Asake just launched his cannabis brand called Giran in California. This makes him the second Afrobeats superstar to launch a cannabis brand after Burna Boy launched BRKFST in 2022.
The brand which has the tagline “Energy 5k” seems to be his latest move in attempting to embody the ‘Lungu Boy’ brand fully.
Asake dropped his third studio album and went silent on the industry. He resurfaced not too long ago and has been in the news for one reason or the other. From his controversial tattoos to his viral snippets, he seems to be on one of the most detailed rollouts he’s ever had. He’s now launched a cannabis brand and is heavily promoting it in the United States.
On Ligali, a song off his third studio album Lungu Boy, he says “Find me I dey cali, free road, see no traffic” and then months after goes on to launch his cannabis brand in California. It seems he’s been working on this move for a while and it’s important to the next phase of his career.
It’s interesting to see Afrobeats acts explore other angles of merchandising and revenue generation apart from clothing lines and trucker hats. Burna and Asake floating cannabis brands serve as an eye opener to the possibilities and opportunities Afrobeats artists can maximize in terms of generating profit for their brands.
The industry seems to only focus on streaming and charting, and anyone who decides to step out of that steps into fashion. Bnxn was one of the few who hopped on the NFT wave when it started, but nothing came out of it in the end.
Artists need to take a cue from this, and music execs need to study their acts and figure out ways to elevate their brands and monetize their habits. There’s so much more to offer the fans than the music because art has transitioned to a phase where consumers are now interested in the creatives as much as the art. Shoutout to everybody involved in Asake’s genius move.
