Chocolate City Music
Encyclopedia
Chocolate City Entertainment Company is an international award winning 360 degree Entertainment Company that administers a record label, events planning/management and media consultancy company based in Nigeria
with offices in Abuja
and Lagos
. It is also home to award winning artists like M.I, Jesse Jagz
, Ice Prince
and has also worked closely with the likes of Djinee, Asa
, Jeremiah Gyang.
in 1997, Chocolate City quickly became the number one promotions outfit in the Northern part of Nigeria and moved into the industry main stream in 2005 with the launch of the record label ('Chocolate City Music'). Chocolate City has promoted Northern-based musicians around Nigeria with the discovery and signing acts like Six Foot Plus and Jeremiah Gyang (whose debut album Na BA KA won numerous accolades and acclaim for the artist as well as the label). Chocolate City went on to discover, manage and promote the careers of talents like Djinee, M.I, Asa
, Jesse Jagz
, Ice Prince and other artists who later won awards both locally and internationally.
In June 2007, Audu Maikori
Founder/CEO of Chocolate City won the prestigious British
award the International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) by the British Council, making Nigeria the first country to win 2 global awards in the Young Creative Entrepreneurs Series (the first was Lanre Lawal (IYDEY) 2005), after beating 9 countries including Philippines
, Latvia
, Lithuania
, Indonesia
, India, Malaysia, Tanzania, Egypt
and Poland
.
Chocolate City has since worked closely with the Federal Government of Nigeria as well as several international organisations such as the British Council in promoting the creative industries as well as Capacity building projects in and around Nigeria. In April 2008, Chocolate City announced a major collaborative effort in partnership with the British Council and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to take a delegation of Nigerian music stakeholders to London Calling 2008 in a bid to open new vistas for the fast growing Nigerian music industry currently valued at around $500 Million (2007). The 40 man delegation was led by the Minister of Culture and Tourism.
Chocolate City has also been active in the promotion of the Creative industries globally having participated in several workshops and initiatives. In January 2008, Chocolate City delivered a keynote address on a workshop tagged "Mapping the Creative Industries in Albania" organised by the British Council, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ministry of Economy, Albania. The workshop was aimed at sharing experiences of creative entrepreneurs from around Europe, the UK and Nigeria.
Chocolate City activities were judged to have the capacity to affect the Nigerian Music Industry on a national scale, receiving media coverage from both local and international media. Reuters International produced a documentary on the Chocolate City success story tagged "Music and Money" in recognition of its contributions to the development of the Nigerian Music Industry.
Over the years Chocolate City has streamlined creative partnerships with many international and regional creative industry organizations, with affiliates in South Africa, U.K and the USA, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the British Council toward promoting and celebrating creativity in Nigeria which we are very passionate about.
Chocolate City has also been at the very fore front of innovation in the support of our vibrant creative industries, because therein lies the future of our youth.
Valentine Fest (British Council)
Showcase Featuring Asa
Jeremiah Gyang Show case (French Cultural Centre Lagos)
Abuja At 30 celebrations (FCTA 2006)
The Jam Sessions since 2005- Till Date
WAPI (words and Pictures) – a monthly event organized by the British Council
London Calling 2008 ( London)- June 2008
PYT(prove your talent)- August 2008
Club MTV Base – August 2008
MI Return MAMA Party 2009
Do they Know Its Christmas (Charity Event) 2009
MANAGEMENT TEAM
CHOCOLATE CITY MUSIC
Best Label- AA Awards 2008
Global IYMEY Awards by British Council( international Creative Enterprise Series) 2007
M.I- Jude Abaga
AWARDS
Hip Hop Revelation(2009)-HIP HOP WORLD AWARDS 2009
Best Rap Album - HIP HOP WORLD AWARDS 2009
Best Hip Hop Act- Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2009
Best New Act- Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2009
Best Hip Hop Act- City People Awards
Best Rap single-Hip Hop World Awards
Musician of the Year- Modemen Awards 2008
Best New Act- MAMA 2009
Best Hip Hop- MAMA 2009
NOMINATIONS:
Best International Act BET AWARDS
} 2010
Best New Act - MTV MAMA AWARDS 2009
Best Hip Hop - MTV MAMA AWARDS 2009
JESSE JAGZ - Jesse Abaga
AWARDS
Artist with most Top Ten hits- Cool FM
Producer of the Year- Plateau Award for Excellence-2008
NOMINATIONS
Producer of the Year- Hip Hop World Awards 2009
Producer of the Year- The Future Awards 2009
ICE PRINCE- Panshak Zamani
AWARDS
Winner- Hennessy Artistry September 2009 - 2010
http://www.chocolatecitygroup.com
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
with offices in Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
and Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. It is also home to award winning artists like M.I, Jesse Jagz
Jesse Jagz
Jesse Garba Abaga, popularly know as Jesse Jagz born August 10, 1984 is a Nigerian hip hop artist, rapper, singer, producer and songwriter...
