King of Men ya ukpo nibun viọ ihuan Africa rrie avbe ọgua vbe Europe — vbene artist vbe stage, vbene ọmwa nọ ru emwamwa asọn na, kevbe vbene okpia nọ hannọ vbene ọgua na khian ye hẹ ẹghẹ ne ukpa ghi wu. Ma gu ẹre guan kaẹn packaging, risk, kevbe ehe ne ihuan ọghẹe ke rre.
Deghẹ u gu King of Men guan, ẹghẹ ọkpa rrọọ ne ẹmwẹ na ghi rrie ehe ọvbehe, u i rẹn. U nọ ẹre kaẹn iwinna ọkpa — event organisation, artist promotion, decoration — ọ ghi wanniẹn kaẹn feeling. Ọ i re invoice. Feeling nọ rre ọgua na vbe ẹgogo 11 vbe asọn, ẹghẹ ne ugie na ya maan.
“Show i re ẹmwẹ artist kẹkan,” ọ khare. “Packaging ẹre ọ khin.”
Ẹmwẹ ọni khua ne ẹre gbe. Packaging i re flyer. Ọ re emwi hia nọ rrọọ vbe odaro kevbe vbe iyeke minutes enẹ ne artist ya so ihuan: ọmwa nọ ta ẹmwẹ asọn na kevbe vbene ọ ya tae gbe hẹ, vbene poster na ye hẹ, avbe promoter ọvbehe ne a nọ ne iran ru iyobọ ya ta ẹmwẹ ugie na, vbene a ya mwamwa ọgua na hẹ, ọmwa nọ mu microphone ẹghẹ ne set ọkpa fo, kevbe — ọ ghi guan kaẹn ọna vbe ẹghẹ nibun — ukpọn ne host na yọ.
“Ọ khẹke ne outfit ruẹ gha re classic,” ọ khare. “Deghẹ u hoo ne ẹbu emwa dee, yọ emwi nọ fit uwẹ, emwi nọ ye model. U sẹtin ru ẹre glistening, u sẹtin ru ẹre elegant, vbene u roro. Classic ẹre ọ khin.”
Okpia ne iwinna ọghẹe re events: ọna i re ẹmwẹ ne ọ ya ma egbe. Ọ re vbene ọ rẹn ẹre vbe iwinna: vbọzẹe emwa ya dee, kevbe vbọzẹe iran ya dia. Business ne ọ guan kaẹn, emwi ne ọ khiẹn i re show, asọn ẹre ọ khin. Kevbe asọn ọkpa, ọ sẹtin ru ekpataki, ra ọ i ru ekpataki.
Ọgua na ẹre emwi ne a khiẹn
Solomon Abiodun — emwa nibun ni rẹn ẹre tie ẹre Johnny, vbe poster ọ re King of Men — rre Munich, kevbe Nigeria ẹre a biẹ ẹre. A gbẹn eni company ọghẹe, Klassikolmusik Entertainment, vbe Germany kevbe vbe Nigeria. Vbe ẹghẹ nibun, ọ ru iwinna ne emwa ni ru ugie: venue, club, community, kevbe emwa ni ru ugie ọghe ẹgbẹe. Ọ book artist, ọ mwamwa ọgua na, ọ ru emwamwa program, ọ ghi ru promotion. Vbe odẹ uhi, ọmwa nọ ru ugie na ẹre ọ re organiser. Vbe ẹghẹ eso, ọ ru ugie ọghẹe. Vbe ẹghẹ ọni, ẹre ọre organiser, ọ ghi ru emwi hia nọ khẹke, ke ebe ya sẹ insurance. Ọ ru show. Ọ ru booking. Ọ ru promotion. Kevbe, emwi ne u i ya roro wẹẹ musician gha ru: ọ mwamwa avbe ọgua.
