In Nigeria, the music industry has witnessed significant growth over the years, thanks to the efforts of influential record label owners. Record labels have been essential in hosting, developing, and catapulting musicians to prominence ever since music emerged as a primary form of top entertainment and a significant money-making endeavor.
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These label imprints are owned by musicians, and just like a businessman owns an empire or conglomerate, a record label owner similarly owns similar conglomerates, but they take the form of musicians who are signed to his label rather than businessmen.
One of the most famous and respected figures in Nigerian music is Don Jazzy, founder of Mavin Records. Renowned for his Midas touch in producing hit songs and nurturing talented artists like Tiwa Savage and Rema, Don Jazzy has become an icon in the music business.
In this article I will be listing 10 top record labels so keep strolling.
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Mavin Records
After parting ways with his previous business partner D’Banj in 2012, Michael Collins Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, founded the company.
D’Banj and Don Jazzy co-founded “Mo’Hit Records,” a record label that rocked the Nigerian music scene prior to 2012 with top sensational albums produced by some of its finest and most talented artists, including D’Banj and Wande Coal. The split was actually a top news story in the entertainment industry.
The Mavins Dynasty is undoubtedly the biggest and most important musical company in Nigeria and West Africa after 2012.
YBNL Nation
The abbreviation YBNL stands for Yahoo Boy No Laptop.
Olamide alias Badoo, a native of Lagos and undoubtedly one of the best rappers in modern-day Nigeria, formed it.
Olamide first came to prominence in 2011 while working with ID Cabasa’s Coded Tunes. In 2012, he went it alone and founded his own label imprint, YBNL.
Today, despite the fact that artists like Lil Kesh, Adekunle Gold, and Viktoh have all gone solo, his imprint prides itself on being one of the biggest in Nigeria.
Among those signed up for it at the moment are DJ Enimoney, Temmie, Ovwasa, Davolee, Lyta, Limerick, and Star Prince.
Davido Music Worldwide (DMW)
Davido used to be a part of the HKN gang, a record label run more like a family business by the OBO and his brother Wale, with two of their cousins, B-Red and Shina Rambo, as artists.
But he quit the album to start his own business, giving rise to the entertainment company and record label known as Davido Music Worldwide.
He currently has Dremo and the well-known “MAMA” singer Mayorkun under contract with his record company.
Chocolate City Music
The music empire, which was established in 2005 as a division of the Chocolate City Group by lawyers Audu Maikori, Paul Okeugo, and Yahaya Maikori, is unquestionably a major player in the Nigerian music business.
The label stands out for its selection of gifted urban rappers, including MI (perhaps the greatest in the green nation), Ice Prince, and Jesse Jagz.
Nosa, Femi Kuti, Pryse, DJ Caise, and its stunning First Lady Victoria Kimani from Kenya are among the group’s other prominent musicians.
StarBoy Entertainment
In 2013, Nigerian A-list music act Wizkid created his label imprint StarBoy Entertainment after bidding EME Records farewell to pursue a solo, successful career.
Wizkid claims that he started his own record company to give up-and-coming singers an opportunity at stardom.
Discuss contributing to society. His record company has a distinct personality in the Nigerian music industry.
Maleek Berry, Legendary Beatz, L.A.X, Efya, R2Bees, and Mr. Eazi are just a few of the musicians who are affiliated with his label.
Made Men Music Group
Iyanya and his manager Ubi Franklin, a.k.a. Triple MG, founded the record company in 2012, and since then it has significantly increased its stature, notoriety, and importance.
The imprint couldn’t be more obvious with Iyanya, a well-known performer, included in the mix.
Now it is home to Tekno, a talented musician, Selebobo, a great vocalist and producer, Emma Nyra, a glittering diva, and the rising Daci.
Five Star Music
The label imprint “Five Star Music” is accompanied by the adjectives and descriptions of two brothers, riches, renown, and talents.
The company is run by Emeka Okonkwo, better known by his stage name E-money and the older brother of Limpopo crooner “KCEE,” so having a rich CEO who lives by the dollar is pretty alluring.
After the singer also made the world aware of his existence, the record company gained notoriety while reflecting the light it received from KCEE.
Kcee, Harrysong, and Skibii were signed to the record up until Harrysong abruptly departed the group, shattering the brand.
Kennis Music
founded by businessman Kehinde Ogungbe, also known as Keke, before Dayo Adeniyi, better known as D1, joined him and the two of them took the helm as CEO of the company.
With the help of their daily TV and radio entertainment program called Primetime Africa, which they launched in 1998, they made the entertainment label one of the greatest as it flourished by bringing to light events and significant ground-breaking developments in the music industry.
2Face, OJB Jezreel, and Sound Sultan were once signed to the label.
Kalakuta Republic
Even though he is no longer with us, the legacy of Nigeria’s Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti continues through the Kalakuta Republic, a record company that released the majority of his songs while he was still alive.
In terms of Nigeria, the record label is one of the established players.
If his name was left out, it would be an insult to the legend that his republic created after the jail in which he was held.
DB Records
D Banj managed to take care of himself rather well after the Mo’Hits records split, bouncing back from it to soar to dizzying heights in the music business.
An progeny of his independence was DB Records.
He currently has Nollywood screen goddess Tonto Dike, Jaysleek, DeeVee, Jsoul, Kris, and his own younger brother Kay Switch signed to his label imprint.
However, the actress hasn’t garnered much attention recently for her musical endeavors.