In a recent revelation, Nigerian hip-hop artiste, Phenom, brought to light that Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy secured a staggering $5 million advance payment upon signing with the American record label Atlantic Records back in 2017.
According to Phenom, it was the Nigerian-American music executive, Matthew ‘Baus’ Adesuyan, owner of Bad Habit (an imprint of Atlantic Records), who orchestrated the substantial payment for Burna Boy.
Phenom candidly shared this disclosure during the latest episode of The Yarns podcast. He went on to express that he would readily return to rapping if offered a $1 million advance payment by any record label.
Speaking emphatically, Phenom stated, “If you really want someone like me to rap, give me $1 million. Lock me up in the studio. Those rapping in America, they [music executives] give them big contracts. Even before Burna Boy made a comeback to music, the guy that gave him the connection to Atlantic Records [Matthew ‘Baus’ Adesuyan], they gave him [Burna Boy] $5 million when he was coming back.”
Expanding further, Phenom expressed his belief that upcoming rappers like Odumodublvck might transition from rapping to singing due to the waning profitability of hip-hop.
“If someone like Odumodublvck is given $100,000 advance by his label, he will have to drop rap, start singing and enter TikTok to make it back for the label,” Phenom asserted.
This latest revelation has stirred discussions within the Nigerian music industry, shedding light on the inner workings of major record label dealings and their impact on artists’ creative paths.
“If someone like Odumodublvck is given $100,000 advance by his label, he will have to drop rap, start singing and enter Tiktok to make it back it for the label”
– Penom pic.twitter.com/x8rEyMA7ho
— BASITO (@itzbasito) November 27, 2023
