Rapper and singer Olamide has commended Asake for his exceptional talent and distinctive sound, revealing that he recognised the singer’s uniqueness from their very first encounter.
In a recent interview, Olamide admitted that although he knew Asake was gifted, he did not anticipate the magnitude of the success that would follow.
“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,” Olamide said.
He also highlighted Asake’s natural drive and dedication, noting that the singer doesn’t require external motivation to give his best.
“Asake is not the dude you try and convince to put in effort because he is already putting effort. That is why I respect him so much. And I thought it would be a nice thing for us to partner,” he added.
Olamide explained that these qualities played a key role in his decision to sign Asake to his label, YBNL.
“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 make beautiful music. If it is awesome, it is going to fly. It might not fly. It might fly in 10 years, 20 years. And we are still seeing that in real life now,” he said.
He believes that genuinely good music will endure over time, even if it doesn’t immediately gain mainstream attention, citing examples from his own career.
“My songs from 10 years ago probably did not pop then. But we knew it was good music,” Olamide noted.
Asake joined YBNL in February 2022, and he recently left the label to launch his own imprint, Giran Republic.
