Of the many melodious hits in the music industry currently, Ahmed Ololade Asake’s new Album Mr. Money with the Vibe is nonpareil. The Afropop singer and songwriter is distinct for incorporating Fuji into pop music by creating a perfect sweet blend. His aura as well as the quality of his works has put him above some of his contemporaries. This has also kept him in the limelight consistently throughout the year. His new album is nothing short of excellent.
Having 12 songs on an album resting pretty on the top of the Naija top 100 chart must be a great milestone for the artiste. Also, Asake has continued to smash goals by topping the chart on every song release. It is difficult to have just one favourite on this album. Seven months after his EP Ololade Asake, the street pop artiste has become territorial by dominating the world of Afropop with his euphonious songs. He employs amapiano, signature chorus vocals, and amazingly, some violin to fine-tune his sound into uniqueness.
Asake’s Mr. Money with the Vibe. Credit: Asake|YouTube
Asake’s songs are fastidious of life on the streets for the average person trying to earn a living. He presents a verbal manifestation of the stuff he wants out of life and how to get there. Dull is typically a note to self, a subtle reminder to not be lackadaisical during the struggle for success. Asake’s prowess and progress in the industry is strong evidence of prioritising hard work and consistency in his music. We never really saw him coming. The intro song is not only enjoyable but also inspirational, bearing insights on the rocky road to prosperity.
Asake employs the Yoruba language and street slangs in his music to accentuate his style. The Lagos-based artiste also fuses lifestyle, street smartness and melodies to harness the beauty of city life while actively giving fans music to rock. Sungba remix featuring Burna Boy is a club banger. Also, Organise has emerged as the newest record to join the list of hit groovy songs. From the rhythm and beats to the energy the song exudes, we can’t help but shuffle our feet or nod heads to the sound.
With the creativity of his close ally Magicsticks on the beats, he relays his realities and life within his songs. “Dupe” is particularly critical about appreciation and gratitude. In order to attract the things that we do not already possess, the artiste admonishes that people stay thankful and steady on the grind. Amid the many experiments with amapiano, “Sunmomi” is a blistering work of art in this genre. The beats continue to resound long after the music stops playing, causing some gyration.
Now, to the fun part. Recent events have led to clashes between the fans of Wizkid and Asake. Few days after the release of the debut album ‘MMWTV’, Big Wiz dropped a single Bad to Me. This song struggled up the ladder, beating Asake’s album to become the most streamed song in 24 hours. Wizkid’s fans could not stop the uproar about the song even though it is arguably mid, based on the artistic achievements of the one Starboy. However, the song is currently back to number four on the chart, leaving Asake as ‘landlord’ in that space. It’s been amazing having this new great artiste break through the ranks and set new records.
Olamide, as the chairman of YBNL, got himself a golden goose in Asake. l, ‘small body big engine’ as Asake likes to refer to himself. Olamide has been unable to suppress his excitement about the force with which Asake has taken over. He has shown support in promoting the music of his flock, especially Asake in recent times. Fun fact, they both announced a new music collaboration on the way and it is about to be lit as usual. It is bliss to reckon with a superstar with so much talent and tough grind.
If you’re not already familiar with his sound, get into the groove and catch a vibe by streaming Mr. Money with the Vibe.
Clara Gaiya, an entrepreneur, writes from Lagos.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
