8th February, 2013
Afro-pop star, Wizkid, has denied the existence of a feud between him and his mentor, Banky W. He also denied the existence of friction between him and the Empire Mates Entertainment family.
Speaking through his manager, Godwin Tom, Wizkid said people miscontrued his tweets as an outburst and assumed that he was hitting at his Banky W and colleagues in EME. “People are just over-reacting to those tweets. Things are not as bad as being painted. They are simply quoting him out of context,” Tom told PMNEWS Entertainment Café.
There have been rumours that Wizkid was considering leaving EME on account of contractual issues. Banky W, a recent interview with London’s Factory 78, said there was no truth to the rumour.
Beneath the official denials, investigations revealed that there is a rift. On 1 February, Wizkid tweeted: “Moving on to start all over again!…Fuck it!…Don’t take loyalty for stupidity..don’t!” Not many fans thought the artist was just fooling around.
P.M.NEWS Entertainment Café further learnt that Wizkid, who has been in London for more than three weeks now, has taken his destiny in his own hands. Though there is no official statement to the effect that he is no longer under EME/Konvict management, Wizkid recently signed an international management deal with British-Nigerian rapper, Tinie Tempah’s Disturbing London. He entrusted with the firm his global management deal, while leaving the local aspect in the hands of Godwin Tom. To announce that, Wizkid updated his Twitter profile by removing EME/Konvict music from it and added a new profile that reads: “Management: @DisturbingLDN @GodwinTom Worldwide!!”
It is gathered that Wizkid is already putting finishing touches to his sophomore album and shooting the video for one of his songs, Azonto, in London, without input from his label or appearance by any EME member.
It has also been speculated that the singer has concluded plans to launch his own record label, Star Boy Records, as well as release the Azonto video on 15 February–the same day Banky W third album, R&BW, will be launched. It is also on the day that Banky W will also host his Grand Love Concert at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Industry watchers, who are following poorly muted disagreement within the EME family, posit that whatever happens that day will define the future of their relationship. A variety of factors have been adduced as reasons for the dispute.
A source close to the two camps blames it on the percentage of earnings that goes to each of the parties. Wizkid is said to be dissatisfied with what he gets. The young singer remains one of the busiest and highest paid artistes in the last two years. He commands a performance fee ranging from N4million to N6million, even more if it is outside the country. He sometimes performs four to five times a week. Though unconfirmed, EME is said to take 50 percent of his earnings (including from shows and endorsements). His former manager, Osagie Osarenkhoe, used to take 25 percent and the remaining 25 percent for Wizkid, who sought a review of the sharing formula. This, it was gathered, irritated Banky W and Segun Demuren, co-owners of EME.
Real trouble began last September when Wizkid sacked Osagie and replaced her with Tom. This was followed by Wizkid’s movement out of the EME mansion in Magodo, Lagos, where all the artistes stay, to his own new apartment in Lekki.
The tiff got worse as the group started preparations for their Baddest Concert. Wizkid was said to shunned the rehearsals for the show, though this was not obvious during the show. Afterwards, he started choosing which of the group’s event to attend and did so separately. The wedge became conspicuous as the singer was absent from the Lagos Crossover Concert on 31 December, 2012, at Eko Atlantic City. All other EME artistes were present except Wizkid. Banky W told the crowd that Wizkid had malaria. But since then, he has not been seen publicly or performing with the EME family. Rather, he has been spending more of his time in London and only breezes in to honour shows.
Uduak Oduok, United States-based entertainment lawyer and publisher, believes Wizkid/EME saga is not a strange occurrence. She said it is a separation that is inevitable as it relates to music industry globally. “Wizkid was signed when he was a kid. Now, he is evolving into a man and we all know what happens when a boy is making transition into manhood…It is absolutely natural and there is nothing wrong with it,” she said.
—Funsho Arogundade