Nigeria: Olamide, Akon's Brother Tried to Sign Me but I Declined - Mr Eazi

4 December 2023
Vanguard (Lagos)

Nigerian singer and entrepreneur Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade, aka Mr Eazi, has revealed he declined recording deals offered to him by Nigerian rapper and CEO of YBNL Nation, Olamide, and ace American singer Akon's younger brother, Abou "Bu" Thiam, the executive vice president of Columbia Records.

Mr Eazi said the duo had approached him separately to ask him to join their record labels in the early days of his music career but he declined as he hadn't figured out what he was doing and wanted his freedom.

The singer made this known in the latest episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence Podcast hosted by Joey Akan.

He said, "I remember going for 'Ghana Meets Naija in Ghana. And that was where I met Olamide. He tried to sign me to his record label. He offered me a deal. Somebody else had also tried to sign me. Bu [Abou Thiam], Akon's brother was the first person who tried to sign me.

"I declined because then I haven't even figured out what I was doing. It was too early to sign. So, I didn't sign to Bu.

"When Olamide gave me a deal, I knew that I hadn't totally understood the business or what I was even doing so I declined. Everything was just happening so fast. One thing I knew was that I wanted my freedom."

Read the original article on Vanguard.

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