated as the Best African Music Act at the 2022 MOBO Awards, which marked his first international award nomination. In addition to that, he received Best New International Act nomination at the 2023 BET Awards, the same year he was listed number 5 on the Rolling Stone Music's Future 25.[13]

Asake walked home with a brand new car after winning the highly coveted Next Rated category at the 2023 Headies award on September 4, 2023.[14]

In November 2023, Asake received a Grammy Award nomination at the 66th Annual Grammy Award for "Amapiano" featuring Olamide.[15]

In January 2024, Asake received a nomination for the 55th NAACP Image Awards for his song "Amapiano".[16]

Career

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2017–2022: Career

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Asake studied Theatre and Dramatic Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University. His career took off in 2022 prior to releasing the single "Mr. Money",[17] followed by a remix with Zlatan and Peruzzi. In February 2022, fellow Nigerian artist Olamide signed Asake to his YBNL Records imprint.[18] That same month, he released his debut extended play, Ololade, which featured his breakthrough song "Omo Ope", featuring Olamide, and the single "Sungba" which was plugged by Olaitan Salaudeen.[19][20] In July 2022, Asake signed a distribution deal with Empire.[21][22]

2022–2023: Mr. Money with the Vibe and Work of Art

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Asake released his debut studio album, Mr. Money with the Vibe, on 8 September 2022. It was supported by the singles "Terminator", "Peace Be Unto You", and a remix of "Sungba" with Burna Boy. The album was well received by fans in his home country of Nigeria, as well as across the world, and broke several records globally.[23][24] The album debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200.[25]

In September 2022, Asake announced the Mr. Money with the Vibe United Kingdom tour,[26] selling out 3 dates at the O2 Academy Brixton in London.[27] On the final date of the Brixton Academy shows, several people were critically injured during a crowd crush. Two people – 33-year-old Concertgoer Rebecca Ikumelo and 23-year-old security guard Gaby Hutchinson – later died of their injuries.[28][29]

In December 2022, Asake was crowned "artiste of the year" by "Audiomack" after his debut studio album Mr. Money with the Vibes amassed over 330 million streams, and was subsequently announced alongside Kizz Daniel, Snazzy the Optimist and 1ucid as one of the most streamed and top trending artists in February 2023 by the platform,[30][31] after releasing the single “Yoga” in January 2023 which ventured into sega music.[32] This was followed by the track "2:30" in April, and "Amapiano" with Olamide in May.[33]

His second studio album Work of Art was announced shortly after the release of "Amapiano".[34] In April 2023, Asake appeared on Good Morning America to discuss his music.[35] Asake released his second studio album, Work of Art, on 16 June 2023.[36] The album debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200 with 13,000 units sold during its debut week.[11] The album also reached number 20 on the UK Albums Chart and number 59 on the Irish Albums Chart. The album was reported by Nigeria's TurnTable charts as the most streamed Nigerian album of 2023 so far.[37]

2024–present: Lungu Boy album and Lungu Boy World Tour

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In June 2024, Asake announced a global tour titled, Lungu Boy World Tour in conjunction with the release of his third music album Lungu Boy.[38] In the continuity of its commercial success, Asake's 'Lungu Boy' logged 5 tracks in the top 10 of TurnTable Top 100.[39] Lungu Boy' also set a new record for the biggest opening day global streams for a Nigerian album on Spotify with 9.2 million streams. The album features prominent UK drill artists Central Cee and Stormzy on the tracks 'Wave' and 'Suru' as well as American rapper, Travis Scott on 'Active'.[40]

The second track of the album 'MMS' recorded 870,577 streams on its first day of release on Spotify Nigeria which sets a new record on the platform after surpassing the previous 626,000 streams set by Wizkid's 'IDK' feat Zlatan.[39]


Artistry

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Asake's distinctive musical style exhibits Afrobeats, dynamic rap street pop (also street hop),[41][42] fújì music (and other fuji-centered musical styles), Afro fusion and Nigerian pop. His music is often an amalgamation of traditional yoruba music and percussion spanning heterogeneous contemporary music. Asake's vocal style delivery, primarily in Yoruba merged with English, urban colloquial slang and Nigerian Pidgin, reflects Nigerian hip hop and fújì music influences.[43][44][42][45][36][46]

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Nominee Result Ref
2024 3Music Awards "Amapiano" African Song of the Year Pending
Image Award(NAACP) Outstanding International Song Amapiano Nominated
BET Awards International Act Himself Nominated
Mobo Awards Best African Act Himself Won
Brit Awards International Artist Himself Nominated
2023 BET Awards Best New International Act Himself Nominated
Soundcity MVP Awards Male MVP Himself Won [47]
Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Best African Artist of the Year Himself Won [48]
2023 The Headies Album of the Year "Mr. Money With The Vibe" Won [49]
Best Male Artist Himself Nominated
Song of the year Sungba Remix ft Burna boy Nominated
Next Rated Himself Won
Best Street-Hop Artist Joha Nominated
Best Collaboration Terminator Nominated
Headies Viewer's Choice Sungba Remix Nominated
Digital Artist of the Year Himself Nominated [50] [51]

