Afrobeats Star Asake Debuts the AfroDiaspora Colloquium at Columbia

At a recent event that seamlessly bridged pop culture and academia, Grammy-nominated Afrobeats star Ahmed “Asake” Ololade was the guest of Columbia’s Institute of African Studies’ inaugural AfroDiaspora Colloquium, a student-led conversation series. The new intellectual and cultural platform is designed to unite Black voices across the global diaspora through dialogue, performance, and critical study. The series forms part of the larger AfroDiaspora Collective, which was launched earlier this year to foster pan-African fellowship and creative exchange across Columbia’s diverse student body.

For over an hour, Lagos, Nigeria-born Asake, known globally for his Yoruba-infused sound, spoke about music, spirituality, and the politics of representation. He talked about how his artistry contributes to the lexicon of global Black expression. He’s not simply an entertainer, he said; he’s a cultural theorist in practice. Asake discussed the intersection of authenticity and spirituality, citing God as the guiding force behind his creative process. He also emphasized how his music—an audacious blend of Fuji, Amapiano, and Yoruba choral harmonics—echoes his lived reality in Lagos.

“Asake’s message was all about self-knowledge and grounded confidence,” said Jinny Prais, associate director of the Institute of African Studies and an adjunct assistant professor of international and public affairs. “He talked about trusting your path, learning from missteps, and refusing to abandon your purpose. It was a gift to see him share that with our students.”

By the start of the program, Knox Hall, home of the Institute of African Studies, was at capacity, as students from across Columbia’s schools and affiliates arrived. Attendees included students from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia Business School, and the School of Social Work, signaling the broad academic interest in African cultural production. 

The atmosphere was electric and reverent, and the audience listened attentively to Asake, as he described how he channels Yoruba cadence into universal rhythm, transforming linguistic heritage into global sound. The core purpose of inviting an artist of Asake’s caliber to Columbia was not just for the Organise singer to have his moment, but also to build a bridge between African academia and the African music business.

Throughout the talk, Asake circled back to a single theme: authenticity. Within just a few years of his professional debut in 2022, he has shattered streaming and concert records, from being Spotify’s most-streamed artist in sub-Saharan Africa two years in a row, to becoming the first Afrobeats artist to sell out London’s O2 Arena. His debut album, Mr. Money With the Vibe, entered the Top 10 global charts upon release.

His reach, as one Barnard student noted during the question-and-answer period, extends beyond sub-Saharan Africa to East Africa and North America, where his sound resonates across diaspora communities and beyond. It’s worth noting that the Columbia event took place just one day before Asake’s sold-out performance at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre.

Ime Ekpo (GS’26) is a cultural journalist who founded the AfroDiaspora Colloquium at Columbia. Special thanks to Mikka Kabugo (GS’26), Christian Chineme (GS‘27), and Stallone Goshen Ngassa (GS‘28) for their help in organizing the event.