‘Wizkid Was A Studio Rat, Not Fortunate Enough To Afford Studio Time’ – Banky W

Nigerian music executive, Olubankole Wellington, better known as Banky W, has reflected on the early career struggle of Afrobeat singer, Ayo Balogun, professionally known as Wizkid, before coming to the limelight.

Naija News reports that in a viral video online, Banky W, who was pivotal in launching Wizkid’s career through his record label, Empire Mates Entertainment, EME, said the ‘Ojuelegba’ crooner spent hours hanging around various studios because he could not afford studio time.

The music executive who described Wizkid as a studio rat acknowledged the singer’s commitment and skill.

He said, “Wizkid for a long time in his life was not fortunate enough to afford studio time.

“So he was a studio rat as he will go to any studio where they will let him hang out and he will hang out all day waiting, hoping and praying that engineers and producers to just pity him and say oya, come and record for 15 or 30 mins because he could not pay for his session.

“So, all day long, he would be working on hooks and melodies and just coming up with things in case he was given the opportunity to jump on the mic for five minutes.

“He didn’t have time to think about what to write at the moment, so that became his process.

“And now he is one of the fastest songwriters that I have ever encountered in my life, he will just sit, listen, and start freestyling a melody that would become a song that the whole world would want to sing. That is where the name Wiz started from.”