Entertainment
Check Out Top 10 Biggest Record Labels In Nigeria
The dream of every upcoming artiste is to be signed to one of the biggest Record Labels as a stepping stone towards achieving stardom. In Nigeria there are various record labels ruling the music industry among which are the top 10 biggest and richest record labels in their descending order of prominence. They include the following:
10) Chocolate City Record Label: The Chocolate City Record label under the leadership of M. I. Abaga was founded in 2005. The record label has produced several acts like Jesse Jagz M.I. Ice Prince, Brymo etc. It is currently housing young talents like C. Key, Blagbonez, Dice Ailes and Young L.
9) DM Records: Timaya and his label executives have made an amazing impact following the signing of King Perrgy, gifting the young star the right management and funding he deserves to record a massive hit with Teni lifted ‘Murder’. Since then the label has been moving from strength to strength.
Timaya on the other hand served us the Chulo Vibes. EP. DM records with just two years in existence has done pretty good.
8) Pent Hauze: With over five awards, four studio albums and the 2019 endorsement with Tom Tom, Phyno has positively led Pent Hauze to glory. After signing Nuno, Rhatti and Cheque, Pent Hauze dropped 2019 singles, The ‘Big’ and ‘Agu’ with Phyno’s Third studio album ‘Deal With It’ as a solo act. Pent Hauze debuts as one of the biggest and richest record labels in Nigeria.
7) Star Boy Entertainment: Star Boy Fan Club (FC) won’t agree less that Wizkid Entertainment has dropped just three singles in 2019 ‘On Me’, ‘Same You’ and ‘Won Stop’ by Teni. The label has not had any single from Wizkid to further boost the brand. This year as Terri has once again failed to take up the mantle for star boy entertainment as he keeps living under Wizkid’s Shadows. Wizkid with a new endorsement deal with United Bank For Africa (UBA) bagged in some millions for the record label.
6) Effyzzie Music Group: Nigeria’s Effyzzie music group has proven to be a renowned music firm after releasing Yemi Alade’s ‘King Queens’ debut album in 2014 and Johnny The record label has since then led ‘Yemi Alade to her 4th Studio album ‘Woman of Steel’ in 2019 and two MTV Africa Awards in 2015 and 2016.
Effyzzie music group has recorded a massive success with Yemi Alade and thus becomes one of the biggest and richest- record labels.
5) Dr Dolor Entertainment: Teni is today a household name, courtesy of Dr. Dolor Entertainment. The record label led the talented singer and song writer, Teni to three awards in 2018 (including the headies) award and a 2019 BET awards nomination.
Teni as the lead act of the film joined the record label in 2017 and has since then bagged amazing endorsement deals with Pepsi Nigeria, Budweiser, Tom Tom and Tecno Mobile. Dr. Dolor is the fifth biggest and richest record labels in 2019.
4) YBNL: Olamide’s YBNL which birthed in 2012 is the 4th biggest and richest record label on Nigeria 2019. YBNL has been topping charts on every media and streaming platforms with 2019 singles ‘Oil and Gas’ from Olamide and Fireboy’s “Jealous” and “What 41 Say”.
With a new found talent, YBNL retains its lead as one of the greatest record labels in the country. Fireboy, who Was signed in October 2018, recently earned an AFRIMA nomination.
3)Spaceship Entertainment: Spaceship Entertainment birthed in 2015 by Africa’s most sensational act Burna Boy couldn’t have missed the list. Burna Boy and Spaceship Entertainment have gradually risen to the top from almost noting.
With 7 individual awards, including the most recent BET International award and his 3rd studio album under his own imprint. Spaceship entertainment, Burna Boy have successfully branded and sold his label to the world.
2) Mavin Record: Don Jazzy led Mavin Records resurrected in 2019 after losing Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks to Universal Music and Bank Music earlier in 2019. The record label found their saviour in Rema, who hasn’t just restored the label’s glory but has gone already to break several records with the label with hit singles like ‘Dumebi’ and ‘Iron Man’. By Rema, it houses artists like Ladi, Poe, DNA, Cray on, Johnny Drille etc with a multi million naira investment deal from Pupanga Holdings, Mavin retains its spot as one of the biggest and richest record labels in the county.
1) DMW Entertainment: Davido music world wide (DMW) had displaced Mavin records in 2019, taking the crown as the biggest and richest record label in Nigeria. DMW boss Davido, discovered Mayorkan in 2016 and handed him his first ever concert ‘Mayor of Lagos’ within two years.