, Ice Prince
Ice Prince
Panshak Zamani, better known by his stage name Ice Prince, is a prominent Nigerian Hip hop Artist and the winner of Hennessy Artistry 2009 . He is signed to Chocolate City music label .-Early Life:...
and has also worked closely with the likes of Djinee, Asa
Asa
-People:* Aṣa , Paris-born Nigerian singer-songwriter* Asa of Judah , son of Abijam, King of Judah* Asa Dotzler , Mozilla contributor and blogger*Asa Kasher , Israeli philosopher and linguist-Places:...
, Jeremiah Gyang.
History
Originally founded as a rave nightclubNightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in 1997, Chocolate City quickly became the number one promotions outfit in the Northern part of Nigeria and moved into the industry main stream in 2005 with the launch of the record label ('Chocolate City Music'). Chocolate City has promoted Northern-based musicians around Nigeria with the discovery and signing acts like Six Foot Plus and Jeremiah Gyang (whose debut album Na BA KA won numerous accolades and acclaim for the artist as well as the label). Chocolate City went on to discover, manage and promote the careers of talents like Djinee, M.I, Asa
Asa
-People:* Aṣa , Paris-born Nigerian singer-songwriter* Asa of Judah , son of Abijam, King of Judah* Asa Dotzler , Mozilla contributor and blogger*Asa Kasher , Israeli philosopher and linguist-Places:...
, Jesse Jagz
Jesse Jagz
Jesse Garba Abaga, popularly know as Jesse Jagz born August 10, 1984 is a Nigerian hip hop artist, rapper, singer, producer and songwriter...
, Ice Prince and other artists who later won awards both locally and internationally.
In June 2007, Audu Maikori
Audu Maikori
Audu Maikori was born on 13 August 1975 in Kaduna. He is a lawyer and the founder/CEO of Chocolate City Entertainment, which is a record label, artiste management, recording studio and events consultancy company...
Founder/CEO of Chocolate City won the prestigious British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
award the International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) by the British Council, making Nigeria the first country to win 2 global awards in the Young Creative Entrepreneurs Series (the first was Lanre Lawal (IYDEY) 2005), after beating 9 countries including Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, India, Malaysia, Tanzania, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Activism
Chocolate City was the first Nigerian music company to attain a global music award and recognition by the British Council in 2007 i.e. The International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY)2007Chocolate City has since worked closely with the Federal Government of Nigeria as well as several international organisations such as the British Council in promoting the creative industries as well as Capacity building projects in and around Nigeria. In April 2008, Chocolate City announced a major collaborative effort in partnership with the British Council and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to take a delegation of Nigerian music stakeholders to London Calling 2008 in a bid to open new vistas for the fast growing Nigerian music industry currently valued at around $500 Million (2007). The 40 man delegation was led by the Minister of Culture and Tourism.
Chocolate City has also been active in the promotion of the Creative industries globally having participated in several workshops and initiatives. In January 2008, Chocolate City delivered a keynote address on a workshop tagged "Mapping the Creative Industries in Albania" organised by the British Council, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ministry of Economy, Albania. The workshop was aimed at sharing experiences of creative entrepreneurs from around Europe, the UK and Nigeria.
Chocolate City activities were judged to have the capacity to affect the Nigerian Music Industry on a national scale, receiving media coverage from both local and international media. Reuters International produced a documentary on the Chocolate City success story tagged "Music and Money" in recognition of its contributions to the development of the Nigerian Music Industry.
Over the years Chocolate City has streamlined creative partnerships with many international and regional creative industry organizations, with affiliates in South Africa, U.K and the USA, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the British Council toward promoting and celebrating creativity in Nigeria which we are very passionate about.
Chocolate City has also been at the very fore front of innovation in the support of our vibrant creative industries, because therein lies the future of our youth.
