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| Lungu Boy Cover Art |
Since its release in August 2024, Asake’s Lungu Boy has become one of Nigeria’s most successful musical works. Breaking streaming records and maintaining long-term chart performance well into 2026, the album is well on its way to cementing itself as a national classic. But there is more to the album—and Asake’s music in general—than something meant for just the Nigerian ear, and nothing proves that more than the Asake: Red Bull Symphonic.
On the historic night of the 8th of November, 2025, Asake became the first African to headline a Red Bull Symphonic—Red Bull’s live concert series that pairs contemporary global stars with full orchestras for reimagined performances—outside the continent. The show saw Asake perform orchestra-backed reimaginings of the artist’s biggest hits, including fresh renditions of some of my favorite tracks from Lungu Boy. Having had a taste of this new symphonic cuisine, I decided to go back to the original with this new perspective, comparing the original versions of the song to their orchestra-backed renditions.
Relistenting to the album reminded me of exactly why I fell in love with Asake’s music in the first place. For me, my love for Asake’s music had nothing to do with his voice. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the man’s voice, just that there is so much I appreciate more about his music than his vocals. My first real introduction to the artist was his first studio album, Mr. Money With The Vibe. Sure, I had heard several of his previous singles and even liked what I heard, but I only truly came to know and appreciate the artist’s distinct style when I got into that album.
The first thing I noticed on that album was the heavy use of our more traditional instruments and the unashamed, unapologetic use of the Yoruba Language. You see, I grew up in an interesting time in Nigeria’s history. For younger folks, this might be hard to believe—what with the incredible success afrobeats is currently enjoying in not just the mainstream but on the global stage—but back then, the country wasn’t really all too accepting of anything considered overly local. The top genre at the time was hiphop and… well, the mainstream was mostly dominated by artists either outrightly imitating foreign sounds and styles, or those trying to put a spin on said foreign sounds and styles. There were of course exceptions, but, well, they were exceptions. And none of them ever truly made it to the mainstream.
Not like this.
Revisiting Lungu Boy unexpectedly transported me back to my first encounter with Mr. Money With The Vibe. While the two projects are unmistakably distinct—where Mr. Money With The Vibe thrived on a more kinetic momentum, Lungu Boy provided a more measured and expansive body of work—the defining “Mr Money sound” I loved so much remains intact. That pleasantly traditional feel, the one that first caught me by surprise, is just as recognizable on his third album as it was on his debut.
I know there is so much more to say about the album; better music critics than I have written absolutely brilliant pieces about what a remarkable work of art this album is—lyrically, production-wise, and conceptually. I doubt my meagre musical insight could ever provide analysis on such a level. But what does that matter? The album touched me on a level deeper than words can explain. I loved hearing the drums and sekere play, beating in tune with a rhythm my soul recognized even before my conscious mind did. Lungu boy is my favorite Asake project yet, because it is not just Asake at his best, but it is Asake taking our traditional sound and proudly doing it on a level we have never seen before.
