Cold war brewing between Olamide, Asake, sources reveal

By Tosin Brown

All does not appear to be well between YBNL boss and rapper Olamide and one of his star signees, Asake.

Sources close to the duo have revealed that a cold war is brewing, with tensions rising between the music heavyweights. According to insiders, Olamide is reportedly displeased with Asake’s increasing demands on the record label, despite his efforts to support and promote the artist.

While Asake’s meteoric rise is credited to his signing with Olamide’s YBNL and its partnership with the U.S.-based distribution company Empire, it is alleged that the two are drifting apart.

The alleged strain in their relationship has fueled rumors that Asake might be considering leaving YBNL for what is speculated to be a more independent path. Although it remains unclear whether Asake is planning to establish his own label, reports suggest Olamide is unhappy with what he perceives as a lack of loyalty from the artist he mentored.

Efforts to get comments from both Olamide and Asake or their representatives have been unsuccessful, as inquiries sent to their media aides have gone unanswered.

Despite the alleged rift, Asake recently released a successful sophomore album, Lungu Boy, under the YBNL and Empire imprints, further solidifying his position as one of Nigeria’s top music acts.