A new generation of artistes are rocking the entertainment scene and smiling to the bank, JAYNE AUGOYE reports
A
wind of change is currently blowing across the music industry in
Nigeria. A new order championed by young, vibrant and talented artistes
has emerged. Rather than curse the day that their children decided to
embrace a career in music instead of education, the parents of these
wave-making artistes are pleased with the success they have achieved.
Today,
the young artistes are giving the older and established stars a run for
their money. These new-wave superstars now rub shoulders with the same
artistes whom they once looked up to or chose as role models.
Apart
from competing with the ‘old guards’ in terms of income and
expenditure, they are often nominated for major music awards in similar
categories.
Multinationals and telecommunications outfits, as well
as other major events sponsors, have realised that the younger
generation of music artistes represent the future of entertainment in
Nigeria. With a good number of them aged between 20 and 25 years and a
few others barely clocking 30, the sky seems to be the limit.
Many
of the emerging stars are not just rich; they flaunt their wealth at
every given opportunity. It seems that the rewards for their modest
efforts at making many Nigerians happy are without limit and they always
come in the form of luxury mansions, sold-out concerts, huge fan base,
state-of-the-art cars, bestselling albums, multi-million naira
endorsement deals, chattered flights, big budget videos, custom-made
outfits, ‘bling bling’ and generous airplay on terrestrial TV stations.
Usually
dressed in sagging pairs of trousers with expensive jewellery around
their necks, many of them charge as much as N1.5m to mime to their songs
for only 10 minutes at wedding parties or concerts. Many of them had to
drop out of school to pursue a career in music.
E-Punch presents six young music stars that have taken the music scene by storm.
Wizkid
At
23, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, a.k.a Wizkid, leads the pack. A string of
endorsement deals, including one from MTN, has placed him on the list of
big earning music artistes in Nigeria. At present, he is the highest
paid Pepsi Ambassador in Africa and he lives in a N140m choice home in
Lekki, Lagos.
Wizkid’s personal cars include a N14.6million
Porsche Panamera, Rolls Royce, N10m BMW X6, N6million blue Volkswagen
convertible and a Hyndai Sonata.
The talented singer, songwriter
and performer has emerged one of Nigeria’s hottest music acts, seven
years after he broke into the Nigerian music scene. The last child in a
family of six, Wizkid began to sing at the age of 11. Like new wine, his
performance matured with age. His talent has taken him to different
parts of the world and seen him perform alongside world class artistes,
such as Chris Brown, Akon, and Young Jeezy, and Kardinal Official.
The
young man’s fortunes improved in 2012, a few months after he released
his Superstar album. As expected, his rating soared in the same year and
he was named the second most influential Nigerian artiste on Twitter,
an enviable position which clearly reflected his growing popularity.
Wizkid’s
position on the African music chart was further justified after he made
it to the Channel O/Forbes List of Bankable African Artistes. Mentioned
alongside big weights like Don Jazzy, Psquare, D’banj, he was placed
ahead of Tuface Idibia, on the list. Early in the year, he threw a free
appreciation party for his fans at the New African Shrine. He has the
BET, MTV, Channel O, Ghana Music Awards to his credit.
Olamide
Olamide
Adedeji, aka Badoo, has succeeded in filling the vacuum created by the
death of rap sensation, Dagrin. The alternative rapper, who has
redefined the word Razz as the new cool, has been dubbed the ‘king of
the streets. He recently signed a multimillion naira endorsement deal
with the makers of Ciroc Ultra Premium vodka.
For the self
acclaimed ‘Voice of the Street’, who grew up in the Bariga area of
Lagos, fame did not come cheap. He fell in love with rap music at a
tender age and was always visiting renowned producer ID Cabasa’s music
studio in his school uniform.
Today, Olamide hobnobs with some of
the industry big names, especially D’banj. Pictures of both artistes
surfaced online and their close relationship gave room to speculation
that he had been signed on to the seld-styled Koko Master’s record
label.
The rapper’s hit songs comprise Jale, Street Love, Jesu O
kola, Durosoke, Stupid Love, First of All and Ilefo Illuminati. His
forthcoming album titled ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth’ will be released in
October.
Today, the 24-year-old star acquired a brand new 2013
Range Rover Sport. He also topped the winners list at the 2013 Nigerian
Entertainments Awards in New York, US, with three awards.
Ice Prince
Twenty-six-year-old
Ice Prince lives like a true superstar. A proud owner of a 2010 model
of Bentley GT, a Range Rover SUV, among many others, the Chocolate City
Records ‘golden boy’ is also a BET Awards winner. Since his first single
‘Oleku’ was released, he has witnessed a meteoric rise to the top.
He
gained international recognition after beating 2face Idibia to the Best
International Act Award at the BET Awards. He recently relocated from
his apartment in Palm Groove Estate, Lagos to a bigger apartment in the
Ogudu area, after completing a mansion in his hometown, Jos. The buzz
around him got louder after he appeared in Yvonne Nelson’s ‘House of
Gold’ alongside Ghanaian actor, Majid Michael.
Dammy Krane
At
19, this 2face Idibia protégé is the youngest of the pack. He hit the
limelight after signing on 2face’s Hypertek Records in 2012. He started
singing when he was eight years-old in the toddlers’ choir in church. By
the time he clocked 11, he was already a back-up singer for other
artistes. His mum, who is currently based in the US, manages a number of
Fuji artistes.
Long before he put out an official single, music
video, or inked a record deal, he had over 4,000 followers on twitter.
With his hit singles, My Dear and Ligali, the artiste known for his
melodic voice, engaging lyrics and exciting genre of alternative music
has collaborated with the biggest names in the industry.
Burna Boy
Burna
Boy made newspaper headlines after reports emerged that he sold the
marketing rights to his debut album, ‘Leaving an impact for eternity’
for N10m to popular Alaba music and movie marketer, Uba Pacific.
The album is also said to have made a record sale of 40,000 units on the day of its release.
The singer has the backing of his grandfather, Benson Idonije, who was the manager of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti.
Burna
Boy officially broke into the music industry in December 2010 when he
moved back to Nigeria from London and has remained a household name in
Port-Harcourt. But, it wasn’t until June, 2012, when he made a
cross-over to the Lagos music scene with his mid-tempo Summer Jam, Like
to Party. He is a Globacom Ambassador.
Davido
At 20, David
Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is one of the most popular young
artistes in Nigeria. The singer drew the attention of millions of music
fans when he introduced himself as Omo baba olowo in his hit song titled
Dami duro. Translated from Yoruba to English language, it means ‘son of
a rich man’.
Davido, whose father, Dr. Deji Adeleke, is the
chairman of Keplo-Pacific Energy Pacific, a company that is involved in
banking, steel, power and energy, found his way to the top as if with
the snap of a finger.
The youngster, who is not afraid to boast
about his father’s wealth, always causes a stir on Twitter with his
controversial tweets.
So far, he has won some international awards
and performed at various shows within and outside the country. He is
also the face of MTN Pulse.
Davido’s personal collection of exotic
cars comprise a silver 2012 Honda Accord, a 2012 Hyundai Sonata, which
he won for being ‘Next Rated’ at the 2012 Headies, a N12m 2012 Audi Q7,
N17m Chevrolet Camaro and a N21m Mercedes Benz G55 AMG, his fifth car
since he shot to fame last year.
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