But Nigerian music has held us down, and given us a reason to be happy. While other sectors aren’t exactly looking their brightest, we have had Nigerian music represent us right. Our stars are making good music, the airwaves are flushed constantly with great sounds and yes, our stars and sound are getting international deals.
Nigerian music is receiving it all. We are generating more revenue than we ever have, and we are taking our music out. There’s no shortage of the good stuff, the good vibe, drama, backstories, and now there’s a new ceiling in town.
That ceiling is the international deals being handed out to a select group of stars; sons of Afrobeat, who have used the genre as a base, and fused it with a number of sounds to thrive, make money, and display a potential for international growth. Wizkid, Davido, Tiwa Savage are in this group. Ayo Jay is the only outlier, his story, one of serendipity, not backed by the work and status of the others, but nonetheless, a fairytale story that belongs right up there with the rest.
Davido has the Sony deal wrapped up, Wizkid already has an unannounced one, Tiwa Savage penned a management contract with ROC Nation.
Recording deals are the most likely to be received by a Nigerian act. But are these deals worth it?
Nigeria is blessed with a rich history of music stars who have had business with international recording companies. Signing an international deal hasn’t exactly been a tale of sunshine, rose petals, and everything nice. It has often resulted in the downfall, wane of influence, and stagnation of the artiste.
Majek Fashek, the guy everyone loves to point at as a pariah, and the SI unit of how-not-to-live-your-life-as-a-musician, is a genius who exported Nigerian music in the same vein as these new breeds. His clout rose internationally, and his fame was rewarded in the early part of the 90s.
Tracy Chapman, David Letterman and number of others were interested in his story, which hit a height when he was signed to Interscope Records. But that didn’t work right. He went through a downward spiral, which was gradual at first. His music slowly lost the signature influence, and at home, things fell apart. The record label dropped him, Island Records tried a failed rescue mission, as he poor handling of his music, and all that it means to Nigerian, alienated his fans.
D’banj too has been a recipient of a major label mismanagement. His deal with Kanye West’s GOOD Music ruined what was a good run for him at Mo’Hits Records. The effects of it has been enduring, and knocked his music off. Today, he has been officially dropped by the label, after his profile, music and career took a beating.
A disruption of the creative process is a big drag here. When signed to a major label, there’s a lot more forces at play, meddling with the music to suit the record label’s idea of what it should be.
Remember Tosin Jegede, the child star who bestrode the Nigerian music scene like a colossus in the 80s. Renowned for persuasive lyrics, ‘urging parents to listen to their children and pay their school fees’ among other hit tracks, today, she is real matured beautiful girl, radiating with life.
The highly talented kid-singer, Tosin relocated to the UK, to further her studies after releasing two albums.
In her days, her music videos enjoyed generous air play on NTA Channel 5, 7 and 10. She left the shores of the country about 18 years ago, with three albums to her credit and then returned briefly in 2005, to stage a visual arts exhibition of her some of her works.
That’s the last true child star the country produced at a time when we still had sanity in Nigeria. Her story while impressive at the start, ended badly.
Jegede signed a 25-year deal with Polygram Records back in 1989, a period that saw her as the biggest child singing sensation in Nigeria. Jegede was well known for the reflective message in her music – highlighting issues with parents and children. She released two albums before relocating to the UK to further her studies.
Polygram were so impressed with how much recognition her first album “Children Arise” (1985) and follow up single ‘Leaders of tomorrow’, that they offered her a deal without hesitating. They promised to release the album and promote the album around the country.
In 1989, Jegede released the album “Leaders of Tomorrow” under Polygram. In 1992 she released her third “Children Africa”. She later revealed that she was never paid for the album deal. The only problem was, they had never signed a child star before and had creative problems pushing her brand.
That contract finished in 2014, and Jegede is free to handle her masters independently.
PolyGram Records was setup as a recording company by Philips in 1945, to cater for its its music interests . It was however sold to Seagram in 1999 and eventually merged with Universal Music Group (UMG). Other Nigerians signed to Polygram at the time include the late Highlife maestro Osita Osadebe and reggae musician Ras Kimono.
It is creative control that has made stars such as Chance The Rapper, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Taylor Swift, Jack White and a lot of others reject major labels.
Davido is yet to release new music, 9 months after he signed along the dotted lines with Sony. The delay is all tied up in the need for him to come out of the blocks, firing on all cylinders. A grand entry is planned, and will happen, but it is taking too long.
The benefits of an international recording deal are potentially endless. On paper, you stand to enjoy a world of benefits. But when it goes sour, it’s effects are almost absolute; taking your career down on an irreparable journey of negativity. If done right, an international deal is worth it, but it isn’t always a good thing.
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