Richard Anyebe
Nigerian entertainment Journalist, Joey Akan says most successful Nigerian artistes are not truthful with how they became successful with their songs topping charts.
According to him, contrary to what most of them say, money, not grace, is the only instrument they use in becoming successful in the music industry.
The simple definition of Grace is the unmerited favour of God toward man.
In multiple tweets on his handle on Saturday, the music journalist revealed that Nigerian artistes would always stay up all night, putting marketing and promo strategies in place.
Akan asserted that after such meetings, these musicians then pour unimaginable amount of cash into all layers of promotion, pay heavily for radio and television slots as well as social media for the songs to “blow.”
He added that when the songs eventually “blow”, most people will begin to think it is grace at work, forgetting that a lot of money was invested in it to get the desired result.
“Nigerian artists will stay up all night working on their craft. Have a thousand strategy, marketing and promo meetings,” he tweeted.
“Pour insane buckets of cash into all layers of promotion, commanding the best slots on radio, TV and social media.
“Song blow, they’ll tell you “Grace!”
“And you, without a prayer, a team, a war chest brimming with cash. Will stay on social media and trumpet those same lines.
“Na grace go blow me. Na grace blow the other guy,” you’ll argue. Okay. Collect my number. When grace come, load phone, then call my MTN.
“When people no wan give you scope or divulge their potent trade secrets, they’ll play to your religious side and tell you “grace.”
“That way, you’ll leave them alone and go and face whatever or whoever you worship in your still moments.
“Grace: the opium of the unblown.
Nigerian artists will stay up all night working on their craft. Have a thousand strategy, marketing and promo meetings.
Pour insane buckets of cash into all layers of promotion, commanding the best slots on radio, TV and social media.
Song blow, they'll tell you "Grace!"
— Joey Akan (@JoeyAkan) August 20, 2022
He made a caricature example of a supposed exchange between an artiste and a promoter.
“Promoter: How much is your budget?
Artist: I don’t have cash. Can I pay you with small grace?”
Promoter: How much is your budget?
Artist: I don't have cash. Can I pay you with small grace?
— Joey Akan (@JoeyAkan) August 20, 2022
To back up his argument, he cited the example of how Nigerian singer, Portable became known and successful.
He revealed that YBNL Record label boss, Olamide and Poco Lee and several other persons came together to ensure that Portable “blew.”
“Olamide, Poco Lee and a bunch of people wey no wan make I mention their name or their contribution, come together help Portable blow. Portable tell una say na ‘Akoi Grace’,” he tweeted.
Olamide, Poco Lee and a bunch of people wey no wan make I mention their name or their contribution, come together help Portable blow.
Portable tell una say na "Akoi Grace."
— Joey Akan (@JoeyAkan) August 20, 2022
To further back up his argument, he dropped a lengthy tweet, saying that in other industries, nobody talks about grace at work, as becoming successful is scientific.
“Here’s what you people call “grace,” in this music industry: It’s just getting the right mix of everything.
“Everyone constantly tweaks their art for connectivity and acceptance. Some people find the right mix, and use money to market aggressively and stimulate emotional centres.
“Outside this industry, in other markets, blowing is scientific. Nobody talks about “Grace.”
“They just find new ways to work on their craft, and improved pipelines of distribution. They leave nothing to the supernatural, spending heavily and building systems for marketing.
“Grace did not give us Afrobeats to the world. People with access and better pipelines just started paying attention to us and investing in global marketing.
“The budgets became bigger, the reach longer. It’s not grace. It’s scientific pursuit and scramble for attention.”
Here's what you people call "grace," in this music industry: It's just getting the right mix of everything.
Everyone constantly tweaks their art for connectivity and acceptance. Some people find the right mix, and use money to market aggressively and stimulate emotional centres.
— Joey Akan (@JoeyAkan) August 20, 2022
Kanyi Daily recalls that Akan had sometime in march this year, stated that Nigerian music history and success were built on cybercrime.
He stated this in a tweet on his twitter handle, saying that that “yahoo boys” (online fraudsters) funded and kept alive an industry with no institutional or corporate funding.
In other news, Kanyi Daily had reported that singer, Portable apologised to his benefactors, Olamide and Poco Lee and his manager, Kogbagidi after his outburst on social media.
He had accused Poco Lee of trying to rip him off the credit for his hit song, Zazoo Zeh.
He had also claimed that when Olamide brought him on stage to perform ‘Zazoo Zeh’ at the Livespot Festival, Wizkid sprayed him $3000, but Poco Lee only gave him $600.
