Asake vs Rema: The New Generation Battle of Afrobeat Kings – Latest Nigerian Celebrity Gossip

 

If you dey follow today’s Nigerian celebrity gossip or latest Naija entertainment news you go know say the conversation on who reigns supreme in the new generation of Afrobeats don scatter — and no be small matter. In one corner we get Asake, and in the other corner we get Rema. The long-tail keyword we dey work on today? “Asake vs Rema who is bigger 2025”. And yes, we dey add the site-level focus keyword “latest Naija entertainment news” so Google and Google Discover dey recognize the authority of this post.

For this article, we go dig deep: biography, milestone, musical style, streaming numbers, international impact, cultural relevance and yes — the bragging rights. I go deliver all the gist, plus my own take as a Nigerian entertainment journalist, so you go read something wey dey informative, engaging and true to local flavour. Wetin you think about this matter? Drop your thoughts for comment section!

Why This Battle Matters

Why we go dey talk “Asake vs Rema”? Well:

• Both artists represent the next wave of Nigerian music stars rising after the likes of Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido.

• Both have strong streaming numbers, impressive performances and growing global footprints.

• But they still dey in somewhat different zones — so comparing them help fans, industry people and even brands know who dey lead.

• For marketing and brand-ambassador deals, who big pass matter plenty. For shows and concerts, who fit command bigger fee also matter. According to one investigation: “Rema now charges 1 million USD internationally … while Asake also jumped up to around 500 thousand USD in 2023.” 

So, let’s break things down.

The Contenders

1. Asake – The Street-Pop Fuji Fusion Maestro

Full name: Ahmed Ololade Jayjayway, popularly known as Asake. 

Origin: Lagos State, Nigeria. Born 13 January 1995. 
Genre/style: A mix of Afrobeats, street-pop, fuji, afro-fusion, Nigerian pop. His music dey grounded in Yoruba and Pidgin, and he dey mix live instruments, keyboard, log drums etc. 

Key milestones & facts:

• Debut album Mr. Money with the Vibe (2022) broke records: biggest opening day for an African album on Apple Music at the time, debuted at No. 66 on the Billboard 200. 

• Second album Work of Art (2023) maintained momentum. Later Lungu Boy (2024) released featuring big international names (Wizkid, Travis Scott, Stormzy, Central Cee). 

• Sold out venues: e.g., The O2 Arena London in Aug 2023. 

• His style dey rooted for the “street”, but e don cross into global market. According to media: “Asake is not your regular Nigerian musician… the Lagos-born singer hasn’t taken a break from dominating the charts.” 

• In 2025, he dropped the single “Why Love” under his independent label Giran Republic. 

Strengths:

• Strong connection with the Nigerian street audience — his lyrics and vibe dey very relatable.

• Fusion of Yoruba, Pidgin and live instrumentation gives him a unique fingerprint.

• Consistent album releases and big moves internationally.

Weaknesses / Challenges:

• Compared to Rema, his global brand might still be a little smaller.

• When brands or global promoters dey look at trends, they might still favour the more internationally-familiar name.

2. Rema – The Global Afrobeats Prodigy

Full name: Divine Ikubor, known professionally as Rema. Born 1 May 2000 in Benin City, Edo State. 

Genre/style: Afrobeats, Afro-rave (his coined phrase), trap-influenced pop, blends Nigerian and global sounds. 

Key milestones & facts:

• Breakthrough single “Dumebi” (2019) put him on the Nigerian map. 

• Global hit “Calm Down” (2022) and remix with Selena Gomez became massive. 

• His album Rave & Roses (2022) peaked high on Billboard charts. 

• 2024’s HEIS further establishes his global credentials. 

• In 2025 he announced a major world tour covering North America, Europe & Asia. 

Strengths:

• International recognition — he don perform abroad, done sell-out shows, and his streaming numbers dey crazy.

• Versatile sound — he dey experiment, dey fuse Afro, trap, pop, other global influences.

• Great brand appeal and marketability globally.

Weaknesses / Challenges:

• Some local critics argue his sound lacks “street relatability” compared to artists who rap more in Yoruba or Pidgin alone. For example, commentator Daniel Regha claimed: “Asake is a bigger artiste than Rema … lyrically speaking Asake has more meaningful songs.” 

• When the focus is local Nigerian street vibe, Rema might not connect in the same way as artists who dwell more in that space.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Here’s a clean table to compare key aspects between Asake and Rema:

Aspect	Asake	Rema
Age / Start	Born 1995 – older, more street roots	Born 2000 – younger, more global early
Musical Style	Yoruba + Pidgin + fuji-street pop fusion	Afrobeats + Afro-rave + trap/pop fusion
International Exposure	Strong, sold-out London, global albums	Very strong, global hits + world tour
Local Street Cred	Very high – strong with Lagos street vibes	High, but slightly more pop/global-focused
Sound Uniqueness	Unique fusion with indigenous elements	Unique but more geared to global pop
Brand / Marketability Globally	Growing fast	Already at global brand level
Streaming/Charts Milestones	Break records in Nigeria & Africa	Chart success globally (Billboard etc)
Critic Opinions	Some argue he’s artistically “more meaningful” locally	Some argue he’s stronger commercially globally
Who commands bigger fee?	Up to ~$500K internationally (2023 figure)	Up to ~$1M internationally (2023 figure)

My Take as Naija Entertainment Journalist

Okay, so I don look the numbers, I gather the commentary and I dey weigh the facts — here be my verdict based on what I see for 2025 snapshot.

