State Of The Music What’s the best form of ‘success’ in the Nigerian music industry?

Always remember: the money is fleeting, fame is unsteady, and the adoration of fans never endures forever.

play D'banj's performing posture

The concept of success in Nigerian music is a very ambiguous subject, and often, when it is discussed, we find its meaning aligning with what the survivalist Nigerian society offers us as the ideal.

Nigeria is a hugely consumerist and materialistic nation which depends heavily on the possession of material wealth and money. In this country, a man is referred to as successful if he has money, and wears it proudly on his body. The simple CEO who runs a very profitable business, lives in a bungalow, and drives a moderate car will never be seen as successful. But his employee who talks a big game, and drives an expensive car bought from his salary will most likely have the ‘successful’ tag bestowed upon him.

In Nigerian music, success is pretty much judged with the same yardstick. The artistes with the flashiest of lifestyles, which are generously documented on social media are regarded as the more successful players of the game, as compared to the one who sells more records, performs more shows, makes more power moves, and broadens their income bases. Simply put, if you don’t wear it, share it on Instagram, and record clips of it on Snapchat, you’re nothing.

Burna Boy and Wizkid are pop artists, and they are regarded as successful. (Michael Tubes)

In the relatively short time I have spent in the Nigerian music industry, as a journalist, I have conducted interviews for quite a number of musicians. While I go in to gather the basic interesting facts or narratives for the public, each interview session comes with a bright new opportunity to dig deep into the minds of the artistes who come my way. And trust me, that digging has turned up both gold, silver, and ashes. These classes of people are easy to identify, with many masking ignorance and dimness as a strength. But one question never fails to unveil the true nature of the person: “When you are through with music, how will you judge your success?”

A huge amount of pop singers and rappers who are thoroughbreds from the streets and that have been conditioned by the prevailing mindset of the country, would always never fail to judge it by the amount of cash that their music rakes in for them. To hell with all the lofty talk about ‘touching people’ and inspiring a generation of performers. These one just want the money. 

And you can’t blame them. Money is a huge driver and asset in the music industry. And once you begin to earn it, and feel its impact on your life, you never want to go back to being broke again. Who wants to drink Alomo when a Rose´ budget wouldn’t make a dent on your pocket?

On the other side, a select group of acts drawn from the alternative scene, and some of the most cerebral music producers, see things differently, or love to communicate their success in a different way. They mostly explain in detail about the art providing them personal fulfilment, than the numbers from the bank.

Davido, who enjoyed a spectacular year in 2017, continued into 2018, by picking up the awards for Song of the Year, Video of the Year, and African Artist of the year.
(Soundcity)

Pop music in itself is often shallow and materialistic. It mirrors the society that we exist in, and that’s why it has a huge following. People relate with ‘shaking butts’ and driving expensive cars, more than ‘an analysis of our emotions’. That’s why the creators and students of such a culture will have very little by way of depth, to offer. That’s why if an artist isn’t on Instagram, turning up on Fridays, and making video productions of their time in the club, flanked by  model-type women, you are not successful by pop standards.

It’s also why an artiste with a niche sound, who makes money via digital sales, international deals and performances, will be regarded as being less successful than another who only has three hit songs to his name. Brymo has consistently made money via a number of sources, and runs his business independently. But the society will bestow the success tag on Ycee off his flashier genre of music. Not considering the facts that Ycee is signed to Tinny Entertainment, and probably gets his money split in many ways.

This is the flawed reasoning that has contributed to mediocrity in Nigerian music. The average Nigerian pop hopeful has no other ambition or purpose in life than ‘to blow’. “Baba just give me the chance to blow”, they say, before being trapped in a slave contract that renders them puppets.

play D'banj's performing posture
(Press)

Success is relative, and can never truly be defined. But in the pursuit of that success, huge emphasis should be placed on what you define it by. If the bank alerts give you warmth and security, then pursue it. If the smiles on the faces of your fans and listeners melt your heart, then hold on to that. But always remember, the money is fleeting, fame is unsteady, and the adoration of fans never endures forever. Enjoy today, and create art that will instil a sense of happiness and pride, art that satisfies the mind, and makes your creative spirit glow.

Irrespective of the money that it fetches, anytime you can achieve good art, you have become successful. Art is success, be about the art.