In this interview with Daily Sun, the showbiz impressario and image maker for All Seasons Hotel, explained his romance with entertainment, giving reasons for going into music and many more.
Myke Records
The aim is to contribute our own quota to the development of the Nigerian music industry. Also to discover and develop talents who find it difficult securing recording deals owing to one reason or the other. We also want to help export our music outside our shores. We also want those on our label to be part of the national cake, we have been in the entertainment business for long. This is our ninth year in the business of entertainment. We started with a nightclub in the East, after that we went into hotel business and also opened one of the best nightclubs in the South-East which is sited within the All Seasons Hotel and called N.V. Club
Artistes on Myke Records
We are trying first and foremost to ensure that some of them are signed on foreign labels and marketing companies. We are already discussing and negotiating with them. Once these deals are sealed, these outfits would help in the marketing of our products outside Nigeria. The works of all my artistes are of international standard and we are optimistic the deal would sail through soon. We also intend making the presence of our artistes felt here in Nigeria through the media and national tours.
Dreams
My dream is to build a good label with solid artistes who would be appreciated, celebrated and respected globally. We are talking of artistes who would be the richest in Nigeria and Africa. I’m also building a record label that would outlive me.
Myke Records and continuity
I have discovered why most record companies come and go, 90% of the people in the entertainment business are fraudulent. You daily meet people who are out to rip you off without giving you the assistance and mileage they claimed they would give. You will eventually back out when you are frustrated. The money I will make from my label is not what is driving me. It is the passion, because it supercedes the money and that is why Myke Records will continue to live and never die like others.
Rifts between record labels and artistes
The problem lies with the artistes and not the record labels. Nobody does business without making profit, some artistes like playing fast against their record labels. The truth is when a record label does not make money, so also is the artiste,and vice versa. But when one makes and the other is not making, that is when the problem comes in. Label owners take the first risk by investing in an artiste. Contracts are there, but sometimes our conscience has to over rule the contracts.
Difference between Myke Records and other labels?
The difference is that we are continually striving to prove a point and lead while others follow. We are new and making waves because we came in with a bang and lots of innovative ideas on how to better the lots of Nigerian artistes. We have also been able to change the face of musical videos in Nigeria with the laudable works of our artistes. My label produced the best video ever shot in Nigeria. It is on record. It came from Bumpa Clash and we don’t compromise on quality. Also, the video of Zhyon, Mamuzee and Freewindz, are all quality works that can compete favourably in any part of the world. In a year, we sign about five artistes. For example, we signed on five artistes in 2005, this 2006, we have signed on two more and few would join soon. And the newly signed artistes are in our studios cooking their works. We look out for artistes who can use their talents to tell the world that Nigeria is still good despite the many problems facing us. Nigeria is really good.
Artistes on Myke Records
As I speak with you, we have a total of seven artistes already signed on. Mamuzee, Freewindz, Zhyon and Bumper Clash already have their works released, while the others are still cooking.
Biggest problem
Piracy is the main problem and all hands must be on deck to reduce it to the barest minimum. When you report pirates and stop patronizing pirated works, it helps to push them out of the market. Intellectual property owners should reap from the fruits of their labour, we should not allow some faceless criminals to take from us the fruits of our labour. The government should assist us in fighting this scourge.
What Myke Records looks out for in artistes?
The artistes just like every good product, must have a hook. If they don’t, we are not interested. If you come to Myke Records, playing Ja Rule, R.Kelly, we will not look at your face, you must first-of-all, give us the R.Kelly of Nigeria because we are proud of Nigeria. You give us the Africanized R&B and we get you hooked on to our label.
Evangelist in music industry
Yes because music is the food of love, let’s play on and be happy. We preach happiness through music. We preach to people to be God fearing through music. We also preach people out of crime through music. So, in essence, music is the best form of evangelism and that is why as an evangelist of the most High, I’m preaching and reaching out to people through music via Myke Records.
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