Asake Mr Money With the Vibe Album Review. Asake MMWTV Is A Hybrid Of Street-Inspired and Soulful-party Tune
With “MMWTV”, his first album, TrendyBeatz wrote about how this album solidifies Asake as a party king. Revealing how his little secret lies in how much he calls for your participation in his songs. That call-and-response not only demands one to become a part of the music and contribute one’s vocal quota, but it also makes it larger than life and makes everything become an anthem.
Mr Money With The Vibe (MMWTV) is an update on the “Ololade” EP with new territory explored and sounds tweaked. Blending Fuji influences over bouncy beats. A perfect description of soulful-party tracks; soft feel, danceable and relatable tunes.
Ahmed Ololade Asake, a.k.a “Mr money” with the stage name “Asake” was born in the early 90s in the Southern Part of Nigeria. He was raised in Lagos by his parents and completed his primary and secondary education there. He studied Theater and Performing Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and bagged a Bachelor’s degree.
Asake started his career professionally in 2015. His foray into music was entirely coincidental. He began as a dancer before attempting his hand at music, featured in some of Broda Shaggi’s comedy videos, and also featured in Shaggi’s track titled “star” in 2019. In 2020, his freestyle “Lady” went viral. It elicited a tremendous response from prominent internet influencers like Broda Shaggi, Sydney Talker, NastyBlaq, and more.
After releasing Mr Money, most people thought he was just a one-hit-wonder until the release of “Omo ope”. Fast forward to his record deal with YBNL and his first project, a “four-track” EP titled Ololade, which received critical acclaim. The Nigerian singer has endlessly proved his mettle by solidifying his place in Afropop’s canon through months of radio-ready hits and party-starting jams. His music is reliably in rotation at functions and has served as the soundtrack for many Africans on the continent.
It’s why you subconsciously start tracking his hooks and ad-libs because that feeling from the background cast is a shot of enjoyment in the arm, like what he did in “Omo Ope”, “Trabaye”, “Palazzo”, “Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)”, and “Bandana”.
Three singles previewed this album. “Sungba” ft Burna Boy is an enjoyable listening experience, with Burna Boy’s verse serving as a welcoming cherry on top of an already solid record. It is built on a melange of topics with hedonism and women clothing the song, with Burna Boy breathing life and energy from entry into the song. As the track progresses, Burna chants self-assured lyrics, such as “my problem is I too Sabi”, an instant quotable to date.
“Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)” is the second previewed song on the album. The song includes an interpolation of “Shakomo”, a classic released in 1999 by defunct Nigerian rap group “The Remedies”. It’s very tuneful, and it’s all shades of braggadocio, solely focused on the enjoyment and everything the singer was feeling and experiencing as his new affiliations gained him new levels of recognition, whilst the singer claims he has many disciples.
While “Terminator” - the third previewed song on the album, would take the place of Nickel to catalyse his final breakthrough into the Nigerian music scene. The song joins a long catalogue of songs named after women, depicting the desire to share the dance floor, to woo the lady and flows with urgency. Laced with bouncy beats and long drums. It is a euphoric jam that combines the breezy and visceral knock of contemporary street pop with choral flourishes. The hook “my banana, my bana, come chop my banana” stands out.
“Dull” is that emotional song; it finds Asake in his sombre expression, with the subtle woodwind instrument penetrating and wide percussive bass lines towards the end. The song is motivational, to stay up and stay sharp. It’s an anthemic song, with the ladies’ choral background adding emotional effects.
The tempo goes up a little notch with ‘Organise’, a tribute to 80s Afrobeats, where Asake reaches for Earth, Wind and Fire by way of the saxophone. It’s reminiscent of his flow on ‘Terminator’ but more viby.
The line “Shout Halle-, ’cause you no get to give no mean e too far” provides insight on what to expect with ‘Dupe’. After inducing street vibes in other tracks, Asake swayed and exuded religious beliefs where he preached “Gratitude” and being grateful no matter your situation.
Ahmed Ololade Asake, a.k.a “Mr money” with the stage name “Asake” was born in the early 90s in the Southern Part of Nigeria. He was raised in Lagos by his parents and completed his primary and secondary education there. He studied Theater and Performing Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and bagged a Bachelor’s degree.
