Lagos, Nigeria - In a sobering look at the economics of Afrobeats, legendary producer Sarz has described the pursuit of a Nigerian music career as an "extreme sport" where the structural odds are heavily stacked against the creators. Despite the global explosion of African music, Sarz revealed that many producers are struggling to survive due to a broken royalty system and a massive disparity in streaming revenue between local and international markets. According to Sarz, the financial reality of the Nigerian market is stark: one million streams in the United States can generate between $3,000 and $5,000, whereas the same million streams from Nigerian listeners might only yield $300 to $500. This 90% revenue gap, largely driven by the lack of premium subscribers in the local economy, is a primary factor pushing Afrobeats artists to relocate abroad. Sarz noted that while marketing and promotion costs remain high and often consistent globally, the residual income for local creators is often negligible, forcing many to rely on "main character energy" and live performances to stay afloat.
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Reflecting on his own journey, Sarz discussed the paradox of global success. While his work on Drake's "One Dance" cemented his international status, it inadvertently created a distance between him and the local Afrobeats community, with many assuming he had become "unreachable." This prompted a strategic pivot toward producing his own projects, such as his 2025 debut studio album, Protect Sarz At All Costs. However, he admitted that even at his level, the industry remains fraught with challenges, including complex stakeholder management, royalty disputes, and the "timeline grief" that comes from sacrificing family and personal relationships for a relentless career. Looking toward the future, Sarz expressed concern that global Black music is at a crossroads, where rapid consumption habits on social media threaten the longevity of artistic projects. To combat this, he is focusing on building sustainable infrastructure through a partnership with United Masters and the continued expansion of The Sarz Academy. The academy, which has trained architects of the genre like P.Priime and Tempoe, is Sarz's attempt to provide the next generation with the business expertise he had to learn the hard way. He also touched on the inevitable role of AI in music, suggesting that while it will disrupt production, the "soul and taste" of a human producer remain protected assets for now.
