Rapper Shallipopi, a rising star from Nigeria’s Amapiano, Afrobeats, and Hip Hop scene, has weighed in on the debate about high booking fees charged by Nigerian artists.
In a recent interview with News Central TV, Shallipopi addressed concerns that Nigerian artists are pricing themselves out of the market. He stated that an artist’s fee should reflect their music’s success and reach.
“It depends on your music and where it has gotten that’s what your price is going to be,” Shallipopi explained. He argued that if Nigerian artists achieve streaming numbers comparable to those of American artists, their booking fees should also align with those of their US counterparts.
“If your music has gotten the same stream as an American artist, you should be charging the way they charge,” he said. “But if your stream is not up to that, you cannot overcharge.” Shallipopi refuted the notion that Nigerian artists are overpricing themselves, asserting that they are simply charging what they believe they deserve based on their success.
With the increasing global popularity of Nigerian music, many Afrobeats stars have seen their booking fees rise significantly. This has made it challenging for Nigerian promoters to afford A-list Nigerian artists, contributing to a growing difficulty in securing their appearances.