Ah, the elusive music executive, a rare breed of slick-suited, deal-making maestros, strutting around with an air of self-importance that could rival Mozart's ego. With their perfectly coiffed hair, flashy watches, and gold-plated record contracts, they're the masters of the music industry's chessboard, moving their pawns of Afro-pop royalty and knights of street hopsters. They speak in a language all their own, a symphony of jargon and buzzwords, peppered with cliché generalizations that could fill an entire album of cringe-worthy lyrics. They're like the DJs of the corporate world, spinning records of cheesy platitudes and empty promises, all while wearing sunglasses indoors and pretending to be 'in tune' with the latest trends.
They're the ultimate mixologists, blending together a concoction of buzzworthy marketing strategies, opportunistic brand partnerships, and soulless focus groups to create the perfect 'hit' formula. With their finger on the pulse of what's 'hot' and 'happening,' they're always chasing the elusive 'next big thing,' but when it comes to genuine artistic integrity, they're tone-deaf. Despite their sleazy charm and smooth-talking ways, their taste in music often feels as outdated as a scratched vinyl record, recycling the same tired clichés and genre stereotypes like a broken jukebox. They're the kings and queens of the music business jungle, swinging from deal to deal, always hungry for the next big payday, while the true artists are left scratching their heads, wondering how to navigate the jungle of corporate diatribes and come out with their creative souls intact."
The above could be a near perfect description of typical label heads and music executives…but not Damilola Akinwunmi, widely known as the CEO of Dvpper Music, has been making waves in the Nigerian music industry since 2014. With a keen eye for talent and an unconventional approach to the music business, Akinwunmi has been instrumental in the success of some of the biggest breakout stories in recent years, including Seyi Vibez and T.I. Blaze.
Looking Dvpper, aren’t we?
Akinwunmi's journey in music began in 2014 when he started managing Dotman, an artist who later gained widespread recognition. But it was in 2018 that he founded Dvpper Music, initially as a label service and distribution business without a name. Akinwunmi had a clear vision for how he wanted to approach the music business, and he believed that he could do it in a way that nobody else was looking at. Drawing from his experience working as a Talent Rep for Temple Management Company, where he spent over two years, Akinwunmi had gained valuable insights into the dos and don'ts of the industry, which shaped his unique perspective.
One of the defining aspects of Akinwunmi's approach is his emphasis on artist development. He believes in spotting talents before they become superstars and providing them with the right team, structure, and management to reach their full potential. This approach has paid off, as seen in the success of Seyi Vibez, whose debut album emerged as the most streamed album of Q1 2023. While Akinwunmi didn't imagine the level of success to come so quickly, he attributes it to his belief in Seyi Vibez's music and the hard work of his team.
"To be honest, no I didn’t think that we were going to be this big this quick. At the end of the day, you can only wish for the best and I’m very practical as well. I knew that it was gonna work to a large extent, I believed in his music, he had really impressive music and it was solid so why not? But now that all these is happening, is it coming as a surprise to me? Not necessarily. I feel like the world is just catching on to what I already knew, to what Seyi [Vibez] already knew and all the other members of my team already knew from way back. If I imagined this happening so quick? No. If I’m surprised by this? No"
Another unconventional strategy employed by Akinwunmi and his team at Dvpper Music is the frequency of releases from their artists. Seyi Vibez, for instance, has released multiple projects within a short span, a move that surprised many in the industry. However, Akinwunmi sees rules as guidelines to be understood, not necessarily followed, and he has always been a believer in breaking norms and making his own rules.
"We don’t necessarily follow any rules, we decide and make our own rules as we go. Somebody said “rules are meant to be broken, you’re just supposed to understand the guidelines, not necessarily follow any rules”, and I’ve always been a believer of that school of thought."
Mavericks, Visionaries and Dapper
The above begs the question “what does it take to be a pioneer…a true pioneer”.
A heart that yearns to be free, to fly and become untethered from confining strings of “what is”. With eyes set on the horizon seeking new frontiers, threading uncharted courses. Never leaving a frontier unconquered or realm unexplored.
The ability to see beyond the veil of conformity. Dancing to their own rhythm conjured from their boundless imagination, constantly scoffing at convention. They treat the ordinary and mundane with the perfunctoriness it deserves and embrace the complexities of the extra-ordinary. Their minds are a kaleidoscope of ideas, constantly churning and innovating, never settling for mediocrity. They embrace risk and uncertainty, for they know that great rewards require great risks. They revel in the discomfort of the unknown, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and expansion.
“Like I said, I’ve been doing this since 2014, so to a large extent I’ve seen so many people come and go. I’ve learnt from watching so many other people experience a high level of success, it’s definitely a strategy to experience mainstream success and we just employed some of those strategies. We developed our methods and I guess it worked. Nigeria has a huge population, there’s consumers for this music, and so at the end of the day, people are going to stream it as far as it is good music. We pride ourselves in also making sure we are making the right sound and what people want to hear – not just what we want,” Akinwunmi affirms.
Akinwunmi continues to display these traits that have led Dvpper Music into its glory years, successfully helping street-pop acts find mainstream success digitally. Akinwunmi attributes this to understanding the Nigerian music market, which has a large population of consumers for this genre of music. By making the right sound and giving people what they want to hear (not necessarily what they think they want to hear but sometimes what they need to hear but have had no prior exposure), Dvpper Music has been able to bridge the gap between street-pop and mainstream music, showcasing their strategic approach and deep understanding of the industry.
Looking to the future, Akinwunmi has plans to expand and do even better than last year. He aims to sign and develop more artists, and break even more acts into the industry. With his visionary leadership and unconventional strategies, Damilola Akinwunmi continues to make waves in the Nigerian music industry through Dvpper Music, leaving a mark as a trailblazer and innovator in the business…One can’t get more dapper than that.