Last year, Asake made serious waves with his debut studio LP, Mr. Money With The Vibe, a 12-song body of work with a couple of assists from Russ and Burna Boy. The album topped Nigeria’s Albums and Street-Pop Albums charts immediately following its release, catapulting Asake to the forefront of the Afrobeats scene. Since then, he’s continued to raise his profile via appearances on Tiwa Savage’s “Loaded” and Fridayy’s “Blessings (Remix).”
Yesterday (Jan. 30), Asake dropped off a new single titled “Yoga,” a Magicsticks-produced offering that — as he explained via press release — is “about minding my business and guarding my peace, so no one can disrupt it.” As such, the song is filled with lyrics about remaining above the proverbial nonsense, sung in both English and Yoruba:
“Enemies I get them too much, it’s better to get them surplus, who go dey for you no go take off, hmm hmm oju tele gan, modupe, mo thank God, omo olore mo gbaye mo keko, ori labi eteti egbe ko, ilu labi magic ko soro, what can fa? What can fa? Keep distance if you wan come whine me, ma lo fa, ma lo far, I still balance, I still galant, alubarika, bara mi mecca, para pass para, al’asake tin pa dollar ah-ah…”
“Yoga” also boasts a matching video that comes courtesy of go-to director TG Omori. Filmed in Dakar, Senegal, the “Peace Be Unto You” talent can be seen in the midst of a spiritual journey, complete with ceremonial performances, fishing excursions with locals, and a yoga session alongside Alexis Skyy.
In a past interview with Rolling Stone, Asake revealed the biggest inspiration behind his music and subject matter:
“My music talks about life in general,” he stated. “I draw inspiration from my real life experiences to encourage everyone who thinks their present reality is constant. I want them to always remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Press play on “Yoga” below.