Main PageRE: Why artistes from Ibadan find it hard to ‘blow’
After reading the article with the above title in the ‘Friday treat’
edition of 17th April, 2015 in the Nigerian Tribune, I felt the need to
contribute as a silent but keen observer of the Ibadan music scene to
the interesting and ongoing discussion among the stakeholders. I believe
it is important firstly to understand the concept of “music industry
capital(s)”, and the dynamics that shapes and controls the localisation
and establishment of these centres. The emergence of music industry
capitals is closely tied to the evolution of city-centres and
urbanisation.
Research has shown that the creativity associated with music production occurs in clusters, and these clusters are the fundamentals for the formation of music industry capitals. This explains why songwriters, producers, artistes, musicians etc tends to congregate around the cluster formations in capitals of the music industry globally. It also explains the tendency and the reason why artistes or musicians located outside of these clusters always migrate towards the clusters or music industry capitals. For instance in the US there are a number of dominant and well established music industry capitals located in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Chicago and Atlanta. In the UK, there is London and an emerging centre in Dublin. In Nigeria, we have Lagos as the music industry capital; however, there are also established regional music and entertainment centres such as Ibadan, Onitsha, and Port/Harcourt etc.
Researches have also revealed some fundamental reasons why music industry capitals are directly linked with cities and urban areas. Researchers have found that cities that embrace entertainment consumption maintained a strong human capital base, and that local entertainment amenities attracted productive human capital to the city. They found that a rise in productive human capital created a strong knowledge spillover through the developments of cities that focused on entertainment and lifestyle venues. Research further proves that economic growth of cities under a technological infrastructure heavily relies on the social structure of an urban area. So, the social setting of a society helps to create economic growth and technological change within the city. These factors are present and observable in the economic setting of Lagos as the music and entertainment industries capital of Nigeria.
The economic activities undertaken throughout the music industry value chain, from music production to its consumption are basically market-driven and subjected to prevailing economic/market forces at play. That means that all major activities in the music industry will naturally flow in the direction of the music industry capital where the major market is located, and where the largest concentration of commercial/economic music business exchanges and activities takes place as a result of the dominant presence of the clusters that constitutes the music industry. The search for opportunities or ‘greener pastures’ is a universal drive that underlies the migration of people from rural to urban areas or cities; it is the same drive behind artistes’ tendency to migrate towards music industry capitals all over the world. It is then natural for artistes based in Ibadan or in other locations within Nigeria who seeks better opportunities to fulfil their dream of becoming ‘superstars’ in the music industry to migrate to Lagos.
So, am I saying that Ibadan based acts should all migrate or relocate to Lagos? No. What is wrong with Ibadan? Why do Ibadan artistes find it hard to ‘blow’? The challenge from my perspective is not so much primarily based on the location as it based on value-creation, strategy and mindset. The effects and appreciation for an outstanding creative value display in a musical work is universal and transcends physical and geographical boundaries. If an artiste creates a value-laden work with his music and exudes so much excellence, and work hard strategically to promote and sell to the target audience, he will succeed anywhere.
I also believe that carrying around the label or mentality that says “I am an Ibadan artiste” is self-defeating and sometimes creates an inferior complex or inferior perception of the artiste. You must define yourself primarily as an artiste or musician who belongs and operates in the music industry regardless of your location. I understand the popular culture trend of representing or “repping” ones hood or area, but it is better to let your success and reputation rub-off positively by qualifying your location. Artistes must learn to think global and act local, we live in a global village without access restrictions to communicate, sell or buy anything from any part of the world today, thanks to the internet and social media channels. To compete successfully, there is only one standard that all artistes/musicians must aim for in the execution of their music career goals and objectives – global standard. There is nothing like Lagos standard or Ibadan standard or Abuja standard, it is either you are competing globally or you are simply wasting your time. This is the mindset that Ibadan-based acts must imbibe if they want to be relevant in the Nigerian music industry landscape and beyond.
Charity begins at home goes the saying; any serious minded artiste that cannot dominate his/her immediate local market will not also be able to dominate a much larger or global market. If you cannot dominate the local Ibadan music scene, then you cannot dominate the Lagos music scene. Your immediate local environment is where you naturally should find it easy to exercise your influence primarily. When you succeed in dominating your local music market, chances are that your reputation and acclaim would have spread over ahead of you to the larger market. If your talent cannot shine enough for people to see in your local environment, chances are that it will have no effect in a much larger environment. Strategically speaking, it is much easier to progress to bigger markets after making substantial impact in your local market first. Every product is designed and created to meet or fill a specific and identified need or want in the market.
The entertainment potentials of Ibadan as a rapidly developing city-centre and as one of the largest cities in Africa remain grossly untapped. I believe that the opportunities that exist potentially for Ibadan as a fast-growing city in the entertainment sector are enormous. However, there has to be a conscious effort by all stakeholders to set a pace and agenda for its development by engaging positively and proactively with both government and corporate investors to see to its emergence as a vibrant and credible regional music market. A prosperous and vibrant Ibadan entertainment scene is in the best interest of the state government, stakeholders and the residents of Ibadan.
