Asake May Never Get A Grammy –OU Mackson
Why Ahmed Ololade Asake, better known as Asake or Mr Money, may never get a Grammy Award.
Asake is one of Nigerians household names in the music industry and his songs have enveloped the Nigerian atmosphere, making him undoubtedly one of the most relevant raves in the industry at the moment.
The Lagos born singer broke out in the industry when he released the 2020 single “Lady”. Olamide signed Asake to YBNL Records in February 2022. That same month he released his debut extended play, Ololade, which featured his breakthrough song “Omo Ope” featuring Olamide.
Despite being one of Nigerians favorite and one of the hottest artists now, Asake is still not ready for the Grammys for a few reasons I would list shortly.
It’s true that Mr Money’s EP, Ololade Asake, gained wide commercial success in the Street Pop and Afro Fusion music scenes
-Mr Money was the number-one album in Nigeria.
-The album set a new record on Apple Music after becoming the African album with the most first-day streams as well as the most opening three-day streams.
-It was also the first album to have all its tracks occupy the first 12 spots on Apple Music Nigeria Top 100.
-The first album to have 7 songs in the top ten positions in the history of TurnTable Charts(On the Chart week dated September 19th, 2022)
-The album debuted at Number 66th on the Billboard 200 making it the highest-debuting Nigerian album on the chart.
-Number 2 position on Billboard World Album Chart.
-MMWTV peaked at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number one in 26 countries on Apple Music Album Chart including 6 European countries.
However Asake is not ripe for a Grammy Award and here is why.
The Grammy Awards or the Grammys, are one of the most prestigious awards in the music industry.
There are so many eligibility requirements for a Grammy award, that Asake can easily meet, like the artist to be a member of the NARAS.
Paying a yearly fee and other criterias.
But Asake can not or may not reach the requirement below, at least not anytime soon.
‘The recording must be in one of the 84 categories recognized by the NARAS. These categories include genres such as pop, rock, rap, and classical, as well as specific categories for album, song, and production’.
This is a problem for Asake as he is yet to find his sound and genre.
Asake’s music style is hard to place. He infuses Amapiano, Fuji, Hip Hop, and other fusion in his music. He also uses praise singing, panegyrics, and Street Hop to create an upbeat chorus. Which is a perfect sound for the African market but not to the Grammys.
Asake’s street slang, Yoruba phrases and lingo like Trabaye, Omo Ope, Palazzo, and Sungba into euphoric beats is phenomenal to the Nigerian and African listeners and not to the world audience.
For Asake to grow past this stage he must leave his producer MagicSticks who is arguably one of the best producers in Africa and understands Asake’s sound and style. In other words, for Asake to start making Grammy standards, he has to change his sound and producers which would not happen at least not anytime soon.
Asake is a keen consumer of Nigerian popular culture, and these influences are reflected in his creative expressions which unfortunately is not a universal expression.
Mr Money has received some awards and nominations some of which include:
The City People Music Award for Best Collabo of the Year 2020
The City People Music Award for Popular Song of the Year 2020
City People Music Awards for Street Music of the Year 2020 Nomination
Breakout artiste of the year at NET Honours Class of 2022
Asake will win more awards in Nigeria and in Africa because he is one of our finest. He understands African culture from; religion, fashion, hype, slang, to rhymes, dance and energy.
I’m sure he would pick a few headies awards but not just Grammy until he is ready to do his music the western way.
Take Wizkid and Burna Boy for example, what songs did they win their Grammys and how did the songs sound?
Davido who is the biggest artiste in Nigeria and loved all over the world, how many Grammy nominations does he have? Even till tomorrow.
For Asake to stand a chance in the Grammys he has to:
-Consistently release high-quality universal music: Asake needs to consistently release music that showcases his unique talent and appeals to a wider audience.
-Build a strong universally accessible brand: Asake should establish a strong brand image that sets him apart from other musicians in his genre. This could include a distinctive look, a consistent image, and a clear message.
-Network with industry professionals: Asake should network with music industry professionals, including producers, musicians, and record label executives, to increase his visibility and exposure.
-Collaborate with other artists: Collaborating with other musicians and producers can help Asake reach a new audience and gain recognition from other industry professionals.
-Promote his music in the west: Asake should use social media and other platforms to promote his music to the west and other regions of the world.
-Submit his music for Grammy consideration: To be eligible for a Grammy, Asake’s music must be released during the eligibility period and he must submit his work for consideration.
-Attend industry events mostly in the USA: Attending music industry events such as concerts, music festivals, and award shows around the world. That can help Asake make new connections and increase his exposure to industry professionals.
By following these suggestions, Asake can increase his chances of winning a Grammy. However, it’s important to remember that winning a Grammy is a competitive process and success ultimately depends on many factors, including timing, luck, and the opinions of the voters.
