David Adeleke aka Davido, a Nigerian singer and music businessman, has confessed that when he founded his record label, he operated it for four years without receiving any money from the artists.
In a recent interview with American media personality Steve Stoute, he indicated that he saw it as a way to help his buddies improve and achieve their goals.
Speaking as a panelist at UnitedMasters SelectCon 005 in New York, Omo Baba Olowo noted that he has informed the new DMW signees that it is a music business and money must be made.
Davido also said he was happy for his success to rub off on those in he signed to the music label in its early days, such as Mayorkun, Peruzzi and Dremo.
“My label was really more like a family to me, I was young, to me I was just happy putting my boy on. I ran a label for four years and I didn’t take one dime from my artistes.
“I was paying for videos, I was paying for accommodation, I was paying for welfare. I was just happy seeing that my success could rub off on others. That was money to me.
Afrobeats got to a place where its global and I have to explain to the artistes “in these days this is business, to make money you gotta spend money’”.
About the documentary, the FIA crooner said: “I really wanna show people the struggle behind the scenes because everybody sees the aftermath of things or the success stories without seeing what goes on behind.
“I want people to see that, not only to be inspired but to not give up cos you see a lot of things in the documentary where I was at the point of giving up. I thought I would be unable to sing again.”
