Let’s talk about rapper’s 4-year stay at Chocolate City

Pryse, the female rapper, is out of Chocolate City.

The label recently did confirm and now the rapper has quickly moved on, working hard at linking people to a new record label that she has started. How time flies.

Pryse was signed in 2012, to a different Chocolate City, one which were on the ascendancy after the success of M.I, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz and Brymo.

With the rapid growth of the label and increasing success of artist management, Chocolate City was regarded as a hub of talent exploitation, and manifestation, with every young artiste in the country working hard at being signed by the record label. Who wouldn’t want to be signed to a team that has provided Nigeria with the Choc Boys? The original Choc Boys of Ice Prince, M.I, Jesse Jagz.

At the time, Chocolate City had an all-male cast as its line-up. They lacked a female, and there were calls from certain sections of the public for gender-balance and diversity to be achieved. In Pryse, The label found their lady.

Pryse is a talented Nigerian rapper who was enthusiastic about being signed to Chocolate City. Born and raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Princess Esindu a.k.a Pryse, started rapping in church at the tender age of 10.

Pryse conceived the dream of being a musician early, and she was supported by her family who own and run Frontline TV Studio in Port Harcourt. She went to study media in Nottingham, UK.  While in the UK, she took up songwriting, and co-producing with her older brother.  She and her brother were called All Out Squad, with the rapper being called Baby Pryse.

At that stage her influences were, Jay Z, Drake, Lil Wayne, and M.I. Her adoration of the Jude Abaga was a contributory reason, which led her to work her way to be signed by Chocolate City. It was M.I who discovered her in the UK, rapping her way through, and trying to build a name for herself.

Full of energy and enthusiasm, Pryse, had the opportunity of being featured along-side, M.I on his mixtape 2012 “Illegal Music 2”. After label heads, Audu Maikori, and Paul Okeugo heard her lyrical prowess on the song “No-tis” (a cover of Jay Z and Kanye West’s Otis), they decided to put her get her a deal.

“I was living in the UK then, I followed M. I on twitter.” She told Jaguda in 2013. “I think he read my bio, and I had “dopest female rapper”. He sent me a message giving me his email, saying I should send my work to him. It was at that period when Oleku was hot and people were remixing the song. So I sent my own version of Oleku and links for my other works.”

“I guess he goggled them and sent me a mail, asking what it takes to get me to Chocolate City. Here I was very excited to be getting the attention and he was asking what it takes. I was still in school, so we just kept in touch till I was done and ready to move back.”

She had dreams, and planned to be one of the few females in Nigeria Hip-hop, who would compete at the highest level, and hit the big time.

When asked what it meant to be the first female signed to Chocolate City, Pryse was all smiles and gratitude:  “I thank God I’ve come this far, and I’m just happy its finally happened, and I’m ready to put in the work, so let’s go. I’m ready to be a BOI (Bold Original Innovative).”, the press release from the label read.

In four years since Pryse signed, she released a meagre four official singles, and one video. They include:

Singles

‘Christmas with you’ ft Funbi (December 12, 2012)

‘Eleto’ (April 12, 2013)

‘Kolo remix’ ft Burna Boy, M.I Abaga (August 15, 2013)

‘Ricochet’ (May 3, 2015)

Videos

‘Eleto’ (September 18, 2013)

The singer in between, spent time working on and releasing 10 covers of popular songs, and also scored a few collaborations with label mates, and friends.

Pryse talks about her Chocolate City experience

Pryse went for extended periods without music, but she was very vocal about certain issues. In a 2015 interview with Naij, she explained one of her hiatus away as ‘personal business’.

“I took a break from music to sort out personal issues that didn’t involve the music or the art or anything related to Chocolate City,” she said. “I just had to take a little break. But I’m back and I’m not even started. I’m working on a new project – The Pryse Tag is just music but not necessarily heavy lyricism per se. Just some fun stuff and party sounds. I’m still streamlining the sounds and recording. It should be a great piece of work in the end.”

Life at Chocolate City for Pryse was awesome, as she loves to admit in public.

“Chocolate City is like Formular One racing where every artist has a car and then you run your lap. When you are done you come back and pick up whatever else it is that you need.” She said.

“The label basically hooks you up with whatever you need and you run your lap. So basically it is like everyone just driving his own Ferrari and reaching for the stars. Being in Chocolate City is actually a lot of fun. MI is super funny. Jesse is super entertaining. The ladies are great, my other label mates are superb. Everybody comes through with their own unique skills and we make it a happy family where work also goes on.”

Pryse had plans to release a body of work – an EP titled “Pryse Tag” – at Chocolate City. Prior to her departure, she began work on the promotion, releasing a string of freestyles named Pryseless Freestyles. But the EP never came to be. Her exit was announced by the record label via Twitter.

Pryse has now moved on to create her personal record label, “I.C.O.N Music”, an acronym which stands for International Connection Music Group.

"It should be noted that Chocolate City Music and I ended our contract on a cordial relationship and there is no misunderstanding whatsoever between us.” Pryse said in a press release. “M.I, Audu and Paul started me on this journey and words can't express my gratitude to them. Chocolate City will always be a part of my story. I wish every member of the CC family well in all their future endeavours."

"I am ecstatic to take this next entrepreneurial step with my fans who have been so patient with me. It's really just the beginning, guys. I'm yet to scratch the surface. Please continue to stay with me."