“I was charging ₦5,000 per beat before stardom” – Singer Flavour says

• Nigerian high-life superstar Chinedu Okoli, also known as Flavour, shares his humble beginnings in Enugu and his journey to fame.

• Flavour’s first professional collaboration was with rapper Nigga Raw, now known as Mr. Raw, where he played the piano in the studio.

• Flavour shared on the In My Opinion Podcast that he sought music production lessons from Nigga Raw’s producer, who charged him 1,000 naira weekly.

• Flavour began learning music production and eventually produced songs, charging artists 5,000 naira per beat.

Chinedu Okoli, widely recognized as Flavour, a prominent figure in Nigerian high-life music, has shared insights into his modest beginnings in Enugu as he rose to fame.

In a recent episode of the In My Opinion Podcast, Flavour recounted his initial collaboration with rapper Nigga Raw (now known as Mr. Raw), where he contributed piano melodies in the studio. He approached Nigga Raw’s producer with a desire to learn music production, which led to a weekly fee of 1,000 naira for lessons.

Flavour dedicated himself to mastering music production, eventually reaching a point where he could produce tracks and began charging artists 5,000 naira for each beat.

“From learning studio production to a producer. From there, I started doing jobs as a producer, and I charged 5,000 per beat,” Flavour explained.

He also mentioned accompanying Nigga Raw, who was a leading artist in Eastern Nigeria at the time, to various performances. Flavour’s breakthrough came when he recorded the chorus for a Nigga Raw track that gained significant popularity in the East, marking his first taste of success. He credited Nigga Raw for enlightening him about the essence of being an artist.

“Nigga Raw was the guy that opened my eyes to what being an artist is about,” Flavour reflected on the valuable lessons he learned while serving as a backup and spending time in the studio with him.

During the interview, Flavour discussed his deliberation between pursuing RnB and Highlife, ultimately concluding that RnB was less lucrative, leading him to embrace Highlife Fusion.

He reminisced about a pivotal phone call from renowned music marketer Obaino Music, which prompted his move from Enugu to Lagos in pursuit of greater opportunities.

Flavour has since established himself as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated artists, earning international recognition for his music. He is particularly noted for his fluency in the Igbo language and began his musical journey at the age of 13, playing drums for his church choir.

In 2005, Flavour launched his debut album, ‘N’abania,’ under Obaino Music, and has continued to release music that resonates with audiences worldwide.

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