Entertainment
Artiste Decries High Cost Of Music Production
A Port Harcourt based artiste and song writer Reginald Bekinbo popularly known as JahReigns has lamented the high cost of music production in Rivers State.
Bekinbo who is also the acting chairman of the Performing Musicians Employers Association Of Nigeria (PMAN) Rivers Chapter made this known in an interview with The Tide Entertainment yesterday.
According to him, the cost of music production in the State is becoming alarming.
He explained that for one to get a music done you will have to pay twenty-five thousand naira (#25,000) for a track and pay an extra amount for fuel where there is no power, saying that this does not get the work done, as the 25,000 fee covers the voiceover only.
“ It is quite disheartening that you pay such an amount for just a track’s voiceover, then you take to another Studio for the Mix and master of the song, which would cost you not less than #20’000 for upcoming artistes at my level. It does not end there each time you go for mixing you have to buy fuel for the mixer which does not include promotion and videoing of the song,” he lamented.
He said that as an artiste, he also has a clothing store just to support his career, saying most singers have chosen the brain drain for themselves and you can not blame them because it is difficult to excel as an Artiste here in the State.
“ It is clear why people go to Lagos to establish their career. Just imagine a situation where someone heard my song and wanted to meet me and some other person told him that if he wanted to see me he should come to Victoria Street, the young man said he thought l should be in Lagos and they eventually found me at Victoria Street in Port Harcourt. Where l have my clothing store. What could be more degrading? Situation like that devalues your person as an Artiste, l mean, it depreciates your worth,” he added.
Bekinbo who recently released a video on one of his singles titled “Ngwanu” said that though the video has not been played in a cable station, could be downloaded from the internet, noting that the cost of shooting and promoting a video or song is alarming.
“ It is not easy at all,, I met the cable guy and he said that for International and Local promo for the video is eight hundred and fifty naira(850,000) while for local, here would cost me four hundred and fifty naira(450.000).
I am yet to afford the fee. If you go to Redem Station to play your audio you will pay not less than two hundred naira, so what we do is to befriend DJ’s and in a studio you have up to three DJ’s you will give them #20,000 and then, make sure to send them callcard at least three times in a month.
He said that if well-meaning individuals in the State would do well to extend helping hand or support the music industry it will go a long way to motivating Artistes in the State.
He however mentioned king of Okochiri, Kingdom, His Royal Father Ateke Tom as an individual and Gravings Records as an organization that have been supportive, saying that each time they to perform for them they made sure to at least take care of them.
“ If the needed motivation is given l tell you, with a million naira we could realize five Million in three months,” he assured.
By: Nancy Briggs
Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.
Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.
Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.
Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.
What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.
Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.
Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.
Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.
Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.
And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.
Popular Nigerian music stars, Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simi, have become parents again this time to twins.
The award-winning singer shared the joyful update on his Snapchat story on Wednesday, confirming the expansion of their family.
“Asked God for another child and he blessed me double,” she wrote.
While the couple has not yet disclosed the gender of the newborns, the announcement has sparked an outpouring of warm wishes from admirers, fellow celebrities, and industry colleagues.
Speculation had intensified in December when Simi posted a video on Instagram accompanied by the caption, “From my baby, for my babies.”
The clip showed her with a growing baby bump, fueling anticipation that another child was on the way.
Their latest blessings arrive just weeks after Simi highlighted a scene from Adekunle Gold’s newly released music video, “My Love is the Same,” further stirring excitement among fans.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Adekunle Gold and Simi who tied the knot in 2019 after a long history of friendship and musical synergy remain one of Nigeria’s most admired entertainment power couples. Both artistes were once signed to X3M Music before soaring into mainstream acclaim.
The pair welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
After closing out 2025 with the release of “Praise the Lord” featuring Magnito, Jesse Flames enters the new year with renewed clarity and purpose, continuing to build a body of work rooted in intention rather than noise. In a moment where Afrobeats is moving faster and louder than ever, his approach remains measured and deliberate, prioritizing meaning, craft, and longevity over momentary attention. The official music video arrives January 10.
Following the momentum of his breakout single “FLEX,” “Praise the Lord” represents a shift from celebration to grounding. Reflective and soulful, the record centers gratitude, growth, and perspective, capturing a quieter confidence that resonates beyond a single moment.
“This song is about recognizing the full picture,” Jesse shares. “The work people see and the work they don’t. The lessons, the setbacks, the growth.”
The collaboration with Magnito, a respected voice in Nigerian hip hop known for his sharp lyricism and cultural authenticity, adds depth and weight to the record, reinforcing its themes of resilience, faith, and self reflection.
Released in December at the height of Detty December, “Praise the Lord” became a natural soundtrack for both celebration and reflection as the year came to a close. With the video arriving in January, the record takes on new meaning, opening the year as a tone setter rather than a reset.
Born in the United States, raised in Festac, Lagos, and now based in London, Jesse Flames brings a global perspective to his sound, blending Afrobeats, hip hop, and melodic soul into something sleek and intentional. His music reflects lived experience and cultural nuance rather than trend chasing.
The Tide Entertainment reports that with over 11 million streams, performances at O2 Brixton Academy and OVO Arena Wembley, and coverage from The Guardian and Business Post Nigeria, Jesse’s rise has been steady and self made. Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, he is preparing for collaborations with Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, and Smurlee.
“Praise the Lord” ft. Magnito is available now on all streaming platforms.