Nigerian Afrobeats star Bella Shmurda has raised concerns over the financial habits of many of his fellow artists.
He believes that reckless spending is leaving many young musicians broke and dependent on record labels to fund their careers.
In a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, the “Cash App” hitmaker shared personal experiences and offered advice to upcoming artists on how to manage their earnings wisely.
Early mistakes and lessons learned
Bella Shmurda admitted that he once made the same mistakes he now warns others about. At the beginning of his rise to fame, he spent carelessly, trying to keep up with the flashy image that many believed was necessary to succeed in the industry.
“I made that mistake too, but I learnt,” he said. “I feel like we just have to educate ourselves about these things.”
His message was clear: artists must understand how to manage their money and avoid financial traps that come with trying to impress others.
The trap of flashy branding
According to Shmurda, many Nigerian artists are too focused on material things, like expensive jewelry, designer clothes, and luxury cars, in the name of branding. He argued that these things are not necessary to look good or succeed in the industry.
“I don’t think packaging has to be materialistic,” he said. “Having good clothes, looking nice, nice skin, brushing your teeth, and smelling good is okay. If you know how to dress well without chains, that’s enough.”
He added that many successful artists didn’t start with much but still managed to present themselves well. To him, simplicity is a form of branding that often gets overlooked.
Relying on record labels
Shmurda also pointed out that this focus on looking rich often pushes young artists to take advances from record labels. These advances come with strings attached. In many cases, artists end up in long-term contracts that limit their control over their music.
“It’s because of too much emphasis on expensive packaging that our young artists now run towards advances,” he said. “They end up being indebted to those companies, and the companies have to hold their catalogue for years.”
He warned that these financial decisions could stall an artist’s progress. When the money is gone, and debts pile up, they find themselves unable to fund their next project.
A call for financial discipline
The singer encouraged upcoming talents to rethink what it means to be successful. In his view, managing money wisely is a bigger achievement than showing off wealth.
“You don’t need to spend the bulk of your earnings on expensive jewelry and cars to build a brand,” he said. “Simplicity works too.”
Bella Shmurda’s message serves as a wake-up call for many in the music industry. As Afrobeats continues to gain global attention, the pressure to keep up appearances has never been higher. But for Shmurda, true success comes from discipline, not display.
Final thoughts
With his growing influence in the Nigerian music scene, Bella Shmurda hopes his story will inspire others to take financial planning seriously. He wants young artists to focus on their craft, avoid unnecessary debts, and build careers that will last.
In an industry where image often takes center stage, his advice is a reminder that smart choices behind the scenes matter just as much as performance on the stage.
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