Nigerian rap icon Olamide has paid glowing tribute to Asake, his former label signee, describing him as an artist whose originality and relentless drive set him apart from the start of his career.
Asake, who first gained attention in 2020 with his viral single “Lady,” joined Olamide’s YBNL Nation in February 2022.
His signing marked the beginning of a meteoric rise that saw him dominate the Afrobeats scene with multiple chart-topping hits. In 2025, he parted ways with YBNL to launch his own imprint, Giran Republic.
Speaking in a recent interview, Olamide revealed that he knew from their first meeting that Asake was unique. “I did not know he was going to go that wild but I knew Asake was one of one. From the sound and everything. I have never heard anything close to that before. His authenticity and his craftsmanship,” he said.
The YBNL boss, who has built a reputation for discovering and nurturing raw talent, also highlighted Asake’s work ethic as a defining trait.
“Asake is not the dude you try and convince to put in effort because he is already putting efforts,” Olamide explained.
“That is why I respect him so much. And I thought it would be a nice thing for us to partner.”
He further explained that his approach with signees has always been to give them creative freedom rather than pressure.
“Honestly, I do not put such pressure on my guys. I try as much as possible not to put pressure on them. I just tell them to just make beautiful music. If it is awesome, it is going to fly. It might not fly. It might fly later in 10 years, 20 years. And we are still seeing that real life now. My songs from 10 years that probably did not pop then. But we knew it was good music,” he said.
