- Calls International Record Labels Hustlers
Vanessa Obioha
The eccentric and hyper music artiste Terry G who dominated the music scene in the 2000s recently signed an investment deal with Basic Entertainment. Details of the business partnership were not divulged but what is certain is that the agreement will see the artiste back in action. During the three-year period, the record label which launched last year with two artistes Skul Feez and Elgo Veen will enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with the artiste and his management company, O3 Media.
“Terry G is a good friend and a brother also,” says the CEO of the record label, Ogbuefi Udochukwu popularly known as Fire. “Basic Entertainment is relatively new in the entertainment scene but bringing Terry G to our label through this investment deal is going to be beneficial to both parties. Terry is already a brand. What we hope to do with him is to rebrand him because the kind of music he is into is what is trending right now. We are very proud as a company to sign this business partnership with the music artiste.”
The investment partnership was conceived by Alex Ozone, the founder of O3 Media. He considered it a relationship that will help boost the image of the record label while also showcasing Terry G as the street master that he has always been.
For Terry, the deal is a welcoming idea.
“We are here for posterity. We cannot achieve anything without a team. We have someone that is supporting us genuinely and we are happy to work together to bring this into fruition.”
Terry G stormed the music scene with his street madness, fetching him a fame he didn’t quite enjoy because of the controversies surrounding his lifestyle. In a 2018 interview with THISDAY, the artiste revealed that he deliberately chose the crazy lifestyle that saw him change his looks and sing gibberish songs. He calls it nonsense that makes sense. Yet, he was not loved by moralists who labelled him a bad example for the youths.
However, the same thing he was criticized for is being praised by many in society today. The hypocrisy is nauseating to the Benue state indigene.
“I started this crazy thing that was highly discriminated against. I sang it back then that this is nonsense that will make sense. Nobody knew my aim but I wanted to start something that will change the entertainment scene. What is happening now is what I have been mostly criticised for in the past.”
He added that he is the Jesus of Nigerian music.
“I’m just the reason for what is happening right now. I’m the Jesus of the Nigerian music. I’m not Christ. Christ is a saviour, Jesus is the name. Jesus is the popular name that sacrificed for all of us. It took me a while to take this risk that a lot of people criticize me for and now the same things are promoted but no one is talking.”
He regards himself as a pacesetter. “When people see a crazy artiste, they will easily compare him to me.”
When asked if he sees versions of himself in Naira Marley who is currently seen in the same light as him, he stated that all he sees is both of them collaborating to make a world record.
Unlike other artistes who have signed deals with international record labels to gain recognition and boost their music career, Terry born Gabriel Oche Amanyi sees the labels as hustlers and not big giants.
“They are not big giants. They are hustlers. I denied Sony Music. It doesn’t pay. We are international. As long as you are a celebrated artiste performing outside Nigeria, you are an international artiste.”
With this new agreement, Terry is confident that his fans are salivating for his music and he is keen on making it worthwhile.
