Tems and Asake made one of the standout appearances at GQ’s Men of the Year 2025 event, stepping onto the carpet together in a moment that immediately set social media buzzing. Their link-up felt bigger than a celebrity pairing. It read like another chapter in Afrobeats’ ongoing global rise, a reminder that Nigerian artists continue to shape not just the sound of the culture but also its aesthetics and energy.
For Tems, the night carried an extra layer of familiarity. She has been part of the GQ universe before, having covered GQ Hype in 2022, an edition that highlighted her calm strength, grounded confidence, and effortless magnetism. Her presence this year echoed that same signature energy. Dressed in a sculptural, minimalist look, she radiated a quiet elegance built on presence rather than excess. It was the kind of assured style that made her 2022 GQ Hype cover so memorable.
Beside her, Asake offered a striking compliment. His clean, all-black look matched the evolution of an artist who has grown sharper, more intentional, and fully attuned to his global moment. In 2024, Asake was honoured by GQ at the Global Creativity Awards, becoming the first Afrobeats artist to receive the award. His GQ feature that year captured the boldness and originality that had propelled him from the streets of Lagos to the centre of international music conversations. Watching him walk the Men of the Year carpet now, that growth was unmistakable. The styling was refined, the aura more assured. This was an artist who understands his power.
Seeing Tems and Asake together was more than visually striking; it was a sight to behold. It symbolised the duality within Afrobeats today. Tems carries a serene, grounded force that bends every space toward her. Asake brings raw kinetic fire, the restless energy that has made his sound impossible to ignore. Together, they embodied the balance that has pushed Nigerian music into spaces once seen as distant.
Their appearance at GQ’s Men of the Year event was not just a red carpet sighting. It was another cultural marker, another reminder that Afrobeats artists now live in global fashion conversations, on magazine covers and features, and at the centre of the world’s creative stages. Tems and Asake did not simply attend the event. They elevated it, adding one more moment to the story of how far the movement has come.
