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I was begging for accommodation when I moved to Lagos – Singer Shallipopi
Nigerian singer Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi, shared the challenging early days of his music career, highlighting the struggles he faced when he initially moved from Benin City to Lagos in pursuit of his musical aspirations.
Shallipopi recounted how many of his friends in Lagos were initially hesitant to accommodate him. Eventually, a group of boys agreed to provide shelter, but only after he deceived them by claiming he would stay for just four days.
The ‘Obapluto‘ crooner revealed that his fortune changed when he secured a gig in Port Harcourt, allowing him to earn some money.
With the earnings, he was able to support those who had accommodated him by contributing to the payment of bills. This experience serves as a testament to the challenges and resourcefulness often encountered by aspiring musicians in the early stages of their careers.
Speaking in the latest episode of the Zero Conditions podcast, Shallipopi said, “Before my song ‘Elon Musk’ blew. I came to Lagos and I was looking for who to stay with.
Then I started contacting some of my acquaintances in Lagos who have been flaunting their flamboyant lifestyle on WhatsApp statuses because some of them had told me before that they like my song, ‘Elon Musk.’ I contacted four people but they all said I couldn’t stay with them.
“I eventually found someone that said I should come stay with them. I deceived them that I was going to stay for just four days.
After I stayed there for four days, I got a show in Port Harcourt just with my song ‘Elon Musk’ which wasn’t gaining much traction then. But the fee was N50,000 and the organisers paid for my flight. The people I was staying with insisted on going with me. It was my first flight.”
In the interview, Shallipopi also shared insights into the financial aspects of the music industry. He emphasized that there is a substantial amount of money to be made in music, asserting that even an up-and-coming artist with just one hit song can earn significantly.
The ‘Elon Musk‘ crooner himself experienced a breakthrough in his career when the song went viral on social media earlier in the year. The popularity of the track led to a remix version featuring popular rapper Zlatan Ibile, further solidifying its status as a street anthem and contributing to Shallipopi’s rise to stardom.