Street-pop artiste Slimcase has raised concerns over the rising cost of music promotion in Nigeria, saying the situation is making it increasingly difficult for emerging artistes to gain recognition.
Speaking during a recent interview on Echo Room, the singer disclosed that $200,000 is no longer sufficient to effectively promote a single song.
He blamed the sharp increase on influencer culture, explaining that dancers and content creators who once approached artistes for songs now charge substantial fees to feature their music in content.
“Back then dancers were begging artistes. Now you have to pay them big money, even content creators. $200,000 is not enough to blow a song now,” he lamented.
According to Slimcase, the costly promotion system has contributed to the dominance of the same group of artistes in the industry for more than two decades, leaving many talented newcomers without adequate exposure.
“That is why you hear the same artist and sound for over 20 years, while many upcoming artists remain unheard,” he said.
The Otunba Lamba crooner urged music executives and other industry stakeholders to reduce the cost of promotion, while calling on music lovers to intentionally support emerging artistes rather than allowing influencers to determine the music they listen to.