Cover Star Interview
Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake joins LootLove via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “Sungba.” He also discusses his latest EP, Ololade Asake, how spirituality shapes his art, and what it’s like to have Olamide as a mentor.
The Big 5
LootLove shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Pheelz & Buju, Donald, Dr Moruti & Dee Cee, WurlD, DBN Gogo, TNK MusiQ & Dj Stopper feat. Eltonk SA, and BOJ & ENNY.
Africa Rising
Apple Music’s latest Up Next: Nigeria artist, the Afrobeats singer-songwriter T.I BLAZE, is the latest artist featured from the Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features his two singles, the Olamide collab “Sometimes (Remix),” and “Basic”, from his EP, The Fresh Prince of Lagos. Listen HERE.
Loot Loves
Each week, LootLove chooses her favourite track, taken from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week she shares a special tribute to the life and legacy of South African hip-hop DJ, producer and industry icon, DJ Dimplez (Tumi Mooi), who sadly passed away on March 6, and features his single, “Way Up (feat. Cassper Nyovest & Jr),” from Apple Music’s DJ Dimplez Essentials playlist. Listen HERE, and find a roundup of all LootLove’s selections on Apple Music’s LootLoves playlist, HERE.
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Sunday, March 13th at 4p EAT / 1p London / 2p Lagos/Paris / 3p Johannesburg / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow
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Asake on the response to his debut EP
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The love has been crazy, I won’t lie to you. Everyone has been showing me love – Nigeria, South Africa, even countries that I didn’t know existed. The love has been crazy. I feel good, I feel blessed… I’ve been doing myself and people are showing me love so like that gives me more power to do more. Just expect more and God is with me, trust me.
Asake on the spiritual theme of his debut EP
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I love spirituality, I invest in that a lot. I stay alone, my circle is very very small and I have few friends around me. I love peace and quiet, and I like to go to the beach… I think all that affects my sound. Just my way of living, it’s just me.
Asake on the influence of Olamide
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Asake: Me, I’m a perfectionist. My boss is the same, and the people around me are the same so when you want to drop a project, you have to go around and everyone has to be on the same page before we drop it, it’s just a normal ting.
LootLove: That’s dope. Now there are a couple of appearances on the EP from Olamide and you’re of course signed to his label, and I don’t know if you were talking about him just now when you said “my boss,” but talk to me about what difference he has made to your career since you guys met.
Asake: You know before I was an independent artist, so I had to think about everything myself before. I had to think about how to make the song, I had to think of how to mix the song, then I have to think of how to get the publishing for my song, I had to think of how to shoot my video… but ever since I’ve met Olamide I’ve just been focused on my music a lot.
LootLove: That’s literally where every artist should be – focused on creating, and putting soul and spirit into your music.
Asake: Yeah.
