Interview I’m better off without Davido – Asa Asika

Not much was known about Asa Asika until he became the manager of popstar, Davido. Now in charge of handling oil mogul and business man, Femi Otedola’s daughter, DJ Cuppy’s African tour, he spoke to E24-7 MAGAZINE’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF about his involvement with Cuppy, his relationship with Davido, as well as the BET Awards. Excerpts…

What’s your view on the way African artistes were treated at the recently concluded BET Awards?

Personally, I am a kind of person that demands respect. When they started giving out the BET awards, I believe I was still in secondary school; now, I’m about to be 25 and they’re still doing the same thing, so I believe it’s disrespect and it shouldn’t happen. At the end of the day, it makes no sense. Let’s look at it in a typical African perspective: let’s say I’m an artiste from a random country in West Africa and I make $2,000 per show. I don’t have an American visa, so I go out of my way to get all these things to fly to LA which is quite a long distance. I get there, win an award and they give it to me back stage; it’s disrespectful on so many levels. I believe that African music has advanced beyond that, and things have to change. I know they do it to UK artistes too, but between African and UK artistes, we are way too better to be taking that. Davido does a concert in the UK and he fills up everywhere, so it’s not as if our music is F class or Z class music. P-Square does a show in Angola, and they get paid more than artistes in America; they collect $200,000 and even Drake doesn’t get up to that in some places. Basically, I feel that it’s very disrespectful, but I do not support the way it’s been addressed.

How do you think it should be addressed?

Properly; you don’t bring it on social media. I mean you have meetings where you’re supposed to discuss things like that. I have managed an artiste who won a BET Award, and yes I was happy to win the award at that point in time. But I do believe that African music in general has grown more than that. There was a time Drake, Nicki Minaj, and someone else performed at the BET Awards, but Nicki collected her own award on stage but drake collected his back-stage, why is that? BET was created to celebrate black entertainment, so we should be the last people to be ridiculed.

What do you think African artistes gain from BET Awards, and why the rush for it?

It’s the same with any international award. If you win an international award, you are expanding you market; BET is an international and respected brand. If you win a KORA award, it helps you in Africa. If you win a Headies award, it helps you in Nigeria. BET’s primary market is the United States, and that’s why it’s such a big deal to African artistes.

How then can this be addressed?

It can be addressed by meeting with the organizers. For example, if you want an endorsement deal with Samsung, you don’t go on social media and demand that Samsung should endorse you. You have to approach them, or they approach you.

A lot of people were surprised that you fell off with Davido who you were managing, what happened?

When I was managing Davido, I was about 20 years old, and I did that for three years; I’m 25 now. For you to still ask me this question three years later shows that we did an amazing job. But the fact is that things change and that happens to everyone, so it’s not a big deal. We are still brothers; we see each other every day.

Did you feel left in the cold when your relationship ended?

I believe my business has boomed a lot more since then. I am better, and everything that happened in the past is part of life’s experiences. I have zero regrets.

Was it like a litmus test for you?

Before managing Davido, I was relevant in the music industry in a million other ways; my company had already generated more revenue than a lot of people. Apart from managing talents, we do other things. For example, we handled the East and South African aspect of the Channel O Awards last year and so many other things. Like I said before, there are stages to everything in life, and at that time, I could afford to do that. I can’t afford to run up and down to manage an artist now. I can still manage artistes, but I can’t manage then like I did then. I believe Davido benefited from the relationship and I benefited from it as well, and that is why we are probably still friends till today.

So it wasn’t as rewarding as we all thought it was for him?

Of course, it was rewarding.

Is it something you would want to do all over again?

If I have an artiste that is as good as that, of course I will want to do that, and generate funds as well.

Do you feel that there are gaps since you left that brand?

No.

So you mean it is where it should be?

Davido is doing very well for himself.

How did you meet DJ Cuppy?

We’ve been friends for about 10 years.

On Cuppy takes Africa, what really are you guys driving at?

One of the major things is promoting the DJ culture, and another thing is promoting African music in general. I’m sure that by the time we are done with this tour, you will understand why.

Is Cuppy planning on being a DJ forever?

Let’s wait and see; only God knows.

Do you see her as someone who will succeed in it?

I think so. I mean she has been a DJ for two years now, and a lot of people have been dj-ing for a long time.

What is your company bringing to the table?

I’m putting the whole tour together. I’m the one managing the tour and taking care of the logistics

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