TheCable

Rapper and former Chocolate City Music vice president Jude Abaga (MI) has been announced as the new CEO of Chocolate City Music.

Panshak Zamani, popularly known as Ice Prince, is now vice president of the record label.

MI is replacing Audu Maikori who had been running affairs for the record label for the past 10 years.

Audu will now move up the ladder as CEO of the Chocolate City Group which comprises of four different companies.

Audu had announced at the Nigerian Entertainment Conference organised by the NET newspapers in April that he would be stepping down as CEO and revealing a successor in June.

The announcement has been well received by the public but speculations about MI as Audu’s replacement has been rife from the moment the announcement was made.

TheCable caught up with MI where he discussed his CEO credentials and his insightful approach to the music business.

“You need to experience then teach, receive and give. If you grew up being an artiste that a lot of people care about then you need to give back,” he said.

“In doing that you need to now become and executive and train other people. I think my main credential as a CEO is basically experience. I don’t have what you might call the business academic credentials. My parents did a good a god job educating me early on so I have a sharp mind and I can learn quickly which is important.

“So I’ll say it’s basically experience hard work and passion. However my business approach to music is all about giving back. I can never be a new artiste again. People can never be excited about me for the first time. So it’s time for me to help someone else at that stage of their career.”

MI would be continuing what he describes as Chocolate City Music’s 360 degree approach to the music business where the artiste’s primary income is not derived from content itself but other avenues such as live performances, endorsements and digital licensing.