Mr Money With the Vibes Album Review - Asake's Ghetto Gospels
Asake ends his 2022 bastardly run by landing a debut album that delivers.
Ahmed Ololade Asake might as well be a cyborg assassin sent from the future to kill everything.
Mr Terminator's body count in 9 months is more than the kills in James Cameron's classic film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1984. More people have experienced what the French call 'la petite mort' (literal meaning - little death, which describes the sensation of post orgasm) listening to his songs than the 32 people Schwarzenegger killed in the movie.
There are four stages of pleasure in an orgasm; excitement phase, plateau phase, orgasm phase and resolution phase. Right now, we are in the resolution phase.
These are the resolutions. As Don Jazzy rightly pointed out, Asake should win the Next Rated and Artist of the Year categories at The Headies. It is not a ludicrous statement considering his dominance this year.
Secondly, as Nigerian OAP Melody Hassan tweeted, Asake is the first street hop artiste to release a cohesive and universally acclaimed debut album.
The artwork 'Mr Money With The Vibe' is a picture of Asake with a mischievous grin inspired by Pablo Escobar's only mugshot. In his 30-minute offering, the cold and ruthless hit machine hands out pills manufactured by him Magicsticks designed to leave us in a state of bliss. From 'Omo Ope' to 'Terminator', Asake has expanded the YBNL cartel with one matra - éxtasis o nada más (ecstasy or nothing).
Medellin is to Pablo what Lagos is to Asake. It's the scene of his struggles and victory. After years of struggling, Asake is now a battle-tested and wise street hustler who offers words of wisdom, quotes, life lessons and survival tips on his debut album.
"O de mo pe werey po leko" (and you know there are many mad people in Lagos) says Asake on the swift album opener 'Dull'. It is one of the survival tips Asake hands out on his debut. The title is an abridged version of the popular inner city advice - don't dull.
Asake's style is visceral, and his manner of delivery is didactic. He sings the way a Lagos city hustler speaks, direct peppered with euphemisms, street code, braggadocio, humour, spirituality and charm.
Life is a game, and this artist knows his position. "I no go let anyone control me. Anything wey I wan do, I go do," he sings with freedom on the anthemic 'Organise' bolstered with a soulful sax.
The sax here is a choice instrument as it introduces the Gospel-inspired 'Dupe'. It preaches patience and hope, two things Asake knows about during his days in the trenches and vice districts.
Programmed fuji drums on 'Joha' have not sounded this good since Laolu Akins produced Sir Shina Peters's back-to-back classics 'Ace' and 'Shinamania' in 1989 and 1990, respectively.
Sir Shina Peters called his sound 'Afro Juju', a revitalised version of the juju genre popularised by King Sunny Ade, Chief Ebenezer Obey and others.
If Sir Shina Peters's version of juju was fast and electrifying, then Asake's neo-Fuji is frenetic and a lightning bolt exemplified on 'Joha'. It's a rump-shaking, back-breaking and ecstasy-inducing hell of a track. Asake's Americana hustler comes out when he says, "screw a n**** if a n**** think I give a fuck", then proceeds to let you know he has been here for a while "Me I don dey street since when dem sing gongo aso."
It's funny he would name-check one of the greatest Nigerian songs of all time. 'Gongo Aso' is not only the name of the classic song by 9ice, but it is also the name of his masterpiece sophomore album of the same name, primarily produced by ID Cabasa.
Gongo Aso is one of the best examples of artist-producer chemistry, along with other classics like 'Mushin 2' Mo' Hits’ (Wande Coal/Don Jazzy) and 'Superstar' (Wizkid/Samklef).
Asake and Magicsticks have a formidable partnership that has led to the creation of a hustler-verse that matches the culture, mood and energy of Lagos. If boom bap is to New York, G-funk to California, Trap to Atlanta and Drill to Chicago, then this neo-Fuji sound is Lagos - a relentless, hectic, humid pulsating and rhythmic monster. (Rappers take note)
Magictsicks' beats fit into the hustler-verse of the trenches and the club. The club is a vital constituency in Lagos nightlife. Asake's bangers like 'Sunmomi' are efficient in both realms. 'Sunmomi' is a lite track of the Naija version of Mzansi's staple offering these days - amapiano.
From the trenches to the club is the horizontal movement of a hustler, and Asake walks to and fro these points on his album with swagger, backed by his pre-released monster singles.
Mr Money With The Vibes is not all hard-hitting bangers. Asake reserves a three-song stretch for the worship side of his street praise and worship LP. 'Nzaza', 'Ototo' and 'Reason' (featuring Russ) offer a calmer version of his life lessons, spirituality and quest for glory.
The best of his ghetto gospels is 'Reason'. When Russ says, "dropped a lot of songs that didn't blow up, but I never lost faith in this," it fits into Asake's journey.
There have been many online conversations about Asake's debut being the album of the year. I think it is a contender.
Culturally, what Asake has achieved is monumental. His album celebrates his bastardly run to the top thanks to his ruthless ambition, consistency, pressure, and determination. Asake's album is electrifying, enjoyable, smooth, precise, punctual and brief - more bang for your buck.
It doesn't overstay its welcome. It stays for a good time and not a long time.
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Well said/written - The album is just here for a good time not a long time. I think Asake has more stories and 'lamba', thats the side of him I want to see on new beats. I worry that he might have boxed himself as a paino party act which could impact the reception of his coming not amapiano releases
Insightful!!!!