Record Label – Artist Relations In Nigeria: Olamide & YBNL Got It Wrong
Skales & Manager Reportly In Police Custody; Implicated In Fraud Charges From Record Label. June 1, 2016 – jaguda.com
Runtown and record label at war! Label sues, Runtown terminates contract. May 31, 2016 – thenet.ng
DJ Zeez Has Been Ordered To Pay N22.3M to His Record Label – MAY 10, 2016 – Jaguda.Com
Brymo part ways with Chocolate City. May 30, 2013, HiphopWorld Magazine
Yet Another Split! Kollertunz Records Parts Ways with Flowssick, January 16, 2013, Pulse.ng
Who left who? Analyzing Chidinma’s exit from Capital Hill Records, 07.03.2016, pulse.ng Trybe Records and Eva Alordiah Part Ways! November 7th, 2012, notjustok.com
Hip-Hop act, Soul-E met His Waterloo, Court Orders Him To Pay Collossal Ent. N160 Million, August 23, 2011, Nigeriafilms.com
The headlines above underscore the ubiquity of ‘drama’ in Nigerian music industry. Bickering evidence runs a steady course throughout these headlines, as to the necessity of an inquiry and reinforcement of credible means of sustaining a contractual relationship between parties (artiste and music label); which should help encourage a healthy environment for return on investments. In order to put this intervention in the right footing, I would like to state the following. By industry convention, a record label is responsible for the marketing of music recordings. Often times, it coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos; and as well as conducts talent scouting and development of new artistes. More than discovering talented artistes, and introducing them to the sizzling world of stardom, it is bound by contract to deploy its resources in sales, publicity, promotions, marketing, legal, business affairs, and A&R. In sane climes, labels are by far the largest investors in artists’ careers, staking their resources with the prospect of huge profit or colossal loss, which is often the case; indeed a high-risk business. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), approximately 90% of the records that are released by major recording labels fail to make a profit. In recent times, record companies are sustained as going concern by the execution of “multiple rights” or “360” deals with artists. These types of pacts give labels rights and percentages to artist’s touring, merchandising, endorsements and other forms of commercial exploitation of the artist and his music. America is home to the biggest film, technology and music companies. In Nigeria, however, our music has acquired an iconic stature, and indeed enjoyed unprecedented patronage in recent times. But we have a history of Artist-Label disputes that has continued to threaten the sustainability of music Companies; an inquiry which this piece seeks to address. The United States of America’s soft power is its Music, Film and Technology Industry. This has enthroned it as innovation capital of the world and culture superpower. Undoubtedly, a large chunk of American prosperity is built on the exploitation of Intellectual Property (CONTENT): Any lessons for Nigeria? At the last edition of the NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT CONFERENCE, Dolapo D’banj Oyebanji keynoted a session themed CONTENT IS THE NEW CRUDE. Indeed, there are many ways in which the Content Business can be likened to the Oil Business. The news of Olamide’s YBNL Records losing Lil Kesh, a blossoming ‘cash-cow’, offers an avenue for deconstructing Label-Artist relationships in Nigeria. In music, as in the oil business, an investor or record company prospects for the next big pot of gold. It is a costly exercise where nothing is assured. Time, expertise and resources are expended in trying to discover, nurture and launch an unknown product (Talent). The risk is huge and the success rate is very remote. The investor wagers the viability of the product in the market place, or that the new oil well will be able to churn out crude in millions of barrels. Once successful, the returns on the initial investment made can signal the birth of a new enterprise. The profits can be ploughed back into the business to launch other products and expand frontiers. However, working with the benefit of hindsight on the risky venture of oil prospecting, I would posit that Olamide just lost a major oil block but I am yet to understand why. Prior to the break of the news, I was privy to the impending loss of YBNL’s frontline artist Lil Kesh. Initially, I doubted the credibility of the claims as it is unthinkable that a young label on the rise would give room for such an occurrence. However, barely a month after, series of mishaps coming in quick succession further sustained the claims as Lil Kesh/YBNL story, the cases of Runtown, DJ Zeez and Skales were reported in the media. Thankfully, these Record Companies have enlisted the help of the Courts to seek redress. I applaud these new developments; as they will help reinforce the Nigerian jurisprudence on Label-Artiste disputes. Judging from the amiable disposition between both parties in the media, one is led to believe that all is well and that Olamide was being magnanimous. Tellingly, he was able to cope with this loss by taking recourse to the business disposition of his benefactors; those who introduced him into the Nigerian music scene; the likes of ID CABASA and TONY PAYNE. In retrospect, one can argue that these individuals also lost a goldmine in Olamide. It goes beyond debate that no single superstar in music happened on the world stage without the blood, sweat and tears of other music professionals and investors
