Over 80% Of Nigerian Artistes Are Internet Fraudsters, Industry Insider Reports – Do You Agree?

Internet fraud, alternatively known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’, in the local climes of Nigeria, has become more prevalent in recent times, due to the unending economic retardation being experienced by the country and its citizens, alike.

“The music industry in its entirety, is a highly competitive one, which requires millions of Naira to attain stability in.

Such cumbersome funding can be gotten by signing a record deal, taking a bank loan, which usually requires collateral, or getting sponsorship from friends and family.

As a rising artiste, finding chances like this is herculean, and Cyber Crime seems like the nearest resort.”

– A music industry insider (name withheld), disclosed in a recent interview session.

She added:

“Many major celebrities who used to be top tier, are guilty of this crime also, as the music industry in Nigeria isn’t structured in such a way that artistes can’t earn much from royalties or new ‘lukewarm’ releases,

Only internationally established artistes earn reasonable amounts, from digital sales, Merch sales, meet and greet sessions etc.

These old heads have hard times coping with the fame they garnered with previous hits, and keeping up with the celebrity lifestyle of wearing recent designer outfits, buying expensive drinks in clubs, cruising around in flashy cars, rolling with beautiful model-like women, giving fans money in public and so on.

When asked, for an estimated percentage of artistes currently involved in internet fraud,

She replied;

“It is really large, about 70-80%, if not more, some artistes who might or might not be directly engaging in the crime, have publicly encouraged it, either in songs or interviews,

Most artistes who know nothing about it are being funded by labels run by fraudsters, or labels that seek financial aid from fraudsters.

There are rumors that claim Wizkid’s career was supported by a popular Yahoo boy living in Surulere at the initial stage, I am not sure about the certainty of this.

Veteran rapper, MI once thanked these criminals for supporting music labels in 2017, saying “without Yahoo boys, the music industry would be dead”.

This indirectly supports the crime, and also gassed the up and coming scammers to indulge deeper,

Runtown once used a popular Yahoo boy phrase in a song ‘unleash’, saying “na spoil we spoil, we no dey thief”, though this doesn’t mean he’s supporting or engaging, it only leaves hints.

It’s surprising how Runtown could buy a G-wagon and a Lamborghini Gallardo, when his hit single ‘Mad Over You’ was still fresh and hadn’t generated enough revenue, for such purchases, unless he has other businesses.

9ice, released a song, ‘Living Things’, which promoted internet fraud, he was once questioned by a TV presenter, about the meaning of the song, but he dodged the bullets, cunningly.

The YBNL boys, show no effort to conceal their illegal acts, judging from the full meaning of the label’s name, to their recent releases, which supports a secondary part of internet fraud, called G+ or Yahoo+, which involves usage of rituals (including blood, possibly human) to fasten their wealth acquisition process.

Phyno has hinted his support for the cause severally, but he does it in such a way, that only those who are part of the act, know what he’s saying.

What do you think the “G” in Kizz Daniel’s former label’s name stands for?”

*laughs and nods head*

“Most of these hints and signs are glaring but people hardly notice,

If only the economy would improve, by entrepreneurial activities or government intervention, we’d have less Scammers both in the industry and the country, entirely.”