Asake

Ahmed Ololade, known professionally as Asake, was born on January 13, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria. He pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Dramatic Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University. His initial entry into the entertainment industry was as a dancer, working with various dance and theater companies during his university years. Asake’s transition to music was not pre-planned; he found his footing in music by performing at university shows, where his Afro-Fusion style and high energy captivated audiences. His career began to gain significant traction in 2020 following the viral success of his freestyle track “Lady,” which received widespread attention and reposts from notable Nigerian influencers.

Following his early viral success, Asake’s single “Mr Money” in 2020 further established his presence, leading to collaborations with artists like Peruzzi and Zlatan on its remix. In February 2022, a significant career turning point occurred when he was signed by fellow Nigerian artist Olamide to his YBNL Records imprint. This signing was immediately followed by the release of his debut extended play, “Ololade,” featuring the breakthrough track “Omo Ope” with Olamide and the single “Sungba.” His momentum continued in July 2022, when he secured a distribution deal with Empire, a major step towards global audience reach. His debut studio album, “Mr. Money with the Vibe” (2022), broke records for African albums on Apple Music and debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200. This album’s success led to him being crowned “artiste of the year” by Audiomack, having accumulated over 330 million streams.

Asake’s subsequent album, “Work of Art” (2023), mirrored the chart performance of its predecessor, also reaching number 66 on the Billboard 200 and securing a BRIT silver plaque. His third album, “Lungu Boy” (2024), became his third consecutive number one album in Nigeria, also setting a new record for the biggest opening day global streams for a Nigerian album on Spotify with 9.2 million streams. The album featured collaborations with international artists such as Central Cee, Stormzy, Wizkid, Travis Scott, and Ludmilla. In February 2025, Asake officially launched his independent label, Giran Republic, with the release of the single “Why Love,” marking a new phase in his career. His notable performances include headlining and selling out the Barclays Center in New York City in September 2023, and the O2 Arena in London in August 2023.