Yet Another Split! Kollertunz Records Parts Ways with Flowssick, January 16, 2013, Pulse.ng
Who left who? Analyzing Chidinma’s exit from Capital Hill Records, 07.03.2016, pulse.ng Trybe Records and Eva Alordiah Part Ways! November 7th, 2012, notjustok.com
Hip-Hop act, Soul-E met His Waterloo, Court Orders Him To Pay Collossal Ent. N160 Million, August 23, 2011, Nigeriafilms.com
The headlines above underscore the ubiquity of ‘drama’ in Nigerian music industry. Bickering evidence runs a steady course throughout these headlines, as to the necessity of an inquiry and reinforcement of credible means of sustaining a contractual relationship between parties (artiste and music label); which should help encourage a healthy environment for return on investments. In order to put this intervention in the right footing, I would like to state the following. By industry convention, a record label is responsible for the marketing of music recordings. Often times, it coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos; and as well as conducts talent scouting and development of new artistes. More than discovering talented artistes, and introducing them to the sizzling world of stardom, it is bound by contract to deploy its resources in sales, publicity, promotions, marketing, legal, business affairs, and A&R. In sane climes, labels are by far the largest investors in artists’ careers, staking their resources with the prospect of huge profit or colossal loss, which is often the case; indeed a high-risk business. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), approximately 90% of the records that are released by major recording labels fail to make a profit. In recent times, record companies are sustained as going concern by the execution of “multiple rights” or “360” deals with artists. These types of pacts give labels rights and percentages to artist’s touring, merchandising, endorsements and other forms of commercial exploitation of the artist and his music. America is home to the biggest film, technology and music companies. In Nigeria, however, our music has acquired an iconic stature, and indeed enjoyed unprecedented patronage in recent times. But we have a history of Artist-Label disputes that has continued to threaten the sustainability of music Companies; an inquiry which this piece seeks to address. The United States of America’s soft power is its Music, Film and Technology Industry. This has enthroned it as innovation capital of the world and culture superpower. Undoubtedly, a large chunk of American prosperity is built on the exploitation of Intellectual Property (CONTENT): Any lessons for Nigeria? At the last edition of the NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT CONFERENCE, Dolapo D’banj Oyebanji keynoted a session themed CONTENT IS THE NEW CRUDE. Indeed, there are many ways in which the Content Business can be likened to the Oil Business. The news of Olamide’s YBNL Records losing Lil Kesh, a blossoming ‘cash-cow’, offers an avenue for deconstructing Label-Artist relationships in Nigeria. In music, as in the oil business, an investor or record company prospects for the next big pot of gold. It is a costly exercise where nothing is assured. Time, expertise and resources are expended in trying to discover, nurture and launch an unknown product (Talent). The risk is huge and the success rate is very remote. The investor wagers the viability of the product in the market place, or that the new oil well will be able to churn out crude in millions of barrels. Once successful, the returns on the initial investment made can signal the birth of a new enterprise. The profits can be ploughed back into the business to launch other products and expand frontiers. However, working with the benefit of hindsight on the risky venture of oil prospecting, I would posit that Olamide just lost a major oil block but I am yet to understand why. Prior to the break of the news, I was privy to the impending loss of YBNL’s frontline artist Lil Kesh. Initially, I doubted the credibility of the claims as it is unthinkable that a young label on the rise would give room for such an occurrence. However, barely a month after, series of mishaps coming in quick succession further sustained the claims as Lil Kesh/YBNL story, the cases of Runtown, DJ Zeez and Skales were reported in the media. Thankfully, these Record Companies have enlisted the help of the Courts to seek redress. I applaud these new developments; as they will help reinforce the Nigerian jurisprudence on Label-Artiste disputes. Judging from the amiable disposition between both parties in the media, one is led to believe that all is well and that Olamide was being magnanimous. Tellingly, he was able to cope with this loss by taking recourse to the business disposition of his benefactors; those who introduced him into the Nigerian music scene; the likes of ID CABASA and TONY PAYNE. In retrospect, one can argue that these individuals also lost a goldmine in Olamide. It goes beyond debate that no single superstar in music happened on the world stage without the blood, sweat and tears of other music professionals and investors