Notable performances

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In September 2023, Asake became the first African artist to headline and sell out a concert at the New York City, Barclays Center.[52] In August 2023, he achieved a significant milestone by selling out the O2 Arena in London. He made a memorable entrance by arriving in a helicopter.[53] On February 1, 2024, Asake appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, performing during the episode that aired on that date, reaching a broader American audience.[54]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
NGR
[55] 		CAN
[56] 		IRE
[57] 		UK
[58] 		US
[59]
Mr. Money with the Vibe 1 — — 22 66
Work of Art
  • Released: 16 June 2023
  • Label: YNBL, Empire
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 1 — 59 20 66
Lungu Boy
  • Released: 9 August 2024
  • Label: YNBL, Empire
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 1 54 42
[61]		 15 115
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

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Title EP details
Ololade
  • Released: 16 February 2022
  • Label: YBNL Nation, Empire
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles

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As lead artist

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List of singles as lead artist
Title Year Peak chart positions Certification Album
CAN
[62] 		IRE
[63] 		NZ Hot
[64] 		UK
[65] 		WW
[66] 		UK Afro
[67]
"Sungba"
(or with Burna Boy) 		2022 — — — — — 2 Mr. Money with the Vibe
"Peace Be Unto You" — — — — — 2
  • TCSN: 3× Platinum[68]
"Terminator" — 91 — 82 172 2
  • TCSN: 5× Platinum[68]
"Trabaye"
(feat Olamide) 		— — — — — — Non-album single
"Yoga" 2023 — — — — — 2 Work of Art
"2:30" — — — — — 2
  • TCSN: 2× Platinum[68]
"Amapiano"
(with Olamide) 		— — — 86 — 3
"Lonely at the Top"
(or with H.E.R) 		— — — 90 — 4
  • TCSN: 7× Platinum[68]
"Only Me" 2024 — — — — — 4 Non-album single
"Wave"
(with Central Cee) 		— 82 28 41 — 1 Lungu Boy
"Active"
(with Travis Scott) 		95 88 29 58 176 1
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.
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Year Song Peak chart position Ref.
2022 "Palazzo" by DJ Spinall No. 6 US Afrobeats Songs [69][70]
2022 "Bandana" by Fireboy DML No. 8 US Afrobeats Songs [71][72]
2022 "Loaded" by Tiwa Savage [73]
2023 "No Competition" by Davido [74]
2023 "New Religion" by Olamide [citation needed]
2023 "Happiness" by Sarz [75]
2024 "Stubborn" by Victony [76]

Music videos

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List of music videos as lead and featured artist, showing year released and directors
Title Year Director(s)
"Omo Ope" (Asake featuring Olamide) 2022 Asher Kine[77]
"Sungba" (Asake) TG Omori[78]
"Sungba Remix" (Asake featuring Burna Boy) TG Omori[79]
"Palazzo" (DJ Spinall featuring Asake) TG Omori[80]
"Peace Be Unto You" (Asake) TG Omori
"Terminator" (Asake) TG Omori[81]
"Joha" (Asake) TG Omori[82]
"Loaded" (Tiwa Savage featuring Asake) TG Omori[83]
"Organise" (Asake) TG Omori[84]
"Yoga" 2023 TG Omori
"2:30" Joshua Valle & Edgar Esteves
"Amapiano" (Asake featuring Olamide) Jyde Ajala
"Basquiat" Joshua Valle & Edgar Esteves
“Remember” Joshua Valle [85][86]

References

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  2. ^ "Asake Biography & Net Worth 2024".
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  11. ^ a b "Asake records huge debut on Billboard 200 US chart with 'Work Of Art'". NotjustOk. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
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  15. ^ "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | Grammy.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
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  70. ^ Overo, Naomi (16 June 2022). "Asake Releases New Single "Peace Be Unto You"". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  71. ^ "Fireboy DML, Asake 'Bandana' top Apple Music chart". Voice of Nigeria. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  72. ^ Adebiyi, Adeayo (15 July 2022). "Fireboy links up with Asake for new single 'Bandana'". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  73. ^ "Tiwa Savage "Loaded" ft. Asake". Legit9ja. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  74. ^ "Davido "No Competition" ft. Asake". Trendybeatz. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  75. ^ Fuentes, Emily (12 December 2023). "Get an Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sarz, Asake & Gunna's 'Happiness' Music Video". Billboard. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  76. ^ David, Obed (10 May 2024). "Victony, Asake collide in new single 'Stubborn". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
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  78. ^ "Asake drops the visuals to 'Sungba'". The PGM Club. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  79. ^ "New Video Alert: Asake Drops 'Sungba' Remix Ft. Burna Boy". All News NG. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  80. ^ "DJ Spinall And Asake Share Video For New Song "Palazzo"". MediaRants. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  81. ^ "Asake releases "Terminator" Music Video". The Guardian NG. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  82. ^ "Asake releases dance-filled video for "Joha"". Vanguard NGR. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
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  84. ^ "Asake Releases Long-Awaited Music Video For Organise (Watch)". Within Nigeria. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  85. ^ "Asake – Remember (official video)". Naijaleash. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  86. ^ says, Beecoded (12 October 2024). "Asake – "Lungu Boy" (Album) ZIP Download » Fulloaded".
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