Lungu Boy

On his third album, 2024’s Lungu Boy, Asake bends time, space, genre and rhythm to his will. As the indigenous sounds that converge in Lagos interact with more diasporic influences, the singer-songwriter and performer articulates his identity through imaginative musical frameworks. “Lungu Boy explains my early beginnings in music and how it shaped me into the person I am becoming,” Asake tells Apple Music. “The English word is ‘ghetto’. As you can tell from the choice of collaborations, Lungu Boy is my heritage and culture [spreading] to the rest of the world.” The result is a project more expansive than his previous albums—Mr. Money With the Vibe and Work of Art—that welcomes LUDMILLA, Central Cee, Stormzy, Travis Scott and Wizkid into Asake’s orbit, and where eras are collapsed via Fuji vocal samples, log drums and nostalgic beat breaks. This is Asake’s crystallisation of an iteration of Afrobeats that accommodates various influences adapted from domestic and international sources. “It’s a new field,” Asake says. “I refuse to limit myself, and strive to share my African heritage with the world through a blend that goes beyond just a sound.” The sonic textures accrued from the merging of traditional styles with Afropop, samba, amapiano, funk and hip-hop allow Asake to push the envelope, traversing moods and a range of subjects. “Consistency and exposure lead to growth,” he says. “I’m glad to see it reflected in my writing as well.” While there is growth and an embrace of new directions, the street-coded lyricism, dynamism and stylish delivery lend a familiar feel. “Asake remains the same person,” the artist born Ahmed Ololade says. “But with increased value, content, exposure and composure.” Here, he talks us through Lungu Boy, track by track. “Start” “As the name implies, I set the tone for what to expect on the album, where I am coming from and where I am going. The ‘space’ in this context means the rest of the world.” “MMS” (with Wizkid) “It’s no secret that Wizkid is one of my music inspirations. As a young striving artist in Lagos, I have always been waiting for the right song, so when the opportunity came it was a no-brainer. ‘MMS’ stands for ‘Mr Money Sound’ and it explains my music journey.” “Mood” “‘Mood’ is a special record that reflects everyone’s varying emotions in life. It encourages embracing optimism and includes a Spanish translation on the second verse to reach a wider audience.” “My Heart” “Over the years, people have thought I am incapable of love, but I’m human and feel precisely like everyone else. On this record, I was pouring my heart into describing the kind of woman I would want.” “Worldwide” “With this record, I wanted my breakthrough into the global music space. I don’t want to be just a guy from Africa, but a guy who came to this world and made a difference in music. In the lyrics, I say, ‘Worldwide, Mr Money don blow o’—a phrase for fame where I come from.” “Active” (with Travis Scott) “I went to hang out with Sarz at his house. He said he’d been working on a beat and offered to play it; when I heard it, the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘Oh man, I’m active.’ It sounded good and I thought it would work in that direction. I hung out with Travis at one of his house parties, and we connected. The best song to have him on was ‘Active’; the rest is history.” “Suru” (feat. Stormzy) “A big shout-out to Stormzy for collaborating on this track. The song is about patience, staying true to your dreams and never giving up. Blessings come to those who work hard and believe.” “Skating” “One of my new hobbies this year is skating. I love the thrills and precision needed for balance while moving! After my show in Canada I met up with Priime in LA, and we worked on ‘I Swear’. He played the beat for ‘Skating’ and boom! Skating is a lifestyle.” “Wave” (with Central Cee) “I had recorded the chorus for this song during one of my sessions with Magicsticks in Lagos. I was expressing how I wanted to focus only on the positive things and not be distracted by side conversations. After meeting Central Cee at my Barclays show in New York, we decided to hang out. We offered to meet in a studio, and he wanted us to work together. He recorded the song that night, and we all loved it. We originally planned to work on another song in London, but ‘Wave’ was just the perfect record, so we stuck with it. Central Cee came to Lagos, we shot the video and had an amazing time.” “Mentally” “‘Mentally’ is for those who have faced peer pressure and insecurity. It’s about taking charge of your own destiny, embracing your truth and being loved for who you are.” “Uhh Yeahh” “In the Lungu, songs like this are called ‘Vibes and Inshallah’. It’s a situation where you let the music take control, no worries, just go with the flow of wherever the music takes you. But remember, don’t get into trouble, be mindful and respectful to people around you. Most importantly, don’t lose the fun!” “I Swear” “This slang term is one of my favourite words. It means ‘I am dead serious’. I didn’t realise I used it a lot until Ghazi [Shami]—who is the head of Empire—pointed it out to me. On this record, I was talking about enjoying myself and giving updates on what I like and want to do. It’s personal; I love the good things in life, so I work hard to afford them easily.” “Ligali” “This song is for the bad boys who just want a special girl in their lives and appreciate her efforts to stay beautiful while they have fun, travel around the world, enjoy the little things in life, take risks and be responsible at the same time.” “Whine” (with LUDMILLA) “When working with LUDMILLA, I wanted a song that matched her beauty and talent. She’s one of the best things to happen to music in Southern America. Have you seen how these girls dance? It’s a thing of beauty, and I wanted to be a part of it. Just letting all the beautiful girls know that I got them and they can keep shining to keep the world spinning.” “Fuji Vibe” “Before becoming famous, I had this song. It went viral during one of my shows when I used it as an interlude and the fans started a serious online campaign, wanting me to release it as a single. I love it because it allows me to express my heritage in the purest form. I’ve seen various online videos and really appreciate them.”