From Lagos to global heights, Asake’s rapid and seamless progression leaves no one in doubt of his musical dexterity. His third studio album, “Lungu Boy”, proves this beyond measure as he expresses himself in a new light. You can call it Asake’s unseen style.
I bet no one ever imagined a swift transition in style, a chronic display of versatility, a reinvention of self and a reintroduction of the same one that never was a stranger in the music industry.
Prior to his third album release, the globally recognised Nigerian singer-songwriter carved a niche for himself and has been known for that over the years. His ability to seamlessly blend exquisite vocals, often complimented by an outstanding song-writing ability and hovering it over the now-popular South-African-originated Amapiano beats, has put him in the fore amongst his contemporaries.
Originally Ahmed Ololade, Asake, through his new project “Lungu Boy”, significantly reveals a part of himself that looks like nobody ever knew. It can rightly be considered not commensurate with his previous projects in terms of style, but it definitely has a delivery that is equally beyond mediocre.
A major derivative is his ability to embrace Afrobeats’ quintessential feel-good sound while drawing influence from RnB, UK rap and electronic music. His presupposed uptempo Amapiano signature has, all along, enjoyed global acceptance in the last few years since his emergence into the limelight, making him another force to reckon with in the African music scene like many others who have been exporting the Nigerian afro sounds to a global audience and subtly taking over the space.
Asake has by this, inspired fans by blending various music cultures across the globe. His track list is preoccupied with what many may consider “the least expected guest appearances” on the album. How would you have thought of Travis Scott, a core American hip-hop rapper and “trapper,” hopping on a beat with an Amapiano prodigy? Did you ever imagine Yoruba lyrics in Pari Passu with Scott’s trap lines? “Active,” the sixth track on the list, unveils this compatibility.
A similar scenario plays out again in the seventh number, “Suru,” featuring British singer and grime star Stormzy, who brings his brand of spiritual thanksgiving to the Amapiano-influenced sound. The beating of talking drums in the instrumentals creates a sense of cultural inclination and exploration, depicting Asake’s Yoruba origin, chiefly known for playing the instrument.
In the first track, “Start”, the singer, however, invokes a nostalgic feeling with Ludmilla’s mesmerising vocals and after that, raises the tempo for the next few seconds with Asake’s usual afro-style before letting Wizkid in with some hard-hitting lyrics on the second track “MMS”. With Ludmilla’s appearance on the track, the trio undoubtedly created a masterpiece!
In the third track, “Mood,” Asake lightens up the moment, raising the tempo slightly above 100 but maintaining his standard. He spotlights his tenacity in “Skating,” the eighth track on the list, as he again talks about a lifestyle that is conscious and determined to win against all odds while playing ignorant to clouts in “Wave,” featuring British rapper Central Cee (track 9).
In the many other songs that together make up the 15-track album, Asake’s “Lungu Boy” undoubtedly represents a new era for the singer following the release of his sophomore album, ” Work of Art,” which, like his debut, “Mr Money With The Vibe,” pitched him with several global talents and saw him rise to stardom at such a stable and fast pace.
With production credits to P.Priime as producer on the first four songs (Start, MMS, Mood, My Heart) and three others (Suru – track 7, Skating – track 8 and I Swear – track 12), the album boasts of an elite and global production quality especially with the touch of Sarz on tracks 5, 6, 10, 11 and 13 (Worldwide, Active, Mentally, Uhh Yeahh, Ligali).
Similarly, Haitian producer SAK-PASE is credited with producing the three remaining songs on the project including Whine (14), Magicsticks on Wave (9), alongside Asake and The Compozers on Fuji Vibe (15).
Asake is one of the few African artists to have sold out the 20,000 capacity 02 Arena in London. It is hoped soon, the singer will, for a second time, host his fans from around the world at the 02 Arena even as a lawsuit still lingers over a scenario that played out at his 2023 show at Brixton’s O2 Academy leading to the death of two concertgoers while others were injured due to the large crowd that surmounted the arena’s capacity.
Below is the tracklist to the singer’s latest album, “Lungu Boy.”
