Nigerian rapper A-Q launches new label The Cake Bizness

Bani says the company intends to implement a framework that treats signed artists like startups, enabling investors to make early-stage investments in their brand and observe the growth of their contribution alongside the artist’s career.

On the other hand, music professionals have the option to contribute their expertise as sweat equity in exchange for shares, creating a unique incentive structure.

“Every artist in development is a startup and should be treated as such,” Bani said. “Our vision is an ecosystem where everyone shares artistic expression and everyone gets a piece of the cake.”

Formerly signed with Chocolate City Music, Bani, whose most recent projects include God’s Engineering, God’s Engineering 2 and The Live Report with MI Abaga, spearheads various other industry initiatives such as The ConnectHead, a tech product optimising processes from production to distribution. He also serves as the director of Wahoo Music, a fund company specialising in African music content investment and digital asset management, and holds the head of acquisition role at music investment company ByteTunes.

As co-founder of the 100 Crowns label, Bani is credited with playing a pivotal role in advancing Nigerian rapper Blaqbonez’ career. In 2020, he partnered with music distribution platform Africori to establish a talent incubation initiative for emerging artists in sub-Saharan Africa.

Meanwhile, The Cake Bizness has unveiled Nigerian hip hop act Zhus JDO as its first signee. Born John Davidson Omon, the 24-year-old Benin City native’s sound marries everything from hip hop, dancehall to Afrobeats and other music genres and is behind records like ‘Hush’, ‘Para’ and most recently, ‘Johnbull’.