Akon Speaks On P-Square Fallout, Says He Knew ‘Something Wasn’t Right’ With Management
Senegalese-American singer and entrepreneur Akon has weighed in on the long-running dispute surrounding Nigerian music duo P-Square, saying he noticed signs of poor management when he worked with the group and May D on the 2012 hit “Chop My Money.”
Speaking in an interview with Afrocani, Akon recalled his experience during the production of the song’s video and said he was surprised when P-Square’s management initially wanted May D excluded from the video despite his vocals featuring prominently on the record.
Akon said the situation immediately raised concerns for him about how the group’s management handled its artistes.
“I knew something wasn’t right with the management when they wanted us to shoot the video without May D. That was simply unprofessional.”
According to the singer, he insisted that May D be brought to the United States so he could participate in the video, arguing that an artiste whose voice contributed to a successful record deserved to be visible in its visuals.
Akon said meeting May D personally also convinced him that the singer had considerable musical potential, although he believed May D lacked sufficient understanding of the business side of the industry.
He further disclosed that he privately made May D an offer that he described as an opportunity for greater independence, but said May D later disclosed details of the offer to someone Akon believed was preventing him from achieving that freedom.
Akon described the experience as a lesson about the importance of understanding the business side of the music industry.
The comments come amid renewed attention to the history of P-Square following Peter Okoye’s recent public revelations about the events surrounding the group’s repeated breakups and disagreements involving his twin brother, Paul Okoye, and their elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye.
May D had previously spoken about his own fallout with P-Square, saying his relationship with the group deteriorated after he was excluded from the video shoot for the remix of “Chop My Money.”
The latest revelations have once again sparked conversations about artiste management, contractual arrangements and the need for entertainers to have proper legal and business representation throughout their careers.
Speaking in an interview with Afrocani, Akon recalled his experience during the production of the song’s video and said he was surprised when P-Square’s management initially wanted May D excluded from the video despite his vocals featuring prominently on the record.
Akon said the situation immediately raised concerns for him about how the group’s management handled its artistes.
“I knew something wasn’t right with the management when they wanted us to shoot the video without May D. That was simply unprofessional.”
According to the singer, he insisted that May D be brought to the United States so he could participate in the video, arguing that an artiste whose voice contributed to a successful record deserved to be visible in its visuals.
Akon said meeting May D personally also convinced him that the singer had considerable musical potential, although he believed May D lacked sufficient understanding of the business side of the industry.
He further disclosed that he privately made May D an offer that he described as an opportunity for greater independence, but said May D later disclosed details of the offer to someone Akon believed was preventing him from achieving that freedom.
Akon described the experience as a lesson about the importance of understanding the business side of the music industry.
The comments come amid renewed attention to the history of P-Square following Peter Okoye’s recent public revelations about the events surrounding the group’s repeated breakups and disagreements involving his twin brother, Paul Okoye, and their elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye.
May D had previously spoken about his own fallout with P-Square, saying his relationship with the group deteriorated after he was excluded from the video shoot for the remix of “Chop My Money.”
The latest revelations have once again sparked conversations about artiste management, contractual arrangements and the need for entertainers to have proper legal and business representation throughout their careers.
