In a recent interview with Billboard News, the renowned Nigerian singer, Ahmed Ololade, widely known as Asake, has expressed his fervent desire to embark on a musical collaboration with none other than the iconic American rapper, Kanye West.
Asake, whose music has made waves in the Nigerian and international music scenes, revealed his aspiration for this unique partnership and even offered a heartfelt prayer to make it happen. In his own words, he said, “For me, I need to like the person before I can make music with you. I need to be comfortable with you. Not even because of the music alone.”
Elaborating on his criteria for collaboration, Asake emphasized the importance of genuine connections beyond just the musical aspect. He conveyed, “I’m not saying I can’t make music with other people but I like real energy. If you like me beyond the music, it’s good. But I need to connect with your music, I need to like the person I want to work with first so it won’t be a problem for me. There must be synergy. I have been saying this thing since; maybe God will do it. I will like to work with Kanye West.”
This revelation comes amidst the massive global expansion of the afrobeats genre, a musical movement that Asake himself has been an integral part of. Reflecting on the genre’s meteoric rise, he likened it to the growth of a cherished child, stating, “It is like you having a baby and your baby is growing. You know, you feel good when you have something around you and the thing is growing. In a couple of years, it will be bigger.“