t’s safe to say that 2022 s the year of popular Nigerian singer, Asake. Without a doubt, Asake dominated the playlist on Nigerian and African radio stations in 2022.
Like many Nigerians, Asake, whose full name is Ahmed Ololade, has endured a difficult life and had to persevere through the various challenges that daily existence has presented to him.
Asake began releasing music on DSPs in 2019, but it took him another year to taste what it was like to go viral with the club banger “Mr. Money,” which established him in the Nigerian music scene.
Asake draws on his personal experiences and the pioneers of street-hop such as DaGrin, Lord Of Ajasa, and Olamide for inspiration. He speaks candidly about reality and the hustle it took to succeed. He accomplishes this through the dynamic utilization of spiritual affirmations and a sonic fusion of Fuji music and lyrics that sounds like a sermon.
To help him move easily across the thematic subtexts and amapiano instrumentation, he also combines different harmonies intensified with choir-backed voices, a motif that is frequently used in Fuji music.
“Mr. Money” is a track he says opened the door for him.
However, street-hop icon Olamide hopped on Asake’s tune “Omo Ope” earlier this year in January 2022, and soon after, Asake was signed to his YBNL label. This was Asake’s big break. Asake’s career would alter course after the release of “Omo Ope,” which established his sound and signaled the start of his dominance of Nigerian music in 2022.
Asake takes a distinctive approach to his music videos, and with the assistance of renowned video director TG Omori, he ensures that his videos elevate his audience. Each one is a magical fusion of his creative storytelling and vivid imagination, and he moves through each shot with the confidence of a rock star. His deliberate devotion to his dress and style has enhanced his famous character. Asake’s fits typically feature large high-fashion shapes with oversized eyeglasses, more frequently from Balenciaga and Dior. These essentials have evolved into the Nigerian star’s go-to ensembles, several of which have gained popularity due to their outrageousness.
Asake has gained enormous popularity since the publication of his debut album. First, he went on a North American promotional tour for his album, playing to packed houses in eight different American cities. Asake made history when his debut London performance at the renowned 02 Academy Brixton arena sold out in a matter of minutes, inspiring him to add two more dates, both of which have since sold out. demonstrating that the musician’s music and reputation have expanded significantly from their modest origins in Lagos as he sets his sights on a global domination.
His spectacular run of 2022 came to an end with the release of “Loaded” by him and Tiwa Savage, which seemed to be his final performance of the year. There’s no denying that throughout the course of the year, Asake’s music was played nonstop on Nigerian and African radio stations.