7 Biggest Lies Of The Nigerian Music Industry
More than 60 percent of us have been (un)fortunate to have at least one person close to us, wake up one morning and declare his allegiance with the music business, professing their undying and laughable love for the business and claiming they have always had this in-explainable need to hold a mic and sing to thousands, having that sickly illusions that at the need of their ‘Mind’ blowing performance, they get a standing ovation, a ‘come see me later at my studio’ or an epiphany to launch a music career.
The modern day music business in Nigeria,ably aided by some of the young ones in the country, has successfully imbibed a few lies into the lives of some upcoming acts who feel these lies are actually the truth, judging by the lifestyle of whosoever they decide to look up to in the industry.
Today, we will be discussing 6 blatant lies told about the Nigerian music industry that needs to be corrected ASAP.
Gospel Music Does Not Sell
I have heard a thousand and one times that gospel music does But, before I address this ridiculously blatant lie, let me first explain what gospel music is. It is a genre under inspirational music and it simple means ‘Good news.’
Good news gets us all excited and happy, same feeling we get when our favorite song comes on, now, no one is saying gospel music has to be like you are at a CAC, Celestial, Redeemed or Catholic convention, gospel music can be unleashed on the consumers in any genre the spirit might be needing the message passed on.
There is a reason why the likes of Mike Abdul of Midnight Crew, Sinach, Lara George, Frank Edwards, keep standing out and making a name/money for themselves, and a reason some secular artistes end up going the gospel music route sometimes, its simple, there is a market for gospel music in Nigeria, it now depends on how you want to drive your music/message home.
Your songs must be ‘Kpangolo’ music
Am sure from the name itself, you can already depict that such music is basically noise. This kind of music is now so popular in Nigeria that even the ones who call themselves veterans in the game, end up going the way of this kind of sound, and still expecting to be called masters of the game. My definition of this kind of music; poorly written lyrics being voiced on an equally devastating poo of a beat.
So many artistes, who originally had a plan for their kind of music, have been found wanting in this area. You see brilliants acts, who at the beginning of their career did some good songs, but due to the fact that the song did not get the attention they expected, they switch, making a fool of their beat-up selves.
Stay true to your sound, need be, spice it up any beat you might be working on, but don’t entirely go off track, who does that help at the end of the day? The consumers, who only get frustrated and vexed for wasting their MB’s to download the joke you call music, or you who lost money to an equally hungry producer who if he ever gains name in the industry, will look back on that beat and ask himself, if he was high when he worked on it.
There is a reason why the likes of Asa, Dare Art Alade, Timi Dakolo, Waje, Mode 9, Jesse Jagz, are still relevant till date.
You Don’t Have To Market Your Song Because Its Good
Lies. Just like the old days when good music wallow in bitter and deep obscurity due to the lack of substantial backings very song needs to attain the popularity level, so will your music be forgotten should you rely on this fact.
You want your sound to remain atop charts and celebrated, yes, you need financial backings to push it to the consumers as many times and far as you can. Money does come in handy in the music business. Most of the biggest songs in the industry today [Even if it does fade away with time] got to that position because of the massive marketing it received.
You Must Feature A Know Artiste For Your Song To Sell/Be A Hit
ahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaaha, I could continue for ever, need I say much though. Let’s get serious now, ladies and gentle men of the music industry, this is like the biggest lie, I have ever heard.
I doubt this needs to be expatiate…but again, D’banj, Kiss Daniel, M.I, need I continue?
Can’t Afford To Feature An Established Artiste, Diss One
This right here, is like the go-to source for most underground artistes, who have been told for years by their family members that they are so good after maybe ridiculing themselves on a freestyle session and going one step ahead to fully establish the fact they indeed should be somewhere selling spare parts by recording a studio, where sentences like, ‘That jam is madt!!!!!” guy you go sha blow ni sha…huh going off point. Okay so guys, dissing a known name is in no way going to propel your career to the next level , its even worse when you are bad, you just ‘Skibied’ yourself. Wait didn’t Kelly Handsome, make an attempt at…..oh, why do I even try.
Your Producer Must Be The Hottest/ One Of The Most Talked About Before Your Music Can Be A Hit/Sell
This actually gets me every time I hear and have to listen to others talk about it. So you are just starting out, and you happen to be highly talented, but in that talented mind of yours, you feel its best to shenk the underground producers, who would give the known names a run for their money, the chance to make your work magical.
Some years back, I was opportuned to be in the midst of some known artistes in the Festac area of Lagos, who kept saying for your track to be a hit it must be a particular producer that must produce the beat, lie child! Lies!!!!!
I agree there are some big names in this field who are highly talented and just know what to do on a beat but I doubt whatever track they produced was a hit because they made the beat.
Lets take for instance, the Legend himself, OJB. Am sure we all will agree that he is a legend. [Rest on Jigga} Now, back then, you wanted a talked about track? OJB, MUST be a part of the production process. He was not only into producing, he nurtured and directed both the upcoming and established acts. Jigga, was way too experienced in the game to just produce a beat and let the artiste go.
There are a few producers out there, who are yet to be household names but at the same are wizards when it comes to beat production.
You Must Be Signed To A Major Record Label
In as much as I still believe every upcoming artistes should b under a label, should the opportunity present itself, does not mean, I do not believe there are some other acts who can make it on their own.
There are a few artistes, who made it to the top without as much as the support from a big label…the likes of Poe…. Bug labels are not always the answer to stardom.
READ ALSO:- Wizkid Issues Apology For Missing Wireless Festival 2016; Explains Why
Don Jazzy, Wizkid, Davido, and the likes will notice/sign me if I keep tagging, famzing and pestering them on social media: Child, don’t bother yourself…I doubt there is one artiste in Nigeria today that was discovered via a YouTube, twitter or any other social media platform unlike their US counterpart, or any who for a while now has been famzing top acts, but yet to actually make a name for themselves. So ehn bros, no stress…..put your songs out there, if they it is good, one knuckle head like myself might see, share and things could just pick up from there, you never know.
So there we have it guys, have more lies that have for long been perceived as the truth, drop a comment lets discuss.
Written by: Tope Delano
