April 2018

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Freestyle
Art and Music
Osa Seven is a Graffiti Artist, Graphics
Designer and Brand Developer.
The artist, whose full name is Osa
Okunkpolor, was compared to Banksy –
the renowned anonymous British graffiti
artist regarded as one of the world’s
greatest street artists – by CNN Africa. In
this interview, he spoke about his art and
it’s association to music.
- By Osa Seven
To me, art means freedom. It is an expression of my thoughts,
desires, and emotions. I started Graffiti, despite its
unpopularity, because I had an urge to be different, and also
to impact and inspire people.
The journey has not been without a few challenges. The acceptance
of graffiti as a form of expression and art and also availability of
art supplies have been the major challenges that I have been faced
with.
I’ve done more than street art, as I created the album art for
WizKid’s award-winning Superstar album as well as the set design
for the 2010 video by Sound Sultan ft. MI Abaga. This was possible
because I believe art and music are both forms of self-expression,
just in different mediums; Visuals and Sound. I think they’re both
very similar, as they produce and promote messages that tell a
story and resonate with people.
In the music industry, there are actually a lot of opportunities for
artists. An artist can serve in set design, merchandising, make up
for videos, visual branding among many others. Being an artist is
more than the technical hard skill, it is more in the mind before
the skill. The creativity of an artist can be used to accomplish
innovation in the music industry.
To get started, know your strength in the area you want to go into.
Learn and improve daily. Beyond the art, there is a place for
understanding the brand and business side, or getting someone
who can manage those aspects for you. It is not enough to
just be interested in the industry. To succeed in any industry,
including music, talent is not enough. You need focus, passion and
persistence.
The future is here already! I have had live performances with
several artistes. While they were singing, rapping or playing an
instrument, I was on stage creating live art. As the industry grows,
the opportunity for merchandising and experiential engagements
will be there to explore further.
There is so much more to look forward to.
One of the first steps to take is getting a product. So, you
need to find a way to make the music. You could either
build a relationship with a studio/producer that believes
in you and is ready to work with you or source for funding from
family and friends to get the product out. Become adept at
marketing your music on social media. The most important thing
is to START. If you’re having a hard time getting a deal, your other
option is to go on your own and build.
Understand that growing a fan base is germane to your success.
No fan base/following, no money. Period. While it is important to
have mentors to guide and fast track your success, mentorship
is still overrated. Always remember that the fan is king, so taking
them for granted is not an option.
Covers are a great way to start your music journey and build
some following because you have to break through the melee
and be heard, which is a massive challenge (unless you have a lot
of money). They also help you hone your music skills, so if you
like a song, COVER IT! Then, get a manager who believes your
music is the best thing since DMs.
But if you’re more interested in starting up your own label,
instead of creating music, it’s important you build a team of
people which will include: A&R, Lawyer, Social Media Manager,
Graphics Guy and Accountant. The good thing is these guys do
not have to work for the company full time, because one of the
challenges you can face when starting out is funding. You also
need adequate knowledge of how labels work. While there are
no certifications required in order to have a record label or be
in the music business, you need to have a heart for the music
and study about the business and industry extensively to have a
successful label.
However, being a music artiste is not the only way to earn in this
industry. You could be a Songwriter, publisher, music pluggers
for radio and TV, music journalist, professional studio manager,
venue manager, business manager or accountant, booking agent,
tour manager, vocal coach, publicist, social media manager, etc.
Regardless of what line you choose, family is the first line of
support, both financial and moral, for any budding entrepreneur
and it’s no different for an artiste. However, you must resist the
urge to bring in family members to play critical roles on your
team. Your career will rise and fall on the calibre of talent on your
team. You should only hire family or friends if they are the most
qualified people that you know for the job. Nine times out of
ten, they are not. They may sometimes tell you what you want to
hear, so flee from yes men and sycophants; make it easy for the
people around you to be brutally honest with you. Be wise; don’t
abort your career before it’s even birthed.
START UP
Music 101
If you could receive a 5 minute quickie on how best to start in the music industry, what
would it be? Well, here’s an example. Obinna Agwu shares some insight on how best new
game players (artistes, producers, entrepreneurs, etc.) can get started in the industry.
- By Obinna Agwu
“
Covers are a great way to start
your music journey and build
some following because you
have to break through the
melee and be heard.
Music 101
“
18 19
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