
Music industry in Nigeria kicked off on a very discouraging note, but has recently witnessed its best years. Last decade has been a very profiting one for Nigerian artiste, their talents and hard work were rewarded with good financial rewards. Musicians are now well paid for shows and are getting good deals from marketers and record labels. Our artistes are internationally recognized and they are the toast of the continent. Nigeria musicians dominate award recipients in various music awards organized in Africa and outside Africa. The hard work of home based musicians has paved the way for foreign based to be easily re-admitted into our local scene. The success and general acceptance of Nigerian based musicians prompted the exodus of young artiste in Diaspora into the country. Artistes like 2face Idibia, Olu maintain, Terry G, Biggiano, Ajasa, 9ice, Eldee and several other artiste made the Music industry easy for foreign based artiste like Dbanj, Banky W, Source Kid, Naeto c, Asa, Ikechukwu and several returnee to penetrate. The returnee artiste never went through the pain of walking round Lagos state looking for marketers like their home based counterpart did. They never had the problem of looking for sponsors to back their videos like 9ice had to use his WASC money to shoot his first video “little money”. Most of the returnee artistes are well backed up with lots of cash, they are either supported by their rich family of promoted by rich record labels which they own or owned by a fellow foreign returnee label owners like them. The influx of foreign based Nigerian musicians is on the rise as it is a fact that a Nigerian can only succeed as an artiste at home and nowhere else. The returnee artistes brought a new concept into the scene. Musician now gain recognition by flaunting their wealth, you need to live big to attract big deals. Big and sophisticated cars is the order of the day, our artistes can compete toe to toe with foreign artiste when it comes to cars, blings(very expensive diamond jewelries),and are fast catching up in the aspect of accommodation. A lucrative endorsement deal is every artistes goal in the entertainment, and they come with a very fat pay package. The foreign based or returnee artistes are the ones smiling to the bank with proceeds from such deals. The multinational companies and entertainment companies that present these deals are more comfortable working with the returnee artistes compared to the home made ones. Artiste like Terry G, Dagrin ,Cleva J, Ajasa, Essence rarely feature in any company’s brand endorsement compared to likes of Dbanj, Banky W, Naeto C and others.
Some home grown artiste has caved niche for themselves and can compete very strongly with artiste returning from wherever or based anywhere in the world. Artiste like Psquare, 2face, Face, Wande Coal,9ice have shown us that if you do good music anywhere in the world you would be heard worldwide. These artistes have used their local talent and content to gain international fame, they are the big and the authentic players in the growth of the music industry that the so called returnees are taking advantage of. The returnee artiste on their on part gave Nigerian music industry the anticipated good production and they geared up the home made artiste to raise their standard. The returnee artiste brought about the improvement in recorded music and they change the face of music videos in Nigeria. The music video shot in Nigeria are now international standard and they are aired all over the world in various media houses. The returnee artistes have made significant impact in the music scene, they have set a very high standard for home artiste and newcomers to try and attain. These standards have positively changed the reception and acceptance of locally made music. A disc jockey can entertain an audience for several hours without playing a foreign song, this can be attested to if you pay a visit to clubs in and around Lagos where our artiste’s songs are rendered all through the night. In a nut shell lets say both returnee and home made artiste are both major players in the increasing growth of the music scene. But we give special preference to the home made boys that suffered in the Lagos sun looking for record deals and all those that sold their possessions to shot music videos, to you all, you are the true hero’s of Nigerian music.
The bothering issue now is the recent hostility shown our home made artiste by these returnee artistes. I listened to some tracts by certain artiste questioning the mode of dressing and originality of the jewelries worn by home made artistes. Terry G’s claim as the “king of swag” and Mr bling bling has been queried by Source kid who labeled Terry G as faker and debunked his claims as king of swag. Another artiste in his track said Terry G dresses like a rainbow and says rubbish. I wonder if Terry G is more colourful than the world cherished soulja boy and lil Wayne, and those that said he says rubbish are still fans of Busta Rhymes, lil Wayne , Gucci mane whose lyrics are nothing better than Terry G’s. Wande coal has been called a Malu by another returnee artiste who maybe felt is been dwarfed by the home boys success in the music world. I guess if u physical attribute Wande coal to Malu then what are you going to call our idols Biggie and Fat Joe. I guess it’s more of jealousy or envy rather than principle. The Terry G’s , 9ICE ,Ajasa and other home made artistes are the foundation of the vibrant music industry, they should be given their due respect and not be rebelled against by the bunch of rich kid artiste who came into music for popularity. A recent celebrity basket ball event in Abuja sponsored by a leading distillery company was meant to feature musicians from across the country, but the attendance showed that we have A-list and fringe artiste. The street knows what it wants and we the audience will always give kudos to the boys that came from the streets of Iju Agege, Okoko, Mile 2, Ajegunle and other sub-urb to rock our radios and parties in Lekki, Aja, Vi, Ikoyi. Without you nobody will be here
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