Asake is doing more than dropping bangers, he’s dropping truth bombs. In a recent interview, the Mr. Money With The Vibe hitmaker laid bare the painful paradox every artist faces: humility is often mistaken for weakness, but ego gets you more “respect.”

He didn’t sugarcoat it. “As an artist, if you’re humble, they take you for granted,” he said. “But if you have ego, they feel like you’re not accessible, then they like you more.” That’s not just shade, it’s a spotlight on how we value fame, mystique, and boundaries over openness.

Asake went further. He noted that fans care far less about the grind behind the scenes than they do about being dazzled by the result. The backstage hustle gets little love. The final product? That’s where respect lives. He urged artists to trust their craft and let their output speak, rather than constantly narrating the process or seeking external validation.

It’s a brave stance in an era where social media demands constant visibility. Asake’s refusal to spill every step is a reminder that artistry has to be guarded sometimes. Ego here isn’t vanity, it’s self-protection.

This moment also reflects bigger tensions in Afrobeats culture today. As the genre globalizes, its stars juggle tradition, identity, commerce, and image. The balance between being grounded and being iconic is fragile. Asake’s commentary reminds us that respect isn’t just earned by humility, it’s often claimed by confidence and intention.

Whether you want to call it ego or assertion, Asake is saying humility alone won’t save you in today’s climate. If you want to be seen, sometimes you’ve got to be unapproachable. And maybe that’s exactly the energy the next level demands.