Asake started his career professionally in 2015. His foray into music was entirely coincidental. He began as a dancer before attempting his hand at music, featured in some of Broda Shaggi’s comedy videos, and also featured in Shaggi’s track titled “star” in 2019. In 2020, his freestyle “Lady” went viral. It elicited a tremendous response from prominent internet influencers like Broda Shaggi, Sydney Talker, NastyBlaq, and more.
After releasing Mr Money, most people thought he was just a one-hit-wonder until the release of “Omo ope”. Fast forward to his record deal with YBNL and his first project, a “four-track” EP titled Ololade, which received critical acclaim. The Nigerian singer has endlessly proved his mettle by solidifying his place in Afropop’s canon through months of radio-ready hits and party-starting jams. His music is reliably in rotation at functions and has served as the soundtrack for many Africans on the continent.
It’s why you subconsciously start tracking his hooks and ad-libs because that feeling from the background cast is a shot of enjoyment in the arm, like what he did in “Omo Ope”, “Trabaye”, “Palazzo”, “Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)”, and “Bandana”.
Three singles previewed this album. “Sungba” ft Burna Boy is an enjoyable listening experience, with Burna Boy’s verse serving as a welcoming cherry on top of an already solid record. It is built on a melange of topics with hedonism and women clothing the song, with Burna Boy breathing life and energy from entry into the song. As the track progresses, Burna chants self-assured lyrics, such as “my problem is I too Sabi”, an instant quotable to date.
“Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)” is the second previewed song on the album. The song includes an interpolation of “Shakomo”, a classic released in 1999 by defunct Nigerian rap group “The Remedies”. It’s very tuneful, and it’s all shades of braggadocio, solely focused on the enjoyment and everything the singer was feeling and experiencing as his new affiliations gained him new levels of recognition, whilst the singer claims he has many disciples.
While “Terminator” - the third previewed song on the album, would take the place of Nickel to catalyse his final breakthrough into the Nigerian music scene. The song joins a long catalogue of songs named after women, depicting the desire to share the dance floor, to woo the lady and flows with urgency. Laced with bouncy beats and long drums. It is a euphoric jam that combines the breezy and visceral knock of contemporary street pop with choral flourishes. The hook “my banana, my bana, come chop my banana” stands out.
“Dull” is that emotional song; it finds Asake in his sombre expression, with the subtle woodwind instrument penetrating and wide percussive bass lines towards the end. The song is motivational, to stay up and stay sharp. It’s an anthemic song, with the ladies’ choral background adding emotional effects.
The tempo goes up a little notch with ‘Organise’, a tribute to 80s Afrobeats, where Asake reaches for Earth, Wind and Fire by way of the saxophone. It’s reminiscent of his flow on ‘Terminator’ but more viby.
The line “Shout Halle-, ’cause you no get to give no mean e too far” provides insight on what to expect with ‘Dupe’. After inducing street vibes in other tracks, Asake swayed and exuded religious beliefs where he preached “Gratitude” and being grateful no matter your situation.
Asake is always at his best when he is lovelorn, and there is a guitar riff for effect. In “Muse”, He serenades his love interest with sweet words and flattery. It’s a low tempo, with the choral voice thrown in between for a perfect shift.
It will be interesting to see how party-goers translate the vibes in “Joha” in nightclubs. It’s a fusion of Fuji and Amapiano, with the talking drum standing out as the major instrument. Joha is chaotic with beats.
On this track, Asake’s Fuji and Juju music elements come off, more essentially, in the production. Still, it’s subtle and might not be noticed too early.
In “Nzaza”, he stated how his dream led him into maintaining a crazy consistency and hard work. He further stressed how important this was when he said, “person wey no work tell me how em wan chop”.
The production is spiced with Amapaino elements anytime the chorus comes on. Tempo-wise, it’s the least superb track, but its melodious features would make it less noticeable. The latter-end crowd vocals of this song are chaotic.
“Ototo” sounds like trabaye and a hit in the making with some quotable like “Ototo sha lawayesha, carry your own, I no get stamina” which means “We all come into this world differently, and you have to take up your responsibility yourself”. The occasional boisterous bass guitar picks, and the punchy bass beat makes the song memorable. On this particular track, the production makes it more thrilling.