Nọ ẹre emwi ne asọn ọkpa hoo, ọ ghi ta ẹre ne uwẹ vbe ẹghẹ ọkpa, vbene ọ gha tie ẹre vbe load-in sheet:
“Decoration. Ukpa. Sound nọ maan. DJ nọ maan. Hype man nọ maan. MC ni maan. Kevbe comedian — iran sẹtin ya emwa hinmwi, ta ẹmwẹ nọ kpọlọ sẹ ẹmwata vbe ekherhe, ya ọgua na gbe.”
Comedian na ẹre ọ ma ima emwi. Promoter nọ roro kaẹn headliner kẹkan i gha budget ne comedian. Promoter nọ roro kaẹn minutes 90 vbe odaro headliner, ọ gha ru ẹre. Ọ rẹn ẹre gbe, vbene emwa nibun i rẹn ẹre: vbe ẹghẹ ne emwi rhọkpa i sunu vbe asọn, ẹre asọn na ya fuẹn.
“Deghẹ u i ru ọna — deghẹ u i ya iran ghọghọ, ne iran ta vbe ẹko wẹẹ ah, show ọre ọna — u i ru show. Emwa ghi rrie owa. Emwi rhọkpa i sunu vbe ehe na. Ọna ẹre ọ zẹ, show ọre show. Ọ khẹke ne u ru ẹre show. Ọ suẹn vbe vbene u ya yọ ukpọn hẹ. Ọ suẹn vbe vbene u ya gu emwa guan hẹ vbe ẹghẹ ọni. Gie iran drama. Shake it up.”
Vbene ọ ya roro hẹ, emwa ni ru iwinna hotel ra theatre gha rẹn ọna. Festival producer nọ maan gha guan vbe ọna; independent artist nibun i guan vbe ọna. Artist nibun khiẹn ihuan. Ọ khiẹn asọn ne ihuan na ya sunu.
Ehe ne igho rre vbe ẹmwata
Emwi nọ ghi maan ẹre: ọ ta vbe ẹmwata vbene igho ya rrọọ vbe iwinna na hẹ — emwi ne a i miẹn vbe live music vbene ọ khẹke.
Deghẹ ugie na re ọghẹe, vbene ọ ya tae hẹ, ọ i lọghọ, ọ i re okha. Ọ viọ artist rre. Ọ mwamwa show na. Ọ ha igho ne artist na. Ọ ru publicity. Emwa ha igho ne iran ya dee bẹghe artist ne ọ viọ rre. Vbe igho ọni, ọ ghi ha emwi hia ne ọ khẹke ne ọ ha.
“I ha igho ne artist na,” ọ khare. “Deghẹ I ma he ha ẹre hia, deghẹ balance ọghẹe rre obọ mwẹ, I ghi mu ẹre vbe igho ne ọ dee vbe okieke party na, I ghi ha ẹre hia fo. Ẹre I ghi miẹn gain mwẹ.”
Kevbe bar. Ọ guan kaẹn bar vbene ọmwa nọ le evbare ya guan kaẹn umwẹn — emwi nọ ya evbare na hia maan, vbe u i rẹn.
“Deghẹ emwa vbe ọgua na ghọghọ, iran dẹ drinks nibun. U i rẹn. U miẹn igho vbe drinks na.”
Ọna mu vbene ọgua ya ma hẹ kevbe igho kugbe, vbene promoter nibun i ta ẹre rhọkpa. Ukpa, decoration, hype man, comedian — vbe budget, iran i re decoration kẹkan. Iran ẹre ọ ya emwa gha mudia vbe bar, ne iran i ya rrie ehe ne a mu coat ye vbe ẹgogo 11:30. Ha igho ne ọgua na, ọgua na ghi ha igho ne uwẹ.
Ẹre ọ ghi ta emwi nọ ya u rẹn ọmwa nọ ghi ru ugie vbe ẹmwata, kevbe ọmwa nọ roro ẹre kẹkan.
“Ẹghẹ eso, u lose. Ẹghẹ eso, u gain. Ọ re emwi ọkpa ne ọ khẹke ne u mwamwa egbe ye. Ọ khẹke ne u gha khẹ disappointment.”
