The synergy between music, content creation and comedy continues to astonish the world. These three intertwined entities of the creative world over the ages have helped each other grow to great heights.
According to the latest data, there are more than 200 million content creators worldwide. The average time for content creators to make their first dollar is six and a half months. Only 10% of influencers have annual incomes of $100,000 or more. The global influencer industry was worth $21.1 billion in 2023.
Nigeria is a nation blessed with an abundance of talents doing wonders in every given sector, be it commerce, education, science, sports and entertainment.
It is no longer news that our music stars are global brands that can stand up to the likes of Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, Jay Z, 50 Cents, and not forgetting the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson. For every Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, Asake, Tems and Ayra Starr, there are more in the incubator patiently waiting for their time to blow.
There are limitless opportunities in Nigerian entertainment that offer placements for creatives in the music industry, fashion, film, comedy, and the content creation scene. The content-creation world is a universe riddled with the vastness of styles that can be incorporated into music, comedy, fashion, film and many more.
We need to pay attention to Nigerian content creation space as it is a rising force that will take the world by storm. Nigerian content creators across different social media platforms have made a their marks in the sands of time.
Craze Clown is one of the progenitors of the content creation industry in Nigeria. He laid the groundwork for other creators to excel in the early days of Instagram where you had just 15 seconds to operate. He nailed it and established himself as a brand in the Nigerian social media space. The funny thing is that he did all these while he was still a medical student in Europe with his long-time collaborator ‘Ade’ who was always blessed by Dr Craze’s slaps of factory settings.
Josh2Funny created a viral moment in time when the whole world was in a state of despair thanks to COVID-19. The “Don’t Leave Me Challenge,” which gained widespread popularity in June 2020. The challenge revolved around humour and involved people trying to make others laugh with pun-filled phrases or statements while the person walked away. The challenge was often accompanied by the chant “Don’t leave me.”
He collaborated with artists Vector, Falz, and Magnito for a remix of the track associated with the challenge. Several celebrities across the world joined in on the challenge, and it only grew from strength to strength. Perhaps it was what led him to gain a feature on American Got Talent 2023, which propelled his career to the apex.
The most recent success story is Brain Jotter with his “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” dance challenge. Brain Jotter is a prominent content creator known for his humorous videos, relatable content and iconic green shirt that is easily recognisable by his esteemed fans around the world.
He gained significant attention for popularizing the “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” dance challenge, which was inspired by iconic singer Mike Ejeagha’s viral hit ‘Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche’ released in 1983. The challenge has helped reignite interest in Ejeagha’s music, making it a trending topic online. Notably, a goodwill gesture from Brain Jotter also included a donation of N2 million to Ejeagha.
A host of celebrities have joined the challenge like Asisat Oshoala, Tobi Bakre, Kanayo Kanayo, Alex Ekubo, Chizzy Alichi, Nosa Rex, Etinosa Idemudia, Taaooma, Igwe2Pac, and many more.
Other content creators have had their run in the spotlight such as Ikorodu Bois, Sydney Talker, Mark Angel, Sabinus, Layi Wasabi, Dezny, Triclowns, Lasisi Elenu, Taaooma, Mr macaroni, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Tayo Aina, Broda Shaggi, Kie Kie, Nons Miraj, Maraji, and Nasboi who linked up with Nigerian music icon Wande Coal to create the song ‘Umbrella’ signified his Nasboi’s transition to music.
The entertainment sector will continue to be driven by the synergy between music, humour, and content development as the landscape of content creation changes. Nigeria is ideally positioned to continue setting the standard in this fascinating field because of its rich cultural legacy and gifted artists.
