Nigerian rapper Blaqbonez has shared the stories behind his hit collaborations with Asake, revealing how the songs ‘Chanel’ and ‘Ikebe 3000’ came together.
The rapper explained that the two records were created under different circumstances. While the reaction of a small crowd at a London bar helped him recognise the potential of ‘Chanel’, Asake recorded his verse for ‘Ikebe 3000’ in less than 24 hours.
In an account published on Memories FM, a platform that documents artists’ personal stories about their music, Blaqbonez revealed that he recorded ‘Chanel’ in Lagos in February 2026.
He said he makes music almost every day and did not initially consider the song particularly special. However, that changed in April when he travelled to London for a performance.
How a London Bar Helped Shape ‘Chanel’
Instead of attending the usual club after-party, Blaqbonez took about 20 people from his show to Doña, an underground bar in Dalston, London. His cousin, who worked at the venue, had offered to open it for the gathering.
During the night, the rapper played some unreleased songs through the bar’s sound system. ‘Chanel’ quickly stood out, as people repeatedly asked him to play it again.
The unexpected reaction encouraged Blaqbonez to record a video of himself enjoying the song the following day. He shared the clip online, where it attracted significant attention and strengthened his belief in the record.
He eventually sent the song to Asake through Instagram. The two artists had previously discussed working together, but Blaqbonez had been waiting for the right song to send him.
They later met in Nigeria to record the collaboration before travelling to London to shoot its music video.
‘Chanel’ went on to reach No. 1 on the Apple Music Nigeria Top Songs Chart. The song has also recorded more than 25.7 million streams on Spotify.
Asake Recorded His ‘Ikebe 3000’ Verse in Less Than 24 Hours
The story behind ‘Ikebe 3000’ began in June 2026, when Blaqbonez recorded its first version at a friend’s studio in Lagos.
The session was far from comfortable. The studio had no air conditioning, and the heat became so intense that those present had to take off their shirts while recording.
However, the rapper did not send the song to Asake until August. The pair had been discussing the success of ‘Chanel’ over the phone when they considered working on another collaboration.
This time, they wanted a more dance-oriented record that would explore a different sound.
Asake was in Los Angeles after a performance when Blaqbonez sent him the song. According to the rapper, he woke up to a phone call from Asake, who was playing the verse he had just recorded.
The entire process took less than 24 hours.
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Blaqbonez also revealed that they experimented with South African Gqom influences while working on the record. Despite their creative direction, neither artist knew how successful the song would become.
‘Ikebe 3000’ later topped both the Spotify Nigeria Songs Chart and Apple Music Nigeria Songs Chart. It also debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.
Asake’s Favourite Collaboration
The two artists kept ‘Ikebe 3000’ under wraps until its release, following the same approach they used for ‘Chanel’.
They also travelled to London to shoot the music video.
Interestingly, Blaqbonez revealed that ‘Ikebe 3000’ is Asake’s favourite collaboration among the songs they have recorded together.
The success of both records has further highlighted the creative partnership between the two Nigerian stars, with their contrasting musical styles producing collaborations that have connected with listeners at home and internationally.
