PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
Rising music star Fido (real name Awosika Olayemi Josiah) has criticised his former marketing team—Inner Circle Entertainment—over its alleged lack of transparency on his marketing funds and revenue numbers.
The criticisms involved the release of his track, “Mr. Lover,” and the remix of his breakout song “Awolowo” featuring Kapo, which were both released under Heatwave Records, through Inner Circle Entertainment.
In a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, across multiple days last week, the “Awolowo” and “Joy is Coming” singer dismissed the impact of marketers on his success, claiming that it was him who made money for them.
“Marketing company go make you feel like na them Dey help your life, where as na you Dey make money for them, dem go still make you feel like say without them you no go fit make am.
“My brothers and sisters open your eyes and be wise, the day you show to them you know what you’re doing, they turn your enemies and they paint you bad out there,” the singer wrote in Pidgin English.
The post quickly attracted criticism from fans, music marketing professionals, and executives alike, who claimed that he was being ungrateful and disrespectful to the same industry actors who played a big role in his success.
Following the criticisms, Fido softened his attack on marketers, saying he was not trying to discredit the effort of marketing companies.
He, however, rejected the alleged attempt of a marketing company to control him and steal from him.
In another post, the Afrobeats star wrote, “Marketing is very important in the music business, I’m not discrediting the effort of marketing companies, but which one is, marketing company trying to control me like they signed me, steal from me.
“How will a marketer be collecting 70% of all my show money and me the artist get 30% + they don’t want me to see the backend of how my music revenue is generating…Who does that??”
In an Instagram live video session, Fido further claimed that Inner Circle Entertainment received $15,000 from Heatwave Records, a London-based record label, for the promotion of “Mr Lover,” but informed him they received only $5,000.
“Up to today, they can’t provide any evidence of the spreadsheet for my song Mr lover, humans will try to steal from you and want you to be quiet about it,” the singer added in a follow-up post on X.
However, Caleb Oyolola, the Founder of Inner Circle Entertainment, denied the allegations, saying the marketing company properly briefed Fido on how much was spent on the marketing campaign for the “Mr Lover” track in dispute.
He added that the marketing for the track cost at least $15,000, dismissing the artiste’s theft accusations.
“We sent a spread sheet of all the money spent and yet he claims we are lying. F*** you bro, that campaign cost at least $15k+, and the lesson here is simple: if the audience doesn’t vibe with a song, don’t force it (cos we tried doing that). Take the loss, and move on,” the marketing executive wrote on X.
Fido, who insists he did not receive a spreadsheet of the marketing expenses, also alleged that he’s been denied access to the backend of his song, stopping him from knowing the revenue details.
“Me taking 30% was not the problem, the problem is let me see the backend of my music, simple,” he wrote on X. In a separate post, he said, “You were paid for the marketing, then you want to earn more money than the artist, which I had no problem with them earning more than me, in which they did, but not allowing me to see the backend of my music, is what I won’t take.”
Meanwhile, fans and industry observers have urged Fido, who recently signed for top music distributor Empire Africa, through his record label, Oosha Records, to move on.
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