Asake Lifts the Lid on His Unfiltered Brotherhood With Wizkid That Turned ‘REAL’

The Afrobeats landscape is shifting under our feet again. Just as the year winds down, two of the genre’s most influential titans, Wizkid and Asake, have officially confirmed they are closing 2025 with a collaborative bang. 

During a high-voltage Apple Music Radio takeover this December, the duo previewed their joint EP, titled REAL (Vol. 1), a project that promises to unite Starboy’s refined global aura with the relentless street-pop innovation that has made Asake a household name.

The announcement didn’t just drop; it erupted. Seated side-by-side at the Apple Music studios, Wizkid kept it characteristically cool but direct: “Special announcement... 2025 Mr. Money [and] Big Wiz project. It's called REAL, and it drops this December. For the people”.

Asake, nodding in agreement, added that the project would be “a movie,” solidifying the sense that this is more than just a collection of songs. It is a cultural moment.

For Asake, this isn’t just another high-profile feature; it is the culmination of a journey that began long before the world knew his name. In a candid interview for Office Magazine's December issue, the ‘Lungu Boy’ star revealed that his path to music was almost accidental.

“I didn’t want to do music at first,” Asake shared. “I found myself around a lot of things around music. My mom, she loves so much good music. My dad is deep into music. So unknowingly, I have it in me already. That was not my priority when I was young, I wanted to be a dancer or a choreographer. But I think when I went to university in 2013, I ended up being around friends that do music too. Then you end up making a song. Then the whole school went crazy on the song.” 

This organic rise mirrors the way REAL EP came to life. It wasn't a boardroom decision or a forced marketing play. Instead, it grew from what Asake describes as "real life talk"

“The first time we linked up, I think we were just having conversations like real life talk,” Asake explained when asked how EP with Wizkid became a reality.  

“We get to a point whereby I think he seen we have so much things that align us. And he asked me, it would be good for us to have a project together. That was the beginning of it” .

Asake further revealed his favourite moments with the Grammy winner, taking the opportunity to eulogize one of Afrobeats most integral figures of all time.

“Every moment counts for something. I genuinely love Wizkid himself. Credit to Wiz. When I was coming up, I was part of the people that listened and see how great Wiz is. I respect what God has done for him and what he has done, what he has used him to do for us back home. So every moment with Wiz is just a good moment for me,” Asake submitted.

Wizkid’s admiration for Asake is equally profound. During the Apple Music radio takeover, the Afrobeats icon was vocal about his respect, admitting that Asake’s 2022 hit 'Omo Ope' initially made him a fan.

Starboy went even further, telling Asake directly: “You are amazing; you have one of the most special voices from home [Africa] and in the world... You are a blessing to African music.”

It’s a major co-sign. It’s essentially a passing of the baton from one of Nigeria’s all-time greatest hitmakers to the current hottest star in Afrobeats.

In a moment of pure camaraderie, Wizkid even joked that he wants Asake to perform his 2023 smash ‘Remember’ at his future wedding.

As we look toward the release of REAL (Vol. 1), the stakes couldn't be higher. Both artists are coming off a historic 2025. Wizkid’s late 2024 album, Morayo, spent much of 2025 breaking records, eventually becoming the most-streamed album in Nigeria on both Spotify and Apple Music for the year.

 Meanwhile, Asake has continued his white-hot streak, leading the songs chart and proving that his "Fuji-on-steroids" sound is a global powerhouse.

Their previous collaborations including the Grammy-nominated “MMS” from Asake’s Lungu Boy (2024) and the fan-favourite “Bad Girl” from Wizkid’s Morayo (2024), served as proof of concept. The sensational collaborations show that Wizkid’s silk-smooth delivery doesn't just complement Asake’s choir-backed energy; it elevates it.

But for Asake, the project isn't about chasing charts or future-proofing his legacy. It’s about the intimacy of the creation. When asked to reimagine the EP as a movie, he settled on a single word: “Real.”

“I think it's going to be real, just real people in one room. Genuine people, heart-to-heart conversation every time. People who never change who they are or change their character. They are just the same people. I can just say real. That's the only way,” Asake told the New York-based publication.

Even as he prepares for this massive drop, Asake remains grounded in the performance. 

Reflecting on his recent Symphonic and Tiny Desk appearances, Asake noted the disconnect between the performer and the crowd: “As an artist I always have different perspectives of the show from what people see. Right in the moment when I'm performing, I'm just present. I don't know if you know about this, when an artist wear their in-ears, you can’t hear the audience scream. You can only hear the instrument. So all the time I'm on stage, I'm just so focused on the music and to entertain people. The only thing I'm in control of is to deliver a good performance to people.” 

The hitmaker added: “Seeing the outcome of the show and how everybody loved the show, I'm grateful. Those are the things I imagined it would take me so long to have, that are now coming together. I'll always be grateful to God for all the opportunities and waking up every day, seeing life growing every day. I'll always be grateful for that.”

As for the fans, Asake is content to let the music speak for itself. “I don't live in the future, so anything people see they can take away from it. I'm okay with it. Anywhere the EP gets to is where it's supposed to be”. And if their current momentum is anything to go by, where it’s "supposed to be" is likely at the very top of the global charts.