Chocolate City (record label)

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Founded as a nightclub in 1997, Chocolate City quickly became the number one promotions outfit in the Northern part of Nigeria^[4] and moved into the industry mainstream in 2005 with the launch of the record label (Chocolate City Music). In 2001, Audu Maikori and Paul Okeugo founded the Guild of Artistes and Poets, called an "arts appreciation society" which held weekly meetings which focused on the arts, music, poetry and creativity as a means of youth engagement and empowerment.^[5]

Under the leadership of MI, Chocolate City expanded by creating sub-labels that included 100 Crowns which discovered and signed Blaqbonez, and UpNorth Records, which signed Classiq and Dijay Cinch, it had its first-ever press conference where every artiste was present to answer questions from members of the press. The press conference was planned to be every month, but it only had been held once^[6]

In March 2019, Chocolate City signed a worldwide distribution deal with Warner Music Group.^[7] In April 2015, Maikori stepped down after ten years of piloting the affairs of the label and appointed M.I. to take over as the CEO of Chocolate City Music label while Ice Prince became the Vice President of Music for the label ^[8][9] Maikori assumed the position of Group CEO of Chocolate City Group, which comprised Chocolate City Music (Record Label), Chocolate City Media, CCX Lounge (live music venue franchise), Bean Agency (an experiential marketing company), and Replete Publishing (A music publishing and distribution company). Paul Okeugo was also appointed Group COO for the group.^[10]

The G.A.P later became one of the new age art renaissance movements, which quickly gained membership in Jos, Abuja, and Lagos with a combined membership of over 3000 attendees at its peak. The GAP brought to light the need for artists to have better representation, which Audu gave in the form of pro bono legal services, and this eventually led to his registering Chocolate City with his bonus earnings from his job as a lawyer with the chambers of Afe Babalola and co. The first act to be signed to the Chocolate City label was multi-talented instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer Jeremiah Gyang (whose debut album Na BA KA sold over 4 Million copies and won numerous accolades and acclaim for the artist as well as the label).^[11]

Chocolate City went on to discover and manage the careers of Djinee, M.I, Aṣa, Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, Brymo, and other artists who have won over 70 local and international awards.^[12] In June 2007, Audu Maikori won the British award for International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) by the British Council, making Nigeria the first country to win two global awards in the Young Creative Entrepreneurs Series (the first was Lanre Lawal (IYDEY) 2005), after beating nine countries including the Philippines, Latvia, Lithuania, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Tanzania, Egypt and Poland.^[13]

Chocolate City was the first Nigerian music company to attain a global music award and recognition by the British Council in 2007: International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) 2007.^[13] Chocolate City has since worked closely with the federal government of Nigeria and several international organizations, such as the British Council, to promote creative industries and capacity-building projects in and around Nigeria. In April 2008, Chocolate City announced a major collaborative effort in partnership with the British Council and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to take a delegation of Nigerian music stakeholders to London Calling 2008 in a bid to open new vistas for the fast-growing Nigerian music industry currently valued at around $500 Million (2007). The Minister of Culture and Tourism led the 40-man delegation.^[14]

Reuters International produced a documentary on the Chocolate City success story tagged "Music and Money" in recognition of its contributions to developing the Nigerian music industry.^[13] Over the years, Chocolate City has partnered with many international and regional creative industry organisations, with affiliates in South Africa, the U.K., and the US, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the British Council toward promoting and celebrating creativity in Nigeria.^[14] On 8 December 2011, parent company Chocolate City Group won the African Awards for Entrepreneurship, beating over 3,300 applicants from 48 African countries to clinch the runner-up prize, making history as the first entertainment company to win the prize since 2007.^[15]

Accolades

More information Year, Awards ceremony ...

Year	Awards ceremony	Award description(s)	Results	Ref
2011	Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship	Finalist (Chocolate City Group)	Won	[16]
	City People Entertainment Awards	Record Label of the Year	Won	[17]
2013			Won	[18]

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Current acts

More information Act, Year signed ...

Act	Year signed	Releases under the label	Ref
Nosa	2012	1	[19]
Yung L	2017	1	[20]
ClassiQ	2019	–	[21]
Blaqbonez	2019	3	[21]
Candy Bleakz	2020	2	[21]
Young Jonn	2022	2	-
Major AJ	2022	4	[21]
Noon Dave	2021	2	[21]
Tar1q	2023	1	[21]

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Former acts

More information Act, Year signed ...

Act	Year signed	Year left	Releases under the label	Ref
Jeremiah Gyang	2005	2010	1	[23]
M.I	2008	2020	8	[24]
Jesse Jagz	2010	2013	1	[25]
	2015	2017		[26]
Ice Prince	2010	2016 [note 1]	3	[28]
Brymo	2010	2013	1	[29][30]
DJ Caise	2011	2017 [note 2]	0	[32]
Pryse	2012	2016	0	[33][34]
Victoria Kimani	2012	2017	2	[35][36]
Nosa	2012		1	[37]
Dice Ailes	2014	2021	–	[38]
Milli	2015	2016	0	[39]
Kahli Abdu & VHS Safari	2015	2016	0	[27]
Koker	2015	2018	0	[40]
DJ Lambo	2015	2019	0	[41]
CKay	2016	2021	2	[42]

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