A resurfaced interview clip featuring Nigerian singer Mr Eazi has stirred fresh conversations online about how African artists negotiate value within the global festival circuit, especially as Afrobeats continues to expand its commercial reach.
The clip, originally from his appearance on the 90s Baby Special podcast, was recorded about two years ago but has recently gone viral again, drawing renewed attention to his decision to turn down a performance at Afro Nation in 2019.
In the interview, Mr Eazi reflected on watching the festival grow into one of the most influential platforms for African music and explained that his decision was driven by concerns over long-term value rather than just performance fees.
He said:
“This is like a festival that is like 80% African, People are coming to see African artists. I was like, okay, I want equity. I was ready to perform, and then you give me equity in the brand.”
According to him, his proposal went beyond payment. He also requested access to audience data and performance analytics from the festival information he believed would help artists better understand their reach and independently structure their own tours and shows.
“If I wanted to do a show, I can say ‘hey, Mr Eazi is doing a show,'” he explained.
When those requests were reportedly not accepted, he walked away from the deal.
“They were like, no one is asking for that. And I was like, okay, then it’s gonna be life-changing money, because there’s nobody there that does not know Mr Eazi or doesn’t know my songs,” he added.
Mr Eazi framed the moment as a strategic business decision, pointing to his career momentum at the time, including performances at major global stages such as Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and a major show at The O2 Arena alongside Wizkid.
“That’s why I didn’t play at the show,” he said.
The resurfaced clip has since sparked wider debate among fans and industry watchers, with many discussing how African artists can leverage their growing global demand not just for performance fees, but for ownership, data access, and long-term influence within the entertainment business.
“Afro Nation wanted to book me, but I told them I didn’t want money like Wizkid, Burna Boy or Davido 😭
I asked for equity (shares in the company) and data/analytics on all the artistes performing because I am a businessman… but they refused 😂”
— Mr Eazi pic.twitter.com/CNJjCtFak9
— carter🌚 (@carter6f) May 8, 2026
Watch the full interview below: