When will Upcommers Realize Record Labels Not Charity Home? It is Business

Like a ghost at crisscross, tamed between reaching Elminia or beckoning cape coast, upcoming artists in Nigeria are most times left amidst getting and not getting a Record Labels deal.

In fact, the biggest prayer of every Upcomer is to get a deal that puts them outside for the world to see. Most times, not minding what it takes to get out for the world to see.

Most times, artists, caught in between the fear of not getting a better deal, wouldn’t mind the content of label deals that comes their way. And record labels, in search of a marketable artist, come forth with an agreement that gives them an upper hand and share. They often come with their intention clearly stated in the contract deals brought to the table, yet these artists, in their desperation to live the celebrity lives they have always wished to live, neglects negotiation. They get carried away from the fact that these labels are business enterprises, set up to milk off possible profit they can get. Else landing artists in slavery deals.

In an interview I watched, Ahmed Ololade (Asake) was caught saying when he was offered a deal, he didn’t bother to check and was about to sign, but then Olamide, (his former boss) told him to take the document home for proper perusal. This is one one of the many cases of artists getting carried away by the thought of being taken out to the world. 

Cases of artistes falling out with their record labels have become an enduring narrative in the music world. In Nigeria, the artiste versus record label is generally not new. In fact we have witnessed tons of the same in the past.

Among the most recent ones being Asake and YBNL, Muyeez against DapperMohbad and Marlian Records. In a travel in time, we should recall the Kizz Daniel and G-Worldwide, Wizkid E.M.E and Timi Ovwasa and YBNL to mention but a few.

Unfortunately for these labels, when the narrative is about an artist falling off with his or her label, the first impression that comes to mind is “that the label wants to cheat the artist.” “they have probably dished out an unsettable deal to the artist.” Sad how no one reasoned from the labels’ stance. What if? Just what if it was the artist who never bothered to scrutinize the agreement well? What if the artist is the one trying to cheat the label? These are questions the majority of the fans never ask.

Asake should thank his stars for getting someone so lenient like Olamide who advised him to take the agreement home and read the contract well. Muyeez, wasn’t so lucky with Dapper. At least that’s what he had said in one of his stories on Instagram. One amazing but concealed fact about Muyeez was that the Instagram crooner signed with Vibez Inc, which was sadly under Dapper, making him automatically a subject of Dapper.

Further that, lack of proper consultation usually costs artists a lot because even after the agreement comes to a halt, the consequences linger. A relative example is Kizz Daniel, who had to switch his stage name to “Kizz” from “Kiss”. 

Conclusively, as common as Label-artist crisis in this country, an agreement is an agreement, so far it is a binding contract which the law will enforce. Therefore, my advice to the ‘new cats’ coming up will be for them to seek proper legal advice and peruse offers from labels well, so that they won’t someday have to realize they signed a bondage and unfavorable deal in the cause of seeking fame. Remember as angelic as labels might appear, there is one motive behind its creation and that’s profit marginalization. The same way an artist is looking for fame, these label owners are as well looking for what to eat. Stay safe.