He earned a BA in Africana Studies and English from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, and a MFA in screenwriting from UCLA School of Theater Film and Television.

[8] Poet Maya Angelou, who mentored Asante, described Buck as "a story of surviving and thriving with passion, compassion, wit, and style.

Passionate, moving, spirited reflections on art’s therapeutic potency.”[11] Library Journal gave Nephew a starred review, stating: "This poignant memoir about overcoming devastating odds is a treasure and likely to become a classic.

He is featured in Changing America: 1968 and Beyond, a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

He has written essays on art, hip hop, technology, and culture for USA Today,[13] The Huffington Post,[14] San Francisco Chronicle,[15] and The New York Times.

As a songwriter, he wrote the lyrics for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 official Monday Night Football anthem, "In the Air Tonight", a cover of the song of the same name by Phil Collins, performed by Snoop Dogg, Chris Stapleton, and Cindy Blackman Santana.

[23] On November 30, 2020, Asante performed and debuted "We the Eagles" on ESPN's Monday Night Football for a live audience of 11.4 million viewers.

On October 11, 2021, he co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the introduction to ESPN's Monday Night Football Week 5 game featuring the Indianapolis Colts vs. the Baltimore Ravens.