In the last decade, music that resonates with the everyday struggles of the average young Nigerian on the streets of Lagos – and its other major cities such as Port Harcourt and Abuja – have dominated the country's airwaves. And the latest act taking a fresh approach to riding on that wave is Ahmed Ololade Asake; better known as simply Asake. He came onto the scene in 2020 with the single ‘Mr Money’, which later became a nightlife anthem. Then he resurfaced in January 2022 with the release of ‘Omo Ope’ with Olamide and that changed everything. “My growth in the industry wasn’t exactly fast paced,” says Asake as he describes his career so far. “I have been singing for as long as I can remember, but the run feels really good right now and I am grateful. I have never doubted my ability. I knew I was made to serve the world through music and I have only just begun the journey.”

‘Omo Ope’ went on to be the number one song in the country and was followed by Asake’s ‘Ololade Asake’ EP, which preceded ‘Sungba Remix’ featuring Burna Boy. Since then, the singer’s every release has been a hit thanks to his special sound, a fusion of fuji and Nigerian pop with amapiano. And most recently he’s gone global with the album, ‘Mr Money with the Vibe’. “I work like I am just about to drop my first single. I spend time making my music. I make every instrument play how I want it to and for me, that’s my uniqueness,” he affirms. “If you listen to my album, you will be able to tell that I am comfortable making music for everybody.”

Another fusion Asake is celebrated for is that of the Yórùbá language and Nigerian broken English. The singer attributes this part of his secret sauce to where he was born and bred. “Lagos is my city and it plays a very huge role in my music. Everything I sing about is from the experiences that I have had here. The lamba (slangs) you hear, the high energy and vibrations are all elements of my city. Wherever I go in the world, I will always have my Lagos spirit with me and can’t live anywhere else.”

At the time of our interview, Asake is on tour in the US and looking forward to a UK tour in December, all promoting the album that reached number 66 on the Billboard 200 – the highest any debut Nigerian album has attained thus far. The lead single ‘Terminator’ has just dropped. For an artist who only really stole the limelight for himself this year, Asake’s life has experienced a very obvious turn-around since signing to Olamide’s YBNL label. “It happened so fast that I even thought it was a dream,” he reflects. “Olamide has been my distant mentor for the longest. Now having to work with him closely is beyond a miracle. His influence on my music is huge and I will always be grateful that we are here now and moving forward still.”

If the VIP lifestyle portrayed in his videos and social feeds is to be believed, Asake is riding high right now. On how much stardom has affected his life, he says: “I am pretty much the same guy I was. I still eat the same food and sleep the same way. But now, I don’t know who truly loves me for who I am and not what I am.” Although many would consider this a drawback to being famous, Mr Money can handle it. “I really don’t focus on the negatives, or things I wish I could have done better. I motivate myself, pick up and continue my journey with the mindset that all is going to be fine. There are no regrets for me; just blessings.”

With his records already doing amazing numbers in Nigeria and overseas, Asake’s benchmark for fulfillment is now more attached to cultural influence than on material wealth or fame. “At the end of the day, I want to be known as the guy who came to serve – who made an impact not just socially, but also something my heritage would be proud of. I want my local dialect to be recognised globally and that’s why I put it in my music 100 percent of the time.”

The world can try all she wants to overlook how much work African artists put into their crafts, but ready or not, new school acts like Asake are taking over and grabbing the global stages like the horn of a show bull.