By Nnamdi Ojiego

A recent partnership deal between the Native Records and the Def Jam Recordings would see a concerted effort deployed into developing musical talents in Africa and across the globe.

According to the joint venture agreement, the parties would use their contacts in the creative community to sign and develop young African artists.

Speaking at the signing, Tunji Balogun, chairman/CEO of Def Jam Recordings, said the deal would lead to the discovery and development of some amazing talents.

According to him, Def Jam is building a culture that connects the best in the global black music diaspora from hip-hop, R&B, reggae and afrobeats, adding that some of the best artists and sounds in music today come from Africa.

Also speaking, Seni Saraki and Teni Zaccheaus, co-founders of Native Networks, said their company has amassed a track record of breaking boundaries and popularising new sounds through the discovery and development of home-grown artists from the community, with special attention to the burgeoning Afrobeats movement.

“We want Native Records to be about artistic freedom. As a company, we have always been passionate about discovering and working with artists that do not quite colour within the lines, and helping them to express themselves,” Saraki said.

Teni Zaccheaus added that the Nativeland and Native Magazine, have been the center for young Africans learning new things in African music, art and style, and has given artists like Burna Boy, Tems, Naira Marley, Mowalola, Odunsi The Engine, Santi, and others their first-ever covers.

Founded in 2016, Native Records is the music division of Native Networks, the black-owned and operated, multi-platform, multi-disciplinary media and content company.

Nativeland, the company’s sold-out festival event, has hosted J Hus, Dave, NSG, and others for their first live performances in Nigeria. Plans call for building a studio hub in Lagos to further nurture local artists with their own platform, modelled after similar communities that have arisen in New York, Atlanta, New Orleans, Miami, and so on.

The Native crew “pride themselves on being the collective definitive voice for African youth culture, with the brand evolving from producing live experiences and an editorial magazine (print and digital), to producing one of the continent’s most exciting youth-driven festivals just within four years.

With Native their wildly influential magazine and digital platform Native Networks has established credibility for being early, seeing what will come today and tomorrow.