DMW gifts Dremo, his second EP following his success on his debut EP Code name VOI 1 barely 10 months after joining the reputable record label.
In 2019, DMW had dropped two hit singles as label, ‘BUM BUM’ and ‘Only God’ making her the only label with seven singles and Visaals Twisted, prayer, Aze, ‘mind’ and Azu without going further.
Entertainment
Ijaw Nation Day Festival Begins, Today
All is now set for the three-day cultural event tagged, Ijaw ‘Nation Day Festival’ expected to commence today, in Lagos State.
The fiesta is organised by Miebaka Aggo, a professional cyclist and an Ijaw son who is currently based in Lagos State.
Aggo, who disclosed this to The Tide Entertainment yesterday, said that the cultural event which is organised annually, serves as a reminder of the Ijaw culture to the ijaws residing in Lagos State
’For the cultural festival is to show the Ijaws in Lagos our tradition, so they don’t forget,’ he said.
According to him, the fiesta will feature cultural displays such as masquerades, Ijaw dance performances, boat regatta and traditional wrestling, arts and crafts displays and musical performance.
Meanwhile, preparations are ongoing to host a traditional sports festival this year end in Bayelsa Sate or Rivers State of the Niger Delta region.
‘“The traditional sports festival will be held in Niger Delta this year end or early next year. It is a big budget,” he explained.
He mentioned that the organisers are hopeful of sponsorship from companies and well-meaning individuals in the region.
Sports to be contested for include
1. Wrestling
2. Swimming
3. Canoeing
4. Draft
5. Aquathlon(run, swim, run respectively)
6. Triathlon (bike, swim, run)
“However, 5 and 6 are borrowed Olympic sports that favour our region because we can swim, but the major sports to expect are wrestling, swimming and canoeing,” he said.
Nancy Briggs
Entertainment
Life And Times Of Goddy Oku
“In his book, ‘The Wings’, drummer-turned-guitarist, Manford Best, wrote extensively and glowingly of the pivotal role Goddy played in his music career, in the face of his (Manford’s) natural challenge”
On Friday, January 19, 2024, Chief Tony Okoroji, the Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Uche Emeka Paul, Sir Angus Power Nwangwu and other members of COSON were in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area, Anambra State to pay the last respects of COSON to Engr Goddy Ogomegbunam Oku. Describing Oku as an “iconic musician…long-term motivator of the music industry…leader of the Hygrades, proprietor of Godiac Studios…a great man and a true genius”, Chief Okoroji draped the casket with the flag of COSON. To perform this rite of passage, Okoroji flew in from Lagos, Paul flew in from Abuja, Nwangwu drove in from Enugu and other members arrived from various states reflecting the esteemed regards Goddy Oku commanded in the COSON family. My experience with Goddy Oku and those of others as contained in the following dirge epitomise the essence of Okoroji’s graveside oration. Goddy was really a “long-term motivator of the music industry”.
During the Nigerian civil war, my family took refuge in Umuchima, down the valley at the outskirts of Orlu, Imo State. One evening, my father returned from Orlu with a message from my friend, Emeka Ifejika, that Biafra Army Officers Training School (BAOTS) was setting up a pop band and they were searching for a bass guitarist. Goodness gracious!!! I was the bassist of The Hardnuts, my defunct teenage band in Port Harcourt; so, I saw it as the opportunity to avoid conscription, which had intensified at the time. Very early the next morning, I sneaked through the back into the sprawling scenic compound of Bishop Shanaham College, Orlu, which housed BAOTS and, as God would have it, I met Goddy Oku. For three hours, he drilled me on bass guitar playing, basic chord progressions and eventually accepted me as bassist/vocalist of the proposed band. An identity card and a “Pass” were quickly prepared to enable me return to Umuchima the next day, pick up my personal effects and report for duty.
With Dona Dyke (Donatus Nwadike) on drums and Goddy on lead guitar/vocals, we became The Silhouettes, a power trio that played side-by-side Sunny Nwamama of “Umunwanyi ji ukwu achodi” fame. That was at a time Jimi Hendrix Experience, James Gang, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Cream, Grand Funk Railroad and other Power Trios were hip in Europe and America but hadn’t emerged in the West African music scene; so, our ensemble was peculiar or odd, if you prefer.