Asake saved what was probably the most anticipated collaboration for last. That’s right - a collaboration with the rapper Russ. The lyrics are honest as well, and the steady tempo works well for Asake’s verse.
“Sunmomi” is a ballad lusting for a woman’s body. The track ends with a brilliant guitar solo play. The heavy percussion (drums, shakers, strings) and centralised production help Asake to make a sing-along song. This Amapiano track embraces parties and seeks fun while calling on comrades for a ride through the night, while Asake was only repeating only “Baby sunmomi” throughout the song.
With “Mr Money With The Vibe (MMWTV)”, it’s crystal clear that Asake gets better with each project release. On this album, the maturity is glaring, from his articulations to his flow, thematic finesse, delivery etc.
At 8 minutes long, MMWTV might be difficult to rate, yet, it re-emphasises Asake’s talent. However, MMWTV is a constricted project. The theme is lean, but its conciseness is bound to lead to more replay value. Would it elevate his art? Perhaps, this is too early to say. Asake is creating a genre. Different from what we’ve been listening to.
You can’t wait to join the crowd, to be a member of the choir. A new, unique and irresistible sound that you just cannot stop listening to. With MMWTV, Asake still sticks to a familiar narrative. For someone who has been touted for being a one-way artiste, this body of work is not as imposing as its predecessor, “Ololade” EP, and it fails to change that impression.
Should we adjudge “MMWTV” a masterpiece or a body of work with some misses? Do you think the songwriting is poor, or perhaps the energy is low compared to the previewed songs? Let’s know your thoughts.
It will be interesting to see how party-goers translate the vibes in “Joha” in nightclubs. It’s a fusion of Fuji and Amapiano, with the talking drum standing out as the major instrument. Joha is chaotic with beats.
On this track, Asake’s Fuji and Juju music elements come off, more essentially, in the production. Still, it’s subtle and might not be noticed too early.
In “Nzaza”, he stated how his dream led him into maintaining a crazy consistency and hard work. He further stressed how important this was when he said, “person wey no work tell me how em wan chop”.
The production is spiced with Amapaino elements anytime the chorus comes on. Tempo-wise, it’s the least superb track, but its melodious features would make it less noticeable. The latter-end crowd vocals of this song are chaotic.
“Ototo” sounds like trabaye and a hit in the making with some quotable like “Ototo sha lawayesha, carry your own, I no get stamina” which means “We all come into this world differently, and you have to take up your responsibility yourself”. The occasional boisterous bass guitar picks, and the punchy bass beat makes the song memorable. On this particular track, the production makes it more thrilling.
Asake saved what was probably the most anticipated collaboration for last. That’s right - a collaboration with the rapper Russ. The lyrics are honest as well, and the steady tempo works well for Asake’s verse.
“Sunmomi” is a ballad lusting for a woman’s body. The track ends with a brilliant guitar solo play. The heavy percussion (drums, shakers, strings) and centralised production help Asake to make a sing-along song. This Amapiano track embraces parties and seeks fun while calling on comrades for a ride through the night, while Asake was only repeating only “Baby sunmomi” throughout the song.
With “Mr Money With The Vibe (MMWTV)”, it’s crystal clear that Asake gets better with each project release. On this album, the maturity is glaring, from his articulations to his flow, thematic finesse, delivery etc.
At 8 minutes long, MMWTV might be difficult to rate, yet, it re-emphasises Asake’s talent. However, MMWTV is a constricted project. The theme is lean, but its conciseness is bound to lead to more replay value. Would it elevate his art? Perhaps, this is too early to say. Asake is creating a genre. Different from what we’ve been listening to.
You can’t wait to join the crowd, to be a member of the choir. A new, unique and irresistible sound that you just cannot stop listening to. With MMWTV, Asake still sticks to a familiar narrative. For someone who has been touted for being a one-way artiste, this body of work is not as imposing as its predecessor, “Ololade” EP, and it fails to change that impression.
Should we adjudge “MMWTV” a masterpiece or a body of work with some misses? Do you think the songwriting is poor, or perhaps the energy is low compared to the previewed songs? Let’s know your thoughts.
Source: TrendyBeatz
Share this post:
