Should you disturb your favorite lazy artiste to make new music?

Any artiste who releases two singles in two years is a lazy artiste. You mean to tell me that in your career as a musician, where your entire waking, breathing moments are dedicated to the art, that you can only record and release one single a year?

Nonsense.

Any artiste whose sole job on earth is to make music should be able to release as much music as he can. They should be able to strategize and brand this music, presenting it to fans regularly. Except you are a minimal artiste who operates in genres that are eternally satisfying. Then the wait is part of the art itself.

But as long as you play in the pop market, and have a fanbase built upon upwardly mobile people who are vociferous in music consumption, then you have got to make the music available.

In 2016 Lil Wayne collaborated on 40 songs, Future 45, Young Thug had 58, TY Dolla Sign 63, and Lil Yatchy 65. Meek Mill dropped three projects in 2016, and has one out this year.

Wizkid was rewarded around the continent as the Best Artiste in 2016, but the numbers don’t add up. When you move through all the hype, and power moves, and settle on actual content released, you discover that he is a lazy artiste who has two official singles in two years (Final (Baba Nla) 2015, Daddy Yo (2016). The rest of all he did were a handful of strategic collaborations.

Mr Eazi on the other part was a beast. He released over 5 singles alone. Mr Eazi has appeared on more collaborations than any other buzzing artistes this year. He has made songs with Eugy, IllBliss, Reminisce, Solidstar, Del’B, Rayce, Shatta Wale, DJ Neptune, DJ Spinall, Terry G, Lil Kesh, Phyno, Jeed Rogers, Ko-Jo Cue, Sarkodie, PhizBarz, Sheunakamura and many others recorded. And that’s just the ones that have been released in Nigeria.

He is also recording with Rudimental, Anne-Marie, Giggs, Riton, and others, that are yet to be released. There’s still ‘Skin tight’ remix to be done with Wizkid and many more.

These are contrasting artistes, who are connected via business, but have opposite work rates.

But what role does the fan have to do in this? What can they do when their favourite artiste is lazy, and has refused to drop new music? Do they fold their hands in support of laziness or pester their star for some new material?

That depends. An artiste who connects with his fans would always give snippets of his plans to his fans. He would carry them along with photos of recording, and have cogent reasons for not releasing. Those artistes should be supported and encouraged.

Others who simply turn up forever, and fail to come through with good music should be pestered by fans. Fandom in Nigeria is an emotional connection and it shouldn’t be abused. You need to fulfil your end of the bargain, and drop new music. Your fans are investing in you, you should reward them too.

Until Nigerian artistes get to the point of understanding that it is the music that makes them, and affords them the fandom and other trappings, then content would be king.