Asake, the Nigerian Afrobeats star unveiled his fourth studio album titled M$NEY on May 1, 2026. A project focused on expanding his legacy as one of the most successful Nigerian artistes in recent times.
The concept of M$NEY by Asake is freedom, access, legacy and promises of consistency to sustain his global relevance and cementing the enviable height he has attained in his career in just four years since embracing the limelight.
Released under his record label imprint Giran Republic in affiliation with Empire, he collaborates with South Africa’s Kabza De Small, France’s DJ Snake and Tiakola to render a memorable project that reminds close listeners how the story began in 2022.
Asake is known to create music that resonates deeply. His albums deliver songs that captivate listeners, connect beyond the surface and resonate with diverse audiences.
On M$NEY, he takes a familiar sonic route like his 2022 debut studio album tagged Mr Money With The Vibe. With Magicsticks helming production on a majority of the tracks, Asake dishes out songs marinated in the original flavour of his musical style. Asake’s music is often magnetic whether wholly in Yoruba or spiced with English and Nigerian Pidgin.
A point to highlight and note about the style and structure of his music is how it resonates beyond the domestic terrain to become a staple listeners enjoy on a global scale. On his last project, Lungu Boy, however Asake was more of an experimental artist.
On M$NEY, his sonic approach tilts towards connecting more with the older fans yet it is worth noting that the entire project is curated to satisfy the palate of even a first-time listener of Asake’s music. However, look out for a few experimental tracks that made the cut on the album like “Bad Man Gangster” with Tiakola.
For core fans, “M$NEY,” is like Asake going back to the genesis but with a different state of mind as an artist. On the project, production duties are also handled by P.Priime, Nana Ntorinkansah, DJ Snake, Kabza De Small, Blaisebeatz, YungAce AoD, Gaetan Judd, and many more.
“Rora,” and “Forgiveness,” are deeply rooted in the real essence of Asake’s music – the sound, the call and response, the gyration and celebratory style and the way the music feels and connects with listeners.
“Worship” which enlists DJ Snake is powerfully steeped in spirituality and gratitude as it recognizes the presence of the most superior being in mankind.
Core fans will be quick to recognise elements of Asake’s work and be transported to their early incarnations from his debut to subsequent albums and it doesn’t matter whether it is his fusion of sounds from afrobeats to amapiano and fuji – elements which are the foundational blocks of Asake’s music – or his return to familiar thematic preoccupations riffing on spirituality, love, his lifestyle as a musical superstar.
With all the familiar tropes harking back to his origin, what has really changed is his state of mind as he confirms his place in the musical zeitgeist and his stratospheric progression from independence to influence and affluence.
M$NEY, is therefore in that sense, an album focused around sustaining his legacy and supremacy within the music industry even as he continues to bring his signature vigour to his music
***Agwuma Kingsley is a writer who loves reading, writing and making things happen
