Every time you watch the various music channels and see how Nigerian artists are living the good life displaying affluence, it will be crazy to conclude that that kind of lifestyle is the only reality in the industry. It’s not. There’s another one, and it’s gloomy – it’s the land of penury full with artists that are now grounded by hopelessness, despair, and tendency to be suicidal. Several Nigerian artists that were once superstars back in the days are now living from hand to mouth. Although you hardly hear about this side of the story or see someone to paint the whole picture to you as I have revealed here, nevertheless, this is the whole truth that has been ongoing for years.

These occurrences have become a circle – artists can’t change it but they can alter the outcome by having the proverbial plan B strategy. For every noteworthy musician, re-investing back into the music industry (investing in new artists and on other music industry related activation activities) that feeds them is the perfect strategy plan that guarantees longevity and a prosperous future. Easier said than done, in this day and age where most entertainers are keeping up with the Joneses, they often live a lavish life devoid of savings and they end up in the penury island or take the easier escape route by traveling out of the country in search of greener pastures. But in this new Donald Trump world and Brexit uncertainty, the pastures may no longer be green. With that in mind, let’s take stock of the artists re-investing back into the Nigerian music industry today.

One does not need rocket science to mention Olamide as one of the Nigerian artists that have re-invested back into the industry that has fed him. Maybe Olamide took a cue from his former record label boss I.D Cabasa – the music producer who once doubled as a performing artist. Cabasa re-invested in the industry by expanding his record studio, established Coded Tunes Records, signed some notable artists on it, among them Olamide, one of the most consistent musicians in the last 8years. As a flourishing musician, Olamide was not under any pressure to re-invest his hard-earned money on signing any new artists, but he did. Through his investment, Lil Kesh and Adekunle Gold thrived among the top-rated musicians in the country. Only a few indie labels in Nigeria can take credit for developing unknown talents and helping them reaching superstardom like the way Olamide’s YBNL has done in the past years. From Limerick, Picazo, Yomi Blaze and Lyta, Olamide invested his money and use his clouts to bring them up to limelight.

The ongoing success story of Fireboy DML is a testament to that – from an artist only known to his few fans on the music site SoundCloud, but through Olamide’s investment, Fireboy became one of the most booked musicians in the industry as of today. Contrary to the notion of some music blogs, Olamide did all these without hurting his personal music career – he has churned out more hit songs in the last cycle of twelve months more than most of his contemporaries. With the success of each of his signed artists, Olamide will continue to increase in prosperity and longevity.

They are a few artists today that are using the Olamide investment playbook – Mr Eazi with his project Joeboy, and as well, D’Prince with his project Rema. With all I have said, one reality that should not be lost to anyone reading is the fact that any artist that continues to live a lavish life without savings or re-investing in the industry that feeds him or her, is likely to end up poor, and unhappy.

Words by Sesan Adeniji