Nigerian singer turned politician, Banky W has revealed that his former protégé, Wizkid, owed his record label, Empire Mates Entertainment (EME), three albums before exiting their music deal.
Banky W Speaks On His Relationship With Wizkid
The music executive spoke this during a recent chat on the BlackBox with media personality, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, alongside his wife, Adesua Etomi.
Wizkid signed a record deal with EME in 2009, releasing ‘Superstar’ and ‘Ayo’, his first and second studio albums respectively. The singer would exit Banky W’s label and release his third album after inking a deal with RCA Records in 2017.
Speaking about Wizkid’s exit, Banky W said the singer left without fulfilling the terms of his contract as he had only released two of the five solo albums stipulated in his contract.
He said, “There’s no need for us to try and tie him down. It was a five-album deal in the beginning and he had done two solo albums. He still owed three, but he wanted to leave. I don’t want anyone to stay when they don’t want to.
When Ebuka asked Banky W if he had tried to convince Wizkid to stay, he replied, “No, because It will only create resentment. I didn’t try to talk him out of leaving because I could tell that he was ready to do other things.”
“For me, I just felt like some things are just meant to happen for a season, and that was the season we were meant to work together.
“One thing that has been mostly true in my life and EME with Tunde and Segun is that most of the people who work with us when they eventually leave, they’re better than where they were when we found them.
“I think, for me, that’s enough of a testimony to say I did what I could and I couldn’t be happier that they’re out doing better things. I don’t believe in burning bridges. We had an agreement on how to release him.”
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Banky also addressed Wizkid’s absence at his wedding to Adesua, noting that while he was disappointed, he knows the singer tried his best.
He said, “Was I disappointed that he wasn’t at the wedding? I was but I know he tried because there was a show with a lot of the artists…I think it was One Africa; they were in Dubai. But he called at the time that he was so sorry.”
Banky W also noted that top female singer, Tiwa Savage, had to fly economy to make it to the wedding as there were no seats.
“As a matter of fact, there was no seat in business class, and she took an economy seat because there were no seats so she could make it,” he said.
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KanyiDaily recalls that in 2020, Wizkid thanked Banky W for changing his life and showed his support for EME records, even though he has since floated his record label, Starboy Entertainment.
