Nigerian Afrobeats sensation, Asake, honored the individuals who tragically lost their lives in a fatal crowd mishap during his 2022 London performance. The artist took to the stage at London’s O2 Arena on August 20th, marking his first show in the city since the unfortunate incident. The concert commenced with a heartfelt commemoration for the deceased, Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson. Prior to Asake’s performance, attendees were treated to a moving recitation of poetry, accompanied by a video montage that featured snippets from the ill-fated 2022 concert, its aftermath, and personal images of Ikumelo and Hutchinson.

The poet recited, “Fifteenth of December, 2022/Observe, respect, where respect is due, I don’t know what you’ve been through, but/Let’s hold space for something true/A Brixon night took place we cannot forget/I know some feel loss and some regret/Some came out that night and ain’t returned/We need to hold this moment.”

Following the recital, Asake made a dramatic entrance by descending in a helicopter while his song “Olorun” played. He then transitioned into his 2022 track, “Organise.” (The complete concert was live-streamed and remains accessible on YouTube.)

Yet, there was some dissent concerning Asake’s tribute, particularly from Ikumelo’s sister, Rachael. On Twitter, she labeled the tribute as “insincere,” expressing her view that she shouldn’t feel compelled to be “appreciative” of a memorial that even included visuals from the stampede in which her sister tragically perished.

Directly addressing Asake on Twitter, she added, “My sister lost her life at your show and you haven’t spoken to a single member of my family since. But you can hold another concert in London less than 9 months later and play her videos as a ‘tribute’?” (Rachael clarified that while the family received communication from Asake immediately after the tragedy, they hadn’t heard from him since.)

Despite Rolling Stone’s outreach, Asake’s representative did not respond promptly to their request for comment.

While Asake did offer his condolences to the crowd crush victims following the tragedy, he has refrained from discussing the incident in great detail, as evidenced by a recent interview with Rolling Stone. In the interim, authorities are actively investigating the occurrence and are seeking relevant information. There have been allegations that security personnel working the event accepted bribes to allow additional individuals into the venue. The location where the crowd crush unfolded, Brixton Academy, remains closed as its licensing undergoes review.

Nigeria’s current music sensation and the latest international sensation from YBNL, Asake, reached new heights with an electrifying performance during his fully-packed concert at London’s 03 Arena on August 20, 2023.

The artist’s grand entrance set the tone for an unforgettable evening for the enthusiastic audience. Suspended from a descending military-style helicopter adorned with the YBNL emblem, Asake made a bold statement while his popular track “Yoga” echoed through the eager crowd.

Asake commenced his show with a lineup of songs including “Olorun,” “Organise,” “Sunmomi,” “Dupe,” and “Mr. Money,” all taken from his debut album “Mr. Money With The Vibe.” The artist then delved into his impressive repertoire, delivering crowd-favorites such as the worldwide hit “Lonely At The Top.” The event saw stellar guest performances from renowned artists like Tiwa Savage, Fireboy, Fridayy, and his label head, Olamide, whose pride was palpable during their joint performance.

A notable highlight was Asake’s collaboration with one half of the Lighthouse Family duo, where they performed the song “Ocean Drive” (Sun’s going to shine on everything you do) at the 02 Arena. Asake had previously incorporated a sample of this song into his recently released track titled “Sunshine.”

In his track “Nzaza,” he boldly declared, “Now I dey do big things, I be lion…” Whether this statement held a prophetic meaning or simply reflected his understanding of the moment, the accomplishment of selling out the 02 Arena is undeniably remarkable, a feat achieved by only the boldest individuals.

For the full concert experience, you can watch the complete performance below: [link to the video]

In the first part of his interview for Brut published on Wednesday, March 4th, Booba discussed the George Floyd case and had a very critical view of how France handled it. According to the rapper, “we all abandoned him.” “People made me laugh posting black squares and protesting, but… it was just trendy. Does anyone care about the four cops who were released on bail and are free? No one talks about it,” lamented the 44-year-old artist.

The rapper then criticized false commitments by mentioning a song from his upcoming album “Ultra,” set to be released on Friday, March 5th, in which he says, “They wage war with tanks, we post black squares on Insta.” When asked about the mobilization of the Justice for Adama committee and the protest that gathered 20,000 people in Paris in June 2020, Booba labeled it as “exploitative.” “If we have to wait for another death to talk about Adama, it’s not sincere. […] It’s good to fight, but only if we can win,” he stated. He continued, “France will never imprison one of its soldiers. Let’s be realistic.”

The native of Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine), of Senegalese origin, praised the determination and nobility of activist Assa Traoré’s struggle, although he seemed to have a rather dichotomous view of the outcome of the case: “I think it’s a lost cause unfortunately.” Reflecting on his decision to leave France, the rapper emphasized the importance of not getting caught up in utopian ideals, saying, “thinking we can change an entire country, an entire continent, is unrealistic.”