Toyin Adeniji is a music business enthusiast and writes the Music Business column of the Friday Treat Edition.
Research has shown that the creativity associated with music production occurs in clusters, and these clusters are the fundamentals for the formation of music industry capitals. This explains why songwriters, producers, artistes, musicians etc tends to congregate around the cluster formations in capitals of the music industry globally. It also explains the tendency and the reason why artistes or musicians located outside of these clusters always migrate towards the clusters or music industry capitals. For instance in the US there are a number of dominant and well established music industry capitals located in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Chicago and Atlanta. In the UK, there is London and an emerging centre in Dublin. In Nigeria, we have Lagos as the music industry capital; however, there are also established regional music and entertainment centres such as Ibadan, Onitsha, and Port/Harcourt etc.
Researches have also revealed some fundamental reasons why music industry capitals are directly linked with cities and urban areas. Researchers have found that cities that embrace entertainment consumption maintained a strong human capital base, and that local entertainment amenities attracted productive human capital to the city. They found that a rise in productive human capital created a strong knowledge spillover through the developments of cities that focused on entertainment and lifestyle venues. Research further proves that economic growth of cities under a technological infrastructure heavily relies on the social structure of an urban area. So, the social setting of a society helps to create economic growth and technological change within the city. These factors are present and observable in the economic setting of Lagos as the music and entertainment industries capital of Nigeria.
The economic activities undertaken throughout the music industry value chain, from music production to its consumption are basically market-driven and subjected to prevailing economic/market forces at play. That means that all major activities in the music industry will naturally flow in the direction of the music industry capital where the major market is located, and where the largest concentration of commercial/economic music business exchanges and activities takes place as a result of the dominant presence of the clusters that constitutes the music industry. The search for opportunities or ‘greener pastures’ is a universal drive that underlies the migration of people from rural to urban areas or cities; it is the same drive behind artistes’ tendency to migrate towards music industry capitals all over the world. It is then natural for artistes based in Ibadan or in other locations within Nigeria who seeks better opportunities to fulfil their dream of becoming ‘superstars’ in the music industry to migrate to Lagos.
So, am I saying that Ibadan based acts should all migrate or relocate to Lagos? No. What is wrong with Ibadan? Why do Ibadan artistes find it hard to ‘blow’? The challenge from my perspective is not so much primarily based on the location as it based on value-creation, strategy and mindset. The effects and appreciation for an outstanding creative value display in a musical work is universal and transcends physical and geographical boundaries. If an artiste creates a value-laden work with his music and exudes so much excellence, and work hard strategically to promote and sell to the target audience, he will succeed anywhere.
I also believe that carrying around the label or mentality that says “I am an Ibadan artiste” is self-defeating and sometimes creates an inferior complex or inferior perception of the artiste. You must define yourself primarily as an artiste or musician who belongs and operates in the music industry regardless of your location. I understand the popular culture trend of representing or “repping” ones hood or area, but it is better to let your success and reputation rub-off positively by qualifying your location. Artistes must learn to think global and act local, we live in a global village without access restrictions to communicate, sell or buy anything from any part of the world today, thanks to the internet and social media channels. To compete successfully, there is only one standard that all artistes/musicians must aim for in the execution of their music career goals and objectives – global standard. There is nothing like Lagos standard or Ibadan standard or Abuja standard, it is either you are competing globally or you are simply wasting your time. This is the mindset that Ibadan-based acts must imbibe if they want to be relevant in the Nigerian music industry landscape and beyond.
Charity begins at home goes the saying; any serious minded artiste that cannot dominate his/her immediate local market will not also be able to dominate a much larger or global market. If you cannot dominate the local Ibadan music scene, then you cannot dominate the Lagos music scene. Your immediate local environment is where you naturally should find it easy to exercise your influence primarily. When you succeed in dominating your local music market, chances are that your reputation and acclaim would have spread over ahead of you to the larger market. If your talent cannot shine enough for people to see in your local environment, chances are that it will have no effect in a much larger environment. Strategically speaking, it is much easier to progress to bigger markets after making substantial impact in your local market first. Every product is designed and created to meet or fill a specific and identified need or want in the market.
The entertainment potentials of Ibadan as a rapidly developing city-centre and as one of the largest cities in Africa remain grossly untapped. I believe that the opportunities that exist potentially for Ibadan as a fast-growing city in the entertainment sector are enormous. However, there has to be a conscious effort by all stakeholders to set a pace and agenda for its development by engaging positively and proactively with both government and corporate investors to see to its emergence as a vibrant and credible regional music market. A prosperous and vibrant Ibadan entertainment scene is in the best interest of the state government, stakeholders and the residents of Ibadan.
Toyin Adeniji is a music business enthusiast and writes the Music Business column of the Friday Treat Edition.
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