Ọ i ta ẹre vbe ọmwa nọ gha viẹ. Ọ ta ẹre vbene u ya ta emwi ne u ghi ha igho ẹre hẹ, vbe ẹghẹ nọ sẹ ọkpa, ne u ghi yayi ẹre.
“Ma miẹn egbe ima vbe choir”
Ihuan ẹre ọ rre okaro, kevbe owa ẹre ọ ke rre.
“Emwa nibun vbe ẹgbẹe mwẹ re musician,” ọ khare. “Ikpia kevbe ikhuo. Iran hia rẹn ihuan. Ma blessed vberriọ. Nibun vbe ima ma rẹn ihuan na vbe ehe rhọkpa. Ma miẹn egbe ima vbe choir, vbe esọsi. Ma so ihuan ne Osanobua. Ọni ẹre ihuan ne ma ru ẹrẹ.”
Ọ khẹke ne ma mu ẹmwẹ ọni roro vbe ekherhe, rhunmwuda ọ ma ima emwi nibun kaẹn vbene ọ ya ru iwinna hẹ. Ọ ma ke label system, conservatory, ra management rre. Ehe ọ ke rre, ihuan re emwi ne emwa hia ru kugbe — ọ i re ne u mudia vbe odaro ọtu na, ne u ya mu ọtu na kugbe ẹre ọ khin. Ehe ọmwa rhọkpa i mwẹ solo career, ne emwa hia so ihuan.
Vbene ọ ya roro hẹ ọni rre iwinna ọghẹe hia nia. Band ọghẹe i re emwa ọkpa ẹghẹ hia; musician ughughan ẹre ọ dee, vbene asọn na kevbe booking na ye hẹ. Avbe artist ọvbehe so eni ọghẹe vbe ihuan ọghe iran — ọ ta ẹre vbe ọ i re emwi nọ khua — iran ru ẹre ne iran ya ta ruẹse. “Iran so mwẹ vbe ihuan ọghe iran, ne iran ya ta ruẹse kaẹn emwi ne I ru ne iran.”
Vbe eni ọghẹe, ihuan eso rrọọ; ọkpa vbe iran ẹre “King of Men Salute,” ne ọ gu features kevbe producer ọkpa record, ne ọ rhie ladian vbe okieke ukpo 2023. Ọ ta vbe ẹmwata wẹẹ ọ i record vbe ẹghẹ nia. Ẹtin ọghẹe rre band, avbe live show, kevbe avbe artist ne ọ gha viọ rre.
“Ihuan re abọ ọkpa vbe egbe mwẹ,” ọ khare. “Abọ ọkpa vbe ẹgbẹe mwẹ.”
Abọ eva ọghe ẹzẹ
Vbe business, emwi nọ maan sẹ vbe King of Men i re iwinna ọkpa. Avbe ẹvbo ne ọ rrọọ ẹre ọ khin.
“I i ru ẹre vbe Nigeria kẹkan, ehe ne a biẹ mwẹ,” ọ khare. “I ru ẹre vbe ehe ne I rrọọ nia, vbe Germany. Kevbe sẹ ọni, vbe Europe hia. I rrie ẹvbo nibun. Paris. Italy — Naples.”
Abọ ọna ẹre ọ lọghọ ne ọmwa ọvbehe ru. Emwa nibun vbe Munich sẹtin book ugie. Emwa nibun vbe Lagos ra Ẹdo (Benin City) sẹtin miẹn emwa ni rẹn ihuan. Sokpan emwa kherhe ẹre ọ rre abọ eva vbe ẹghẹ ọkpa: company ne a gbẹn eni ẹre vbe Germany, emwa ne ọ rẹn vbe ẹmwata vbe Nigeria, kevbe ọ rẹn iwinna na sẹ, ne ọ ya rẹn emwi ne artist hoo vbe ẹmwata, ẹghẹ nọ sẹ ẹvbo ne emwa ma he rẹn aro ọghẹe.
Ẹmwẹ ne ọ tama avbe artist ke ọni rre.
