Drug barons, Yahoo boys taking over Nigerian music industry

Zaaki Azzay

Torch-bearing veteran singer Zaaki Azzay has alleged that the Nigerian music industry as of today, is driven by investments from drug barons and Internet fraudsters also known as Yahoo Boys.

Zaaki who is famous for his 1996 hit song ‘Na Me Go Marry Am’, said this in a fresh interview with Premium Times.

The Benue state-born said some Nigerian artistes are talented but lack good content. According to him, ”singers who are not really talented, come into the industry with money gotten from drugs or blood money and they just make so much noise.”

He alleged that some musicians are using music as coverup for their drug business.

“Right now, it is not about getting a good song, or whether your video is good or your song is nice. It is not about that anymore it’s about how much money you can spend to promote a song,” he said.

“Most of the people who have this type of money are into ‘Yahoo’ or blood money. That is the major challenge of the music industry right now. There are a lot of artistes who are making it genuinely, but that is still the major problem.

“I think they are very talented, and they are good. However, some of them lack good content in their music and have nothing meaningful in their lyrics. Musicians are actually meant to be good ambassadors.

“There is a lot that has gone into music. There are lots of people who are not really musicians. People who are not really talented come into music and bring money from drugs or ‘blood money’ put it into music and make noise everywhere.

“Not many know these musicians are actually using music to cover up for their drug businesses. That is the major issue for us because those who are consuming the music might not know that and it kind of makes it difficult for talented musicians who are supposed to be heard and (are) not heard because they cannot afford to promote their music,” he added.