Chocolate City

Chocolate City is a record label based in Nigeria. Founded by Audu Maikori, a lawyer, in 2005, it is home to rapper MI, Jesse Jagz, Femi Kuti and Ice Prince among others. The company’s started off in 1997 as a nightclub in Northern Nigeria. When it turned out to be highly sought for promotional activities, it launched the record label.

The first act to be signed by the new label was the Gospel-Inspirational singer Jeremiah Gyang, whose debut, it is said, sold about four million copies. Unfortunately, a few years down the line artist and label had a disagreement which led to a departure for the artist.

Although Chocolate City found and managed the careers of Nigerian artists MI, Jesse Jagz, Asa, Ice Prince and Brymo, it has had a number of contractual and/or undisclosed disputes with a number of its artists. Producer and singer Jesse Jagz left the company for reasons unclear to the public and returned in 2015 after many years. Singer Brymo and Chocolate City were embroiled in another controversy, with the label blocking the release of his albums away from their stable. The matter was taken to court and resolved.

Chocolate City has won several awards and Maikori claimed the International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year award as handed out by the British Council in 2007. Chocolate City won Best Record Label of the Year at the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards.
Other acts at the label include DJ Caise, Pryse, Nosa, Dice Ailes and Koker as well as Kenyan singer Victoria Kimani. The group released a compilation album in 2015 titled ‘The Indestructible Choc Boi Nation’.