Iyanya sends strong warning to ‘wack’ artistes in music industry

Popular Nigerian singer Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, professionally known as Iyanya, has declared that a time will come when truly talented artistes will be distinguished from mediocrities in the entertainment industry.

Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, the “Kukere” hitmaker expressed concern about the rising tide of mediocrity in the Nigerian music industry, adding that authentic artistry will ultimately prevail.

“At the end of the day, we will separate the wack artists from the real ones,” Iyanya wrote.

His comment comes amid growing debate over questionable practices in the music industry, such as excessive reliance on auto-tune, ghostwriters, and artificially inflated streaming numbers.

Several top artistes and music executives have weighed in on the issue. Rappers Blaqbonez and Odumodublvck have both spoken out against the widespread use of “streaming farms,” which manipulate music charts by generating fake streams.

Don Jazzy, head of Mavin Records, has publicly denied purchasing fake streams to promote his signees, while Shallipopi also dismissed allegations that he spent ₦9 million on streaming boosts to top the charts.