Quote: “Collaboration is the new currency.”

The Afropolitan Podcast highlights Afropolitans who embrace the unknown and walk with purpose. Through this podcast, we aim to empower Africans in the Diaspora to maximize their potential and contribute to the development of a vibrant and progressive black community.

In this episode, we speak with Bizzle Osikoya, Founder and Principal Consultant at The Plug. Bizzle is a music executive, entrepreneur, and social media influencer who has made significant contributions to the Nigerian music industry.

Bizzle got his start in the industry by creating MySpace pages for artists and has since become a renowned culture middleman. Along with Asa Asika, he founded The Plug Entertainment, which has grown to become a leading booking agency and consultant for international culture-affiliated companies.

Listen as Bizzle shares his insights on the inner workings of the music business in Africa and the future of A&R for African artists. He also emphasizes the importance of telling the African story accurately and positively.

Show Notes:

2:24 Bizzle's background and transition from Lagos to London

7:21 Bizzle's mindset on information sharing

13:19 Bizzle's insights on being a successful A&R

16:33 Bizzle's belief that collaboration is better than competition

20:21 How Bizzle met and worked with Asa Asika

25:02 Challenges Bizzle faces with managing artists

25:49 Contract dynamics between the artist and manager, according to Bizzle

27:00 The story behind starting The Plug

31:13 Bizzle's thoughts on reinvention and evolution in the music industry

35:11 Impact of Covid-19 on the music industry and lessons learnt, from Bizzle's perspective

39:58 Bizzle's ultimate vision for The Plug and the entertainment industry

43:19 New artists to look out for, according to Bizzle

The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan. Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Connect with Afropolitan:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan

Website - https://www.afropolitan.io