A lot of people don’t know how my journey into artist management really started as CEO of Achievas Entertainment.
Before music management, as far back as the late 90’s, I was already managing dancers across Lagos nightlife, from Wazobia in Apapa, to Terry’s Bar in Surulere to the Colusium in Ikeja and also Lords night club in Maryland several other hotspots. I organized movement, bookings, payments, and made sure everybody got their share after every performance. That hustle taught me early lessons about people, talent, and entertainment business.
Around 2004 myself and my fellow directors, mostly my brothers, started pushing upcoming artists seriously. The first artist we tried signing was an artist named F9. I honestly believed the name wouldn’t scale commercially and advised him to rebrand to “Famous” or something more marketable. But he stood his ground. We argued several times and eventually never signed him because he wasn’t willing to adapt.
Then came the turning point.
While planning an event in Apapa with my friend G daddy Mack where comedian Dauda was supposed to headline, I went to Ajegunle to pick up speakers from the legendary DJ ADC. While there, I heard a song blasting from the speakers.
Immediately I asked:
“Whose song is this?”
I loved the voice. I loved the flow. The energy was different.
They pointed at a young guy standing nearby and said:
“That’s him right there.”
That young man was @Solidstarisoko
Right there on the spot, I told him:
“Hop into my car.”
I drove him straight to Little Johnny’s studio and told Little Johnny,
“This is my boy. I just met him and I want to push him.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
And trust me… this is only the beginning of the story.
I’ll still share how the journey with Solidstar really unfolded, the struggles, the breakthrough moments, and how we created the very first hit together.