Afrobeats Star Asake Joins Pilgrims in Mecca, Goes Viral Attempting to Touch the Sacred Black Stone at the Kaaba
Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Ahmed Ololade, better known as Asake, has captured widespread attention online after a video surfaced showing him among thousands of pilgrims at the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The clip, which has gone viral on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook, depicts the "Mr. Money With The Vibe" singer dressed in simple white ihram garments, navigating the dense crowd during his Umrah pilgrimage. In the footage, Asake is seen being lifted and assisted by fellow worshippers as he strives to reach and touch the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone), a revered Islamic relic embedded in the eastern corner of the Kaaba. Touching or kissing the Black Stone is a recommended Sunnah act during Tawaf (the circumambulation of the Kaaba), though it is not obligatory, and the massive crowds during Ramadan often make it challenging for pilgrims to get close. Asake's spiritual journey to the holy city coincides with the ongoing Ram...