Nigerian comedian and actor Ayodeji Makun, popularly known as AY, has revealed that Afrobeats star Asake reached out to him in 2019, years before the singer rose to international prominence.
AY made the revelation after attending Asake’s sold-out concert at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, as part of the singer’s “In God We Trust” tour.
Reflecting on Asake’s remarkable journey, the comedian said he recently remembered a direct message the singer sent him on Instagram in 2019, although he did not see it at the time.
According to AY, Asake had introduced himself as “Ololade” and appealed to him to support his music career.
“I remember when this boy sent me a message in my DM on Instagram. I didn’t even get to see this message on time. This was years ago, sometime during 2019,” AY said.
In the message, Asake wrote: “Good Evening sir. I’m OLOLADE. How are you doing sir? I’m here for help, KING AY. I just drop a record titled – African Something. You vibing to the song is a lot to my career.”
He added, “KING AY, Help a son sir. May God bless you and your family. I love you KING AY.”
AY: I’m Not Taking Credit for Asake’s Success
AY, however, made it clear that he was not sharing the old message to claim any credit for Asake’s eventual success.
He attributed the singer’s rise to his talent, hard work and God.
“I’m not saying all of this to take any credit. That glory belongs to God and his talent and of course the hard work that is put into all of this,” he said.
The comedian said watching Asake perform before thousands of fans in Houston made him reflect on how dramatically the singer’s career had changed since that 2019 message.
For AY, the experience offered a lesson about the importance of treating people with respect, regardless of their current status.
‘Never Look Down on Anyone’
AY urged people not to dismiss those who approach them for opportunities because nobody can predict what the future holds.
“The truth is that the person asking to be seen today may become the person the whole world will celebrate tomorrow.
“So be good to people, respect their dreams, never look down on anyone because you simply cannot tell what tomorrow brings,” he said.
AY also disclosed that Asake’s management took him backstage after the Houston concert, where the singer came over to greet him.
Impressed by the singer’s humility despite his global success, AY described his performance as phenomenal.
“Ah Asake, you were simply phenomenal,” he said.
The comedian congratulated the singer, noting that his success had become a source of pride for Nigerians and Africans.
“Nigeria celebrates you, Africa celebrates you and the world is seeing all your doings and workings right now,” AY said.
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