By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Rapper and singer Olamide has revealed that he recognised Asake’s exceptional talent and distinct sound from the very first time they met.
In a recent interview, Olamide admitted that although he knew Asake was gifted, he did not fully anticipate the extraordinary level of success the singer would achieve. “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 praised Asake’s natural drive and strong work ethic, noting that the singer never needs external motivation to put in effort. “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 attributed his decision to sign Asake to his label, YBNL, to these qualities. He explained that his mentoring approach involves giving artists the freedom to create music without unnecessary pressure. “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 emphasised that good music eventually stands the test of time, even if it does not gain immediate popularity. Olamide cited examples from his own career, noting that some of his songs did not gain traction when they were first released but are now appreciated. “My songs from 10 years ago probably did not pop then. But we knew it was good music,” he said.
Asake’s journey with YBNL began in February 2022, and he has recently left the label to launch his own label, Giran Republic.