Nigerian music executive and Mavin Records founder, Don Jazzy, has used social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the rapid global ascent of Afrobeats, while emphasizing its status as a relatively young genre that is still finding its footing.
According to The Nation, he pointed to the escalating costs of producing Afrobeats music videos as evidence of the genre’s rapid evolution. Jazzy noted that the production costs of music videos have skyrocketed, from being deemed excessive at 20 million Naira six years ago to some producers now spending over $100,000.
The music executive expressed his eagerness to learn from industry leaders, citing Burna Boy’s international performances and Dangote’s expertise in building a refinery in Lagos as valuable sources of knowledge. Don Jazzy wrote, “This our beloved Afrobeats is still a baby genre in the grand scheme of things. We are all still learning everyday as the game is ever changing. If you told me just 6 years ago that an afrobeats video could cost over 20m Naira I would say ahh that’s way too much o. But behold some of us have shot videos over 100k dollars.
“If Burna tells me what it takes to do multiple international stadium shows, I will take notes cos I never run am before. If Dangote tells me what it cost to build a refinery in Lagos I will learn from him. “That said, my people if I tell you how to run a successful record label in Nigeria, I will advise you take notes even if na small note cos we no plenty wey don run am. I don talk too much. If you care to watch more than blog snippets you can watch this one for context and educational purposes only. I hail o”.
