A lot of BS has been going on in the music industry for quite some time now, that I am sick of. So, I have decided to take a leap and write about it. I'm not sure if this article will change anything or if the "cartel" will get to read it but I'm writing it anyways.
The Music Industry Is Killing Talents And Breeding Fools.
Let me make something clear here before I continue, the music industry is made up of;
*The musical artistes, record labels and labels owners
*Organizers of events and award ceremonies
*Entertainment blogs and bloggers
*OAPs and Djs
AND (You and I) the AUDIENCE. So when I say the music industry, we are not exempted.
If you want to hit it big as an upcoming artiste in Nigeria, you don't need to be excellent (mediocrity is enough). These are the things you need to do;
1) Don't sing good music because "good" music don't sell in Nigeria
2) Go to a fucking recording studio, work with a popular producer, he would sure cook up some goddamn beat for you that will rock your shitty music. "The beat is more important that what you are singing".
Note: Getting a popular producer to work on your song is expensive but don't worry you will "blow." Borrow from your friends and family or steal dammit!
3) Get close to the "Cartel"- those that are ready to spend money on your music. Don't worry it is not that hard to wine and dine with the "cartel" if you did no3 (above) successfully.
4) The "Cartel" will in turn do massive publicity on your shitty music. It will be all over the social media - entertainment and music blogs. And they will also bribe OAPs and Djs they know across various radio stations to play your song.
4b) If no 4 doesn't work, they'd create a controversial story around you and your music - like you just signed with Jay-Z or Sony Entertainment and it will damn sell because our shitty gossip blogs will accept it before they even accept Jesus as their lord and savior.
Our gossip blogs will kindly publish it (without confirming the news) because that's what they do. If the Sony Entertainment gist doesn't work they might pull the dumbest PR stunt ever - that you are fucking dead and then you resurrected (God I love Nigeria).
5) After they have successful forced themselves on us, they become popular, they become brand ambassadors and graced shitty awards ceremonies and they become super stars that are too busy to Retweet your mentions on twitter or lecture you on how they worked their ass off to get where they are.
That is the summary of the day-to-day shit that goes down in the Nigerian music industry. And they have successfully brainwashed us with this shit, that we actually think the shit is the real stuff.
We need to come out of our slumber, wake up and challenge this shit. This shit kills talents. Talents are now scared of going to the studio to record good music because they feel good music no longer sells in Nigeria.
And even if they do, they'd never get airplays (because they do not have money to bribe OAPs and DJs).
The award ceremonies are even worse. It is all part of the scam. You get awards based on how popular your song is and not how good it is. It is all about the money and how close you are to the "cartel."
These guys have no regards for us and that is why you'd hear them say "omo naija people no dey hear good music, na wetin dem like be dis... Na em dey sell". They dictate what we listen to, instead of the other way round.
It is high time we put and end to this shit and re-build the music industry. We have the power to dictate what we want to listen to (and that is not mediocre music). You guys (OAPs and DJs) have the power to create work that matters by promoting good music.
And this is to the talents out there, the ones that are passionate about what you do, keep creating work that matters. Keep doing good music and don't stop connecting with people. There are still reasonable and credible OAPs and DJs that are ready to help and you never can tell until reach out.
Let us start breeding talents and stop breeding fools.
Sadiq Daniel is a Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com
