The Nigerian music industry over the last couple of years has seen bright, young and very talented new artistes blow up and make a name for themselves, but nobody has seen a new artiste completely take over the music scene for a whole year the way Asake did in 2022.
Born Ahmed Ololade, Asake or Mr. Money is an Afro-fusion singer-songwriter and entertainer whose genre contains a mixture of Afro-pop, Amapiano, Afro-R&B and fuji to produce anthem-like melodies.
He is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife where he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts. Asake’s journey into music was purely accidental as he started off as a dancer and worked with a myriad of dance companies and theatre outfits in school before trying his hand at music. He headlined a few shows in school, his Afro-Fusion style and energy making him a fan favourite.
Asake, in the space of one year has transcended being referred to as an upcoming or fast-rising star. Although his first commercial release, “Lady” in 2020 did not augur a tectonic shift in the music scene, it did make him relevant and a fan favorite. He released another street-savvy record “Mr.Money” and a follow up remix with Afrobeats powerhouses Peruzzi and Zlatan Ibile.
Asake’s music evokes a deep connection to the gritty realities of Lagos, the everyday struggles of average Lagosians. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said “My music talks about life in general. I grew up in a neighborhood that is considered dangerous, a neighborhood where everyone wakes up to hustle for their daily meals.
He continued “It taught me how to survive in good times and bad times. So I draw inspiration from my real life experiences to encourage everyone who thinks their present reality is constant; I want them to always remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
His album, “Mr Money With The Vibe” presents a multi-dimensional look at Asake, as an artist and as a human being. He is someone who has taken time to find himself, perfect his craft and also ensure his self-perception remains largely unperturbed by external influences.
Asake is currently label mates with Fireboy DML who is signed to Olamide owned YBNL and co-signed to Empire. He has done tours in US and Europe which is an unimaginable feat for a breakout star to accomplish within their first year as a mainstream sensation.
He, as of yesterday has won his first artiste of the year award at the just concluded African Muzik Magazine Awards(AFRIMMA) 2022. Mr Money beat Burna Boy, Rema, Diamond Platnumz, Fally Ipupa, and more.
Despite just breaking out, Asake seems far ahead of his time and has all it takes to leave his name imprinted in the Afrobeats sands of time.
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