One day, Warrant Officer Murphy introduced a young man by name Justus Nnakwe (JU-Xperience) to Goddy and appealed that he (Justus) should be taught an instrument. Within two weeks, Goddy drilled Justus and transformed him from a complete neophyte to a rhythm guitarist. Eventually, JU had his first outing and The Silhouettes morphed into a four-some at an event for the Commandant of BAOTS, Colonel Tim Onwuatuegwu. Thereafter, Goddy groomed a singer whose entry gave the band a greater body and earthy sound. At the end of the civil war, I returned home to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, cofounded The Blackstones Band in January 1970 and chased the stars until 1972 when societal and family pressure leashed me back to school in the United States where I consistently earned pocket change thru playing guitar; the trade in which Goddy Oku groomed and gowned me.
Goddy mentored numerous artists in his days; the list is virtually endless. Sonny Okosuns, John Kerry, Nelly Uchendu, Panam Percy Paul, Chris Okotie, Felix Liberty, Felarday, Clement Amaechi and a host of others. Kenny Koburn (KK) once reminisced on how he broke bounds in high school to watch The Blackstones perform at Golf Course Hotel, Owerri in the early 1970s. Enamored by the performance of the bassist of the band, KK said he dropped out of school and headed to Enugu where he was tutored to play bass guitar by Goddy Oku. Subsequently, KK co-founded Founders Fifteen of Port Harcourt. In his book, ‘The Wings’, drummer-turned-guitarist, Manford Best, wrote extensively and glowingly of the pivotal role Goddy played in his music career, in the face of his (Manford’s) natural challenge. Before his demise, Prof Frank Onyezili (Frank Zilly of The Fractions) narrated to me the crucial role Goddy played in his music career before he returned to school. Goddy it was who played the classical guitar interlude in “Igede” by Celestine Ukwu. Arguably, “Igede” stands out as the first instrumental music in the Highlife genre and one of the most memorable songs of Celestine Ukwu.
Over the years, Goddy and I maintained contact and I visited him periodically. We even planned that he’d do one week with me in Port Harcourt and we’d embark on a musical pilgrimage to Abak, Akwa Ibom State to visit Emmanuel Ntia of Solo Hit fame, but that didn’t come to fruition. However, when JU came home in April 2021, I hopped into Enugu on the 13th and the three of us spent one night of reminiscences. We put two mattresses on the floor in Goddy’s parlor and played guitar and talked all night. We relived our collective experiences and walked through the engagements we played during the civil war. It was a memorable night.
JU Xperience, Goddy and
The next morning, April 14, 2021, we took a group photograph without realising that that would be the last time we’d see each other. First, JU sailed to the great beyond in far away China and now Goddy is gone; a rather grim reminder of my sitting at the “Departure Lounge of Life”.
May the creative soul of Godfrey Ogomegbunam Oku rest in the Bosom of God, Amen.
Jason Osai
Entertainment
TB Joshua:This Is Why Victims Do Not Speak Up -Seun Kuti
Seun Kuti has weighed in on the ongoing controversy regarding late Nigerian Prophet, TB Joshua, and states that the vilification of victims is why they do not speak up.
Seun Kuti does not believe that all people who do good things are completely good people.
“I don’t care if he took your family to space, you aren’t everybody,” he said.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the singer aired his views on the issue on Wednesday, charging “religious people” to “do better.”
“Eyin Elebi. Once person someone shares money and rice for people, he is a good person automatically,” he said.
”When this man was alive, he was sooo powerful that his criminal negligence, according to state coroner in Lagos led to the death of 84 people and he didn’t spend one second in police station and you want some young women to come and do what?! When Timis wife came out, you all turned a married woman to a prostitute like magic! That’ is why victims do not speak up!! E du Betta, religious people!!”
Going further, he slammed people who defend the late prophet on the grounds that he helped them one way or another, stressing that the experience of some is not the experience of all people.
In his words, “I don’t care if he took your family to space, and he was good to you, you are not everybody! Because a politician helped one person he would prove to the world that the man is a ‘good person!’ News flash- YOU ARE NOT EVERYBODY!!!”
The late prophet and his church have become the subject of controversy after a three part documentary produced by the BBC, highlighted the negative experiences of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members, who called the church “a cult”. Some women also accused TB Joshua of rape, forced abortions, child abuse and overall abuse. These claims have become a topic of discourse ever since with some siding with the church and others choosing to believe the victims.
However, the church has denied all the allegations.
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