Afrobeats singer Magixx has painted a stark picture of the financial realities facing Nigerian artistes, declaring that serious earnings remain out of reach without songs that break internationally. The Mavin Records star shared these insights during a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, where he also reflected on the tough circumstances that shaped his rise.
Magixx explained that securing a major label deal does not automatically open the floodgates of wealth. He recalled his own experience after Don Jazzy signed him to Mavin Records.
“Even when you get signed to a big record label as an artist, you first have to drop a song with international appeal before you start making serious money. It took 2–3 months after Don Jazzy signed me before I started earning from music,” he said.
During those early months the pressure mounted quickly. He found himself struggling to cover bills and support his family while outsiders assumed the opposite.
“Before the money started coming, I was struggling with bills and family responsibilities. The worst part is that if I ask people for financial assistance, they would say I am signed to a big label, and money shouldn’t be my problem,” Magixx continued.
He added that he still had to project the image of success by wearing expensive designer clothes even when the cash flow had not yet started.
Performance fees, he noted, rise only with consistent hits. One successful track can bring in between N500,000 and N700,000 per show, while another strong release can push that figure to N1.5 million. Without that international traction, long-term financial stability stays elusive for most Nigerian acts.
The conversation also turned to Magixx’s beginnings in Oke Ira, Ogba, Lagos. He described a childhood marked by extreme hardship that few outsiders fully grasp.
“I grew up in a hood where rats would run around the house like they owned the place. Whenever it rained, snakes would come out of the walls in our rooms, and we would be so happy because they tasted like fish. We would prepare eba, even when we caught a rat. My mum used to sell those sachet alcohol. I used to help people sell herbal concoctions. That was what my background was like,” he shared.