Events Handheld
Wyclef Jean concert in 2004 (Guinness)Valentine Fest (British Council)
Showcase Featuring Asa
Jeremiah Gyang Show case (French Cultural Centre Lagos)
Abuja At 30 celebrations (FCTA 2006)
The Jam Sessions since 2005- Till Date
WAPI (words and Pictures) – a monthly event organized by the British Council
London Calling 2008 ( London)- June 2008
PYT(prove your talent)- August 2008
Club MTV Base – August 2008
MI Return MAMA Party 2009
Do they Know Its Christmas (Charity Event) 2009
Artists
Artists on the label include:- M.I
- Jesse JagzJesse JagzJesse Garba Abaga, popularly know as Jesse Jagz born August 10, 1984 is a Nigerian hip hop artist, rapper, singer, producer and songwriter...
- Ice PrinceIce PrincePanshak Zamani, better known by his stage name Ice Prince, is a prominent Nigerian Hip hop Artist and the winner of Hennessy Artistry 2009 . He is signed to Chocolate City music label .-Early Life:...
- BrymoBrymoBrymo is a Nigerian singer, composer, songwriter and recording artist signed to the Chocolate City music label.-Early life:...
MANAGEMENT TEAM
- Yahaya Maikori
- Okeugo Paul
- Audu MaikoriAudu MaikoriAudu Maikori was born on 13 August 1975 in Kaduna. He is a lawyer and the founder/CEO of Chocolate City Entertainment, which is a record label, artiste management, recording studio and events consultancy company...
- Kunle Peter-Thomas
- Katung Aduwak
Awards and nominations
Won by Chocolate City Artists include:CHOCOLATE CITY MUSIC
Best Label- AA Awards 2008
Global IYMEY Awards by British Council( international Creative Enterprise Series) 2007
M.I- Jude Abaga
AWARDS
Hip Hop Revelation(2009)-HIP HOP WORLD AWARDS 2009
Best Rap Album - HIP HOP WORLD AWARDS 2009
Best Hip Hop Act- Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2009
Best New Act- Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2009
Best Hip Hop Act- City People Awards
Best Rap single-Hip Hop World Awards
Musician of the Year- Modemen Awards 2008
Best New Act- MAMA 2009
Best Hip Hop- MAMA 2009
NOMINATIONS:
Best International Act BET AWARDS
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
} 2010
Best New Act - MTV MAMA AWARDS 2009
Best Hip Hop - MTV MAMA AWARDS 2009
JESSE JAGZ - Jesse Abaga
AWARDS
Artist with most Top Ten hits- Cool FM
Cool FM
97.4 Cool FM is a commercial radio station, based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, owned and operated by Bauer Radio and part of the Big City Network. The station began broadcasting in 1990 when its parent station Downtown Radio ceased simulcasting and split its AM and FM frequencies into two...
Producer of the Year- Plateau Award for Excellence-2008
NOMINATIONS
Producer of the Year- Hip Hop World Awards 2009
Producer of the Year- The Future Awards 2009
ICE PRINCE- Panshak Zamani
AWARDS
Winner- Hennessy Artistry September 2009 - 2010
Bring The Noise Project
M.I (Jude Abaga) represented Nigeria on a 12 country tour of the UK and Africa from 2007–2008Discography
| Album Information |
|---|
| Ice Prince Ice Prince Panshak Zamani, better known by his stage name Ice Prince, is a prominent Nigerian Hip hop Artist and the winner of Hennessy Artistry 2009 . He is signed to Chocolate City music label .-Early Life:...
|
M.I - M.I 2
|
| Jesse Jagz - Jag of all Tradez
|
| - Talk About it
|
| M.I '
|
Sources
- http://www.chocolatecitygroup.com
- Audi Maikori IYMEY 2007 winner
- CCM Profole at creativeeconomy.org
- Music and Money
- AfricaHit News
- http://www.nigeriamusicmovement.com/index.php/tag/chocolate-city
External links
- http://www.chocolatecitygroup.com
- http://chocolatecitygroup.com/
- http://www.onenigeriasearch.com/company_profile.php?id=Chocolate+City&upload=55442059565690
- http://www.nigeriamusicmovement.com/index.php/chocolate-city-record-label-profile
http://www.chocolatecitygroup.com
- Audi Maikori IYMEY 2007 winner
- CCM Profole at creativeeconomy.org
- Music and Money
- AfricaHit News
- http://www.nigeriamusicmovement.com/index.php/tag/chocolate-city