The Infamous Mogul

As I wait at the studio for Bizzle to show up, I find myself torn between worrying about how the readers of this article would receive it and the looming introduction to someone I consider to be highly influential in the media in recent times. I am fully aware that two kinds of people exist in our industry – spectators and influencers. I am even more aware that while the actions, opinions and voices of people more commonly drown in the crowd, those of Abiodun Osikoya, popularly known as ‘Bizzle’, roar. Silently, but surely, he has influenced the modern day music and media industry.

The sound of my phone ringing pulls me out of my thoughts and I walk out to usher in Bizzle. As we enter the studio space together, I am not sure what to expect from this very popular social media influencer. It doesn’t take me long to realise that this man’s true personality is quite contrary to what myself and a number of people would expect that such a prolific person to be. He sits very calmly as he answers my questions, taking occasional sips from his bottle of water, and glancing at his phone intermittently.

Bizzle’s profile would tell you that he is the CEO of Bee Entertainment, a media and entertainment consultant, the A&R of Mavin Records (he was part of the team that discovered Reekado Banks), and a social media influencer. This however doesn’t quite do justice to the infamous mogul. His charisma, thoughtful yet straight forward answers, and the funny fact that he only drinks water are just a few of the many, seemingly irrelevant strings that all tie into the fabric of Bizzle Osikoya. Letting go of initial assumptions and getting comfortable with this truly interesting person is what has allowed me to enjoy interviewing him. Based on what I have discovered to be his personality, I feel compelled to ask Bizzle what attracted him to the media industry. His response, “it was the passion for the media and the need to support the ever growing Nigerian entertainment industry.” With a clear vision of what he wanted to do in his life, this remarkable young man has been able to land jobs as a promoter and media consultant that have propelled him in the direction he wants.

Bizzle reveals he worked with Storm Records earlier on in his career and also happened to be the first person to manage Tiwa Savage and Kas Beats.  Having schooled abroad and being grounded in ideologies that differ from most of ours, he explains how coping was never really a struggle for him; “Most of the people I have worked with in the past have self-educated themselves and that has been a plus for me. On the other side of the industry, people I would say had it harder to understand what we did were the brands outside the entertainment industry.”

Heavy on social media, with over 76,000 followers on Instagram and over 32,000 followers on Twitter, Bizzle is inspired by the founders of Snapchat – Evans Spiegel and Bobby Murphy – young men who refused to sell their company which is currently worth more than 19 billion dollars. He points out that in his area of expertise, social media has made our music international, making it possible to be played by celebrities like Drake, Skepta, Swizz Beats and Alicia Keys. The traditional media made Nigerian music revolve round Nigeria while social media has made it global.

Needless to say, being a key member of any facet in society puts such a person in a controversial position. There are several issues, tedious arguments and quite a number of unfounded speculations as regards to the motive behind one’s actions, and so Bizzle is very careful about what he puts out with no aim to complicate things. Because he is associated with a number of artistes, and even more brands, there is a general misinterpretation of what Bizzle really does. So “Who is Bizzle?” you might ask. Allow me to answer your question. Bizzle is “The CONNECT Man” in the music industry. As much as he tries to shy away from public eye, his clients are acutely aware of how effective his services and values are.

Bee Entertainment serves as an umbrella for all the services Bizzle Osikoya renders and he is currently working on international deals for the talents signed to Mavin Records. Very soon, we will hear a lot more about the digital marketing company he has started up in order to represent people in the entertainment industry and top brands.

Bizzle’s mentors are Obi Asika and Don Jazzy. It might surprise you to know he doesn’t even really consider himself “successful”. In his words, “I would say I am successful when I don’t have to introduce myself”

Controversial and in the middle of the buzz, Bizzle has created a brand name for himself and isn’t stopping.  This month, we have themed the issue, “The Future….” We are celebrating the future of the country, the creative industry and the future of the media. There is no denying the effect of social media and the influence of this infamous mogul in the industry thus far.