Someone recently pointed out that Phyno and Flavour “have not put people on” - meaning that they have not “made anyone” in the industry, especially when you compare them to people like Olamide and Don Jazzy.
I have heard this comment several times, mainly from upcoming artistes in the South-East. I will do my best to articulate my thoughts on the matter.
𝟏. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Your favourite artistes view music as a competitive sport. The person you mould can retire you.
It takes extraordinary generosity for an artiste to give an upcoming artiste IN THE SAME GENRE their platform.
Even Olamide that we hail, his most successful products have been singers - Adekunle Gold, Fireboy, Asake. The rappers have struggled - Viktoh, Chinko Ekun, Lil Kesh (sang more than he rapped), Picazzo Rhap.
It is not a coincidence that Phyno’s most successful product is a singer too - Cheque. The rappers he signed - Rhatti and Nuno Zigi - struggled and eventually left the label. This is sad because these boys are very good.
Wizkid tried putting Terri - a singer - on. The boy is struggling.
Who has Burna boy put on? Granted he was instrumental to getting Buju (Bnxn) off the ground but that relationship was short-lived.
Which female artiste has another female artiste put on?
There are some notable exceptions though. MI platformed a lot of rappers through Chocolate City - Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, AQ, Blaqbonez.
Davido helped put Mayorkun and Peruzzi on. Two singers. He is also putting on another two singers - Logos Olori and Morravey.
Illbliss helped to put Phyno on, and the latter semi-retired him.
Banky W put Wizkid on. Wizkid retired him.
Producers like Don Jazzy can afford to put anyone on - both singers and rappers. He is a businessman and makes money from being a label executive. They are not his competition.
𝟐. 𝐀 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬.
If you are waiting for this to happen, you will wait forever.
No one owes you anything.
Use opportunities as they present themselves.
These opportunities can be in the form of verses from these artistes and features.
In this regard, Phyno and Flavour have helped countless artistes by giving them life-changing verses.
Phyno and Flavour helped Zoro with his smash hits ‘Ogene’ and ‘Achikolo’.
Phyno has helped Jeriq, Nuno Zigi, Aguero Banks and countless artistes with verses.
Flavour brought ‘Umu Obiligbo’ to mainstream attention with a full EP.
You must not be signed by these artistes before you blow. Their verses are like a struck match. If you refuse to catch fire, you have yourself to blame.
Wizkid featured Tems on ‘Essence’. Tems sang her heart out and rode on that single feature to catapult herself into international circles. She even won a Grammy from a song she did with Future and Drake. All within 4 years.
As a young artiste, your career is in your hands. Phyno and Flavour are OGs but you can see how hungry they still are. They are working their ass off. You should be doing the same too.
Realise that no one owes you anything.
If you get help, great. If you don’t, keep grinding.
Your breakthrough may be nearer than you think.
