Afrofusion rising star Awosika Olayemi Josiah better known as Fido has opened up about a painful chapter in his career.
The 27-year-old accused his former record label and management of taking almost all of his advance payment and stalling his growth in the music industry.
Speaking during a recent interview on Inspiration 92.3 FM, the Joy Is Coming hitmaker alleged that out of a $20,000 advance, he only received about ₦1.5 million (just over $1,000), claiming the team kept as much as 95% of the funds.
“I was transparent with them even when I was still with them, but they took all my advance from me… they gave me just ₦1.5 million out of $20,000,” he said, adding that he has facts to back up his claims.
Born Awosika Olayemi Josiah on September 21, 1997, in Matogun, Ogun State, Fido was raised by his single mother and discovered his passion for music in the church choir.
Inspired by Afrobeats legends like Olamide, Kizz Daniel, and Fela Kuti, he sharpened his craft at the PEFTI Film Institute in 2019 and joined artist development collective Inner Circle.
His breakthrough came in 2024 with “Awolowo”, a soulful Afrobeats number that resonated with fans and earned over 22,000 Shazams.
In 2025, he soared even higher with “Joy Is Coming”, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and topped Nigeria’s Official Top 100 for six straight weeks, amassing over 100 million streams.
In August 2025, Fido dropped his debut EP Olayemi under EMPIRE distribution, a deeply personal project that includes a collaboration with Kizz Daniel.
Meanwhile, Popular Nigerian singer Michael Olayinka, better known as Ruger, has revealed his struggles after his record label exit and the cancel culture battle.
In a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, the Asiwaju crooner opened up about the emotional and professional toll his controversial exit from former label Jonzing World took on his career. Ruger revealed that he faced an unexpected wave of backlash, not just from fans but from fellow artistes and music industry insiders.
He explained that leaving a label in Nigeria often attracts negative sentiment, with many assuming the artiste is ungrateful or difficult to work with. That perception, he claims, led to isolation and subtle blacklisting from within the industry.
Ruger officially parted ways with Jonzing World in 2024, following an alleged fallout with label boss D’Prince. Since then, he has been building his independent label, Blown Boy Entertainment, from the ground up. He has described the process as draining but necessary.
Despite the setbacks, Ruger seems to be regaining his momentum, proving that cancel culture isn’t always permanent when talent, resilience, and a bit of rebranding come into play.
Discussion about this post