Young and Getting It (YAGI): How Young Acts Has Taken Over the Nigerian Music Industry

MUSIC in the 90s and early 2000 were dominated by artiste in the early and late 30s with the likes of Sunny Nnaji, Jazzman Olofin, lord of Ajasa, Eddy Remedy, Ruggedman, W4, Olu maintain, JJC and 419 Squad, Freestyle…..and many more. These musicians where grown men who on a normal day outside celebrity life where suppose to be fathering 2 – 3 kids minimum. They made hit songs with lasting sounds, so loyal to their labels but lack the business sense. They were so comfortable with the recognition they had, and were not thinking of hitting it hard with Local Tours, Personal Shows just like we use to have now with Olamide’s OLIC and artist tours.

The music industry has taken a different turn now, dominated and overcrowded with young hustlers becoming BIG time boss, owning record label, managing themselves and resources, pushing for international recognition and getting international awards.

Just recently, the DURO crooner Ala-ha-ji Te-ki-no like he calls himself just bagged a deal with Sony Music International worth over $4million,

Davido who also signed similar deal is the first Nigerian musician to secure such deal with Sony Music Corporation. Popularly known for his Skelewu song, Davido released his first single 'Dami Duro' in 2011.

He also was nominated in the top 10 Nigeria's most watched musical video in 2015 by Youtube and also won the MTV Africa Music Awards in the same year.

Following the signing Sony music deals with Nigeria artiste was the signing of wizkid into the Sony Music Family, as at the time of the signing it said that the deal was the biggest ever signed contract by an African artist, with Sony Music subsidiary RCA Records.

Reacting to Wizkid's Sony deal by NotJustOk’s Head of Content who reported details of the deal on his Twitter account.

All things being equal, Wizkid will put pen to paper on a mega deal with Sony/RCA tomorrow (Tuesday). Everything is agreed in principle.

— Övie (@OvieO) September 12, 2016

The figures being mentioned in the Wizkid Sony/RCA deal are mind-blowing. Even crazier when u consider the Naira equivalent. Lol

— Övie (@OvieO) September 12, 2016

With these recent developments in the Nigeria music industry, I believe this is just the beginning of goods thing to come #YAGI

by Okolo Ifeanyi of boxanalyst.blogspot.com / kaimagist.com