EME’ (Empire Mates Entertainment) one of the great record label in Nigeria has shut its business. It actually closed down last year but the official announcement was made this year. EME has worked with Wizkid, Skales, DJ Xclusive, Masterkraft,
Suka Sounds.
However,the EME brand will remain, the company has announced by Banky will now be a ‘full fledged media agency’ focusing on Creative Marketing, Advertising, PR, Brand Events/Activations and talent management. Their client presently include DJ Xclusive, Ebuka, Toolz, Banky himself and his wife Adesua and few corporate brands.
Essentially we have
restructured our business.. and instead of
operating just as a record label, we have
expanded and changed our focus a bit… we
are now a full fledged Media Agency that
focuses on Creative Marketing, Advertising,
PR, Brand Events/Activations AND a talent managenent firm.
He said.
Banky W who founded the record label in 2002,is suffering from skin cancer hence making it hard for him to run the label.
Banky W’s record label Empire Mates Entertainment EME has been functioning less since the exit of Wizkid and Skales.
On February 20, 2013, InformationNigeria.com reported that Wizkid was at war with E.M.E due to matters that pertain to contract negotiations.
According to the website’s source, Wizkid was getting 25 percent from every show while
Banky W and Segun Demuren were getting 50 percent. Osagie, Wizkid’s former manager, was getting the remaining 25
percent. After firing Osagie and hiring Godwin Tom, Wizkid wanted a 50-50 share
with Banky W. The source revealed that Banky W refused to accept Wizkid’s proposal.
Moreover, it was reported that Banky W wanted to find a manager for Wizkid who
would accept 25 percent. It was also alleged that things started getting sour as a result of
both parties disagreement. Furthermore, it was reported that Wizkid was doing three shows weekly and bringing in close to 24
million naira monthly.
Allegations about Wizkid’s departure from EME kept getting coverage mainly because
he (Wizkid) wasn’t invited to Banky W’s album launch party and wasn’t featured on the
R&BW album.
During the aforementioned interview with Toolz, Banky brok his silence on the subject, stating:
“ I preference the answer to
that by saying that when you
don’t give people bad news,
they create it. As we grow,
with growth and success,
goals become bigger. He
wants to start his own label.
It was not nearly as bitter or
as violent as people made it
out to seem. It was just
funny to me because it’s just
ironic how bitter people can
be and how much people are
really hungry for slander and
bad news. He is still on the
label. We are in full support
whether its StarBoy or what
we are doing with Disturbing
London. We are actually all
working together to make
sure that this goes smoothly.
People were just really bitter
and looking for fights. ”
— Banky
E.M.E was nominated for Best Record Label of the Year at the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards.
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