“Ọ sẹtin gha wẹẹ emwa i rẹn uwẹ, wẹẹ u ru ọna,” ọ khare. “Ẹghẹ ne u hoo ne emwa hia rẹn uwẹ, ne u gha re popular — ẹre u ghi rhie talent ruẹ ladian. Rhie emwi ne u mwẹ ma iran.”
Ọni ẹre ọ zẹ, ọ viọ iran rre. Vbe ugie ọghẹe, ọ mwamwa show na, ọ ha igho iran, ọ ru publicity, ọ khiẹn ticket, ọ ghi mu risk na ye egbe ọghẹe. Deghẹ venue ra host ẹre ọ ru ugie na, ọ rhie emwi ọkpa na ne iran: artist, ọgua, publicity. Vbe odẹ eva na, artist na miẹn stage, ẹbu emwa, kevbe ọgua ne a mwamwa ne ẹre, ne ọ ya ye vbene ọgua na re ọghẹe. Ne artist nọ rrie Europe vbe ẹghẹ nokaro, ọna i re emwi nekherhe. Ọ kherhe ne ọ re emwi hia.
Ọ ghi ta vbe ẹmwata wẹẹ ọ re business ne ugie nibun vbe ukpo nibun ẹre ọ ya maan; ọ i re jackpot. Asọn eso gha mu asọn ne a ma miẹn igho vbe ẹre. U gha rrie odaro, rhunmwuda ugie nọ ghi lele sẹtin re ọni nọ khian ya iwinna ọmwa ọkpa rrie odaro.
Ọdiọn vbe ọgua na
Ọ i guan kaẹn competition. Vbe ihuan ne flex ẹre ọ khin, a i gha miẹn ọna; ẹre u ya bẹghe ẹre vbe ẹghẹ ọkpa.
Emwi rhọkpa vbe ẹmwẹ ọghẹe i gbe ọmwa ọvbehe. Rival promoter i rrọọ, scene politics i rrọọ, ọ i complain kaẹn ọmwa ne a book vbe ehe ọghẹe. Emwi nọ rrọọ ẹre ọna: ọ roro wẹẹ deghẹ emwa ọvbehe ru esi, ọ i mu emwi rhọkpa hin ọghẹe — wẹẹ deghẹ u viọ ọmwa rre ne ọ ru esi, iwinna ruẹ ghi fo; ọ i re ẹghẹ nọ gberra uwẹ.
Ọ ye vbene ẹmwẹ ẹghẹ nẹdẹ, kevbe ọ sẹtin gha re ẹmwẹ esọsi: ọtu na rre odaro soloist. Ọ ghi re business nọ maan. Avbe artist ne ọ viọ rre ẹre iran gha tama artist nọ ghi lele kaẹn ẹre. Vbe business ne iwinna ọghẹe nibun re ẹko ne a mu ye egbe kevbe phone call, ọni kẹkan ẹre marketing nọ gha khua sayọ ẹghẹ hia.
Ẹghẹ ne ẹmwẹ na kherhe fo, ọ ghi mu ẹmwẹ ọghẹe fo, ọ gha maa ọnmwẹ, rhunmwuda ọ rẹn wẹẹ ọ sẹtin gha guan khian.
“Ma i sẹtin ta ẹmwẹ hia,” ọ khare. “Deghẹ ma ta ẹmwẹ hia, ma gha rre ehe na ẹghẹ hia.”
Ọna ẹre ọ khẹke vbe ẹmwata ne okpia ne iwinna ọghẹe hia re ne ọ rẹn ẹghẹ ne emwa vbe ọgua na miẹn nọ sẹ ẹre — kevbe ẹghẹ ne ọ khẹke ne a rhu ukpa.
Solomon Abiodun ẹre ọ re King of Men: artist nọ ke Nigeria rre, nọ rre Munich. Ọ ya Klassikolmusik Entertainment gu band ne musician ughughan rre ru show, ọ mwamwa ugie ihuan Africa ne venue kevbe host vbe Europe hia, ọ ru ugie eso ọghẹe, kevbe ọ viọ artist ni ke Africa rre gha dee stage vbe Europe.