On “Active,” Asake Borrows from a Fuji Anthem and joins forces with a Rap megastar
the song also takes influences from Afrobeats, House and Hip-Hop.
In a recent interview with GQ, Asake said of his meteoric rise: “People are counting the days you’re successful. They don’t count the days you’ve been working towards it. Nobody gives a fuck about that.” This explains the impressive effortlessness that the 29-year-old has operated with since his breakthrough a couple of years ago.
After years of silent sonic evolutions and false starts with singles like 2020’s “Mr Money,” Asake came out swinging in 2022, captivating the masses with an infectious alchemy of Fuji music and Amapiano that culminated in his critically acclaimed debut ‘Mr Money With The Vibe.’ This delightful blend of distinct styles has been the main driving force of his rapid, dazzling run; it fuelled ‘Work Of Art,’ an impressive sophomore that doubled down on his winning formula, and now, it’s priming him for a possible trifecta, all in less than three years.
While Asake rarely stepped out of his comfort zone in the first couple of years after his breakout – mostly working with his trusted producer Magicsticks and barely doing features – he’s shown a proclivity since the turn of the year for exploring new musical terrains and for collaborating more. That’s why it didn’t come as much of a surprise when the tracklist for his forthcoming third studio album, ‘Lungu Boy,’ revealed a number of eye-catching features like Wizkid, Travis Scott and Brazilian sensation Ludmilla. The features not only enforce his willingness to push the limits of his sound but it also highlights just how far he’s come in such a short time.
Earlier today, the Grammy-nominated singer released “Active,” presumably the final single before the album finally arrives on the 10th of August, 2024. The song dials down some of the vigor that has characterized most of his biggest hits. Here, he employs a more mid-tempo flow, coasting over an exquisite Sarz beat that expertly flips bits of Jazzman Olofin and Adewale Ayuba’s classic anthem “Raise The Roof” over a log-drum loop.
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The sample, which predominantly features a snippet of Ayuba repeatedly singing “ma jo fine girl,” is tasteful and poignant, adding a slice of nostalgia to a track that borrows influences from Afrboeats, House music and Hip-Hop. The lyrics here range from braggadocious to celebratory but ultimately the message is simple: “Oh man I’m active,” Asake repeatedly sings on the hook, simultaneously propping himself up and letting everyone know he’s on top of his game.
Rap megastar Travis Scott is here for company. The 33-year-old punctuates the record with a short but enjoyable verse that sees him bragging about his affluent lifestyle and numerous shenanigans. The song is also accompanied by a colorful and trippy video directed by Edgar Esteves, Joshua Valle, and Nikita Vilchinski. It features flattering shots of the pair in different well-put together sets and a bunch of b-roll footage from a couple of Asake’s recent shows.
Even as the self-proclaimed Mr Money rapidly progressed following his watershed moment in early 2022, a few things still reasonably seemed out of reach. For one, it still seemed slightly inconceivable, for various reasons, that you would hear the iconic “It’s lit” ad-lib on an Asake record. But here we are; the 29-year-old continues to defy the odds as he gears up to complete what could possibly be the greatest three-album run the country has ever seen in record time.
