How We Did It Back In The Day — 9ice On Nigerian Music Industry

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Nigerian singer and songwriter, Alexander Adegbola Akande, popularly known as 9ice, has shared his experience of starting his music career and how he was able to make money despite facing challenges. The veteran musician disclosed this in the latest episode of the Chart with Sims podcast.

According to 9ice, he was famous but broke when he began his music career, and things were not easy as social media was not available to promote songs. He revealed that during that time, they had to rely heavily on Alaba International Market to sell their music.

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He advised upcoming artists to focus on making money instead of just becoming popular. “Don’t become popular, make money,” he said. “The money didn’t just come in, I had to do the right thing.”

The singer went on to explain that he had to market his brand by doing print interviews in newspapers and magazines and putting his face out there. He emphasized the importance of promoting one’s brand and making oneself known to potential fans, stating that the money aspect would come later.

9ice also shared some of the challenges he faced when he started his music career, highlighting the absence of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. He noted that to promote a song in a particular location, artists had to physically go there and do radio interviews and interact with people.

He further advised upcoming artists to work hard, be disciplined, and persevere, saying that success in the music industry takes time and effort.

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9ice is known for his unique blend of traditional and modern Yoruba music and has released several hit songs such as “Gongo Aso,” “Street Credibility,” and “Living Things.” He has won numerous awards, including the MOBO Award for Best African Act in 2008.