Album Review: Asake Is the Man of the Moment on Mr. Money With The Vibe
A scorching summation of the singer's hot streak so far
“I just blow, but omo I know my set,” Asake sings on “Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)”, the Magicsticks-produced promotional single which dotted social media timelines a few weeks before the release of his debut album. It is a statement that is devoid of an ego trip and leans on the artist’s tenacity and perseverance since his debut on the scene. Two years before this release, Asake’s name was already being mentioned in Nigerian music conversations, following the respectable success of several single releases, starting with the mildly viral “Lady” and popular street-pop hit, “Mr Money”.
The latter song, an Amapiano-tinged banger, gave him a taste of success at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The single took over the streets of Lagos and introduced Asake as a worthy talent, garnering the attention of listeners and industry heavyweights alike, before eventually leading the rising star to feature Afropop superstars such as Zlatan and Peruzzi for the song’s remix. Although “Mr Money” didn’t fly higher than Asake might have expected, it ushered in the belief to keep pushing, to keep his eyes set on bigger successes. For an ascendant star whose journey dates back to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Asake’s music spins with a star quality polished by dreams and lived experiences.
It’s clear that those formative years between the release of “Mr Money” and his scene-stealing single “Omo Ope” with YBNL head honcho Olamide, had him aching to display sonic tricks, both old and new. When Asake dropped his debut EP ‘Ololade Asake’ earlier in the year, no one foreshadowed the tsunami of hit records and culture-shifting dynamism he was bringing into the Nigerian music scene. The four-song project introduced Asake’s intriguing mix of Yoruba Gospel, Fuji influences and a sound template of folk-indented Nigerian pop and Amapiano primarily honed by Nigerian music producer Magicsticks.
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