• If your metric na global impact, Rema dey ahead. The “Calm Down” global reach, the Billboard entries, the world tours — these ones show he dey bigger at the global stage.

• If your metric na pure Nigerian street dominance & musical authenticity for local audience, Asake dey shine. His fusion of Yoruba, Pidgin and fuji-street pop connect heavy with Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt.

• So which one win? E depend on what you value more: Local + cultural root or Global commercial success.

• For me personally, I go say Rema is the bigger artiste globally but Asake is the bigger artiste locally in terms of street dominance.

• And in 2025, the battle no be “who the king” purely but rather “who’s leading this new era and in what sphere”.

Why This Matters for Brands, Gigs & Nigeria Music Industry

• When a brand dey choose Nigerian ambassador, they dey look: local relevance + global reach. If they dey target young Nigerians in Lagos & Ibadan, Asake might fit better. If they dey target global millennial/GenZ market, Rema fit better.

• For concert promoters: Asake fit full local stadium, Rema fit fill bigger international venues.

• For Nigeria music industry: This show say the next generation no just wan dey local. They dey global. And the industry must adapt — make sure local artists get international support, distribution, market.

Defining Moments in 2025 You Need to Know

Let’s highlight some recent developments (2024-25) which push this rivalry into fresh territory:

• Rema’s 2025 tour announcement shows big global ambition. 

• Asake’s 2024 album “Lungu Boy” shows his international collaborations and global market moves. 

• Social media debate continues: On Reddit one thread chimed:

  “Best is unarguably Burna… then Wizkid… then Davido… then Rema… then Asake…” 
  That shows public perception placing Rema slightly ahead.

• Local commentator Daniel Regha’s opinion:

  “Asake is a bigger artiste than Rema … lyrically speaking Asake has more meaningful songs; Rema 99% of the time recycles lyrics.” 
  Controversial, but shows the narrative of “lyrics vs commercial”.

What Fans Are Saying — Reactions & Sentiments

• On social media you’ll see threads like: “Asake vs Rema: who dey gbadun pass for your playlist?”

• Facebook group posts ask: “Who is better singer and hit-maker?” between them. 

• Many Nigerian fans dey feel Asake’s use of Yoruba + fuji influences make him more “our kind”. Others feel Rema’s global aura make him “our pride” for Africa.

• The debate also dey dwell on authenticity: Some say local artists must remain grounded in cultural sound (which helps Asake). Others say the world stage require global sound (which helps Rema).

Where the Numbers Show Differences

• Performance fees: Rema reportedly commanding ~1 million USD internationally, while Asake around ~500,000 USD in 2023. 

• Chart records: Asake’s album became highest charting debut Nigerian album on Billboard.  For Rema, “Calm Down” remix with Selena Gomez broke streaming records. 

• Streaming & global collaborations: Both dey strong, but Rema has earlier headstart globally, Asake is catching up.

Cultural Impact & Sound Evolution

• Asake’s mixing of Yoruba, street-hop vibe and fuji instrumentation means he’s giving younger Nigerians a voice that feel local but still fresh. His music dey remind people of Lagos street, hustle, celebrate life.

• Rema’s Afrorave style means he dey bend the genre, fuse trap, pop, global influences and make Afrobeats more borderless. He dey show say Naija artist fit compete globally not just in Africa.

• This “battle” actually highlight a bigger shift: The new generation Nigerian artists dey juggle two demands: staying authentic locally and rising globally.

Prediction & Who’s Likely to Win the Long Game

Based on trends up to 2025:

• Rema: He go continue to dominate global stages, secure global brand deals, collaborate with big names outside Africa, maybe even cross into other genres.

• Asake: He go continue to bolster his local dominance, maybe deepen his international presence, but probably his core strength remain Nigerian and African market for now.

• In 5 years (2030): I believe both will be huge, but the real question will be who sustain growth and adapt. From that perspective, my pick: Rema for global longevity, Asake for staying relevant locally and culturally.

• Which means, no clear “king” yet — just two heavyweights operating in slightly different spheres.

FAQs – Quickfire

Q: Who is older?
Asake (born 1995) older than Rema (born 2000). 

Q: Who broke internationally first?
Rema had international breakthrough earlier with “Calm Down” and Billboard/US chart entries.

Q: Which one has more local street credibility?
Many Nigerians feel Asake has stronger street credibility because of his Yoruba/Pidgin lyrics and fuji-pop fusion.

Q: Are they signed to the same label?
No. Rema is signed to Jonzing World/Mavin. Asake was signed to YBNL and later set up his own label. 

ALSO READ: Underrated artists you should listen to before they blow up 2025

Conclusion

So there you have am — the full rundown of Asake vs Rema in this new generation battle of Afrobeats kings. If you dey search for solid analysis beyond mere name-dropping, I hope say you find am here. The long-tail keyword “Asake vs Rema who is bigger 2025” don get context, facts and commentary. And yes, we sprinkled in our site-level focus keyword “latest Naija entertainment news” so the post dey aligned with broader site authority.

If you ask me, there’s no definitive “king” yet — but both artists dey lead in their lanes. Make we watch how 2025 and beyond go shape them. Wetin you think? Who your money dey for — Asake or Rema? Or maybe you dey see somebody else dey creep up? Drop your thoughts for comment section!

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