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In 2024, Burna Boy bought back the master rights to songs he released under his former label, Aristokrat Records.

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Last year, Burna Boy bought back the master rights to songs he released under his former label, Aristokrat Records. This move is a smart one because, no matter how much wealth you acquire during your active years, master rights are your greatest asset as a musician.

But what exactly are master rights, and why are they such a huge asset?

That will be the first part of my series for this week. I started the introduction on Saturday.

RECORD DEAL CLAUSES EVERY UPCOMING ARTIST SHOULD KNOW: Part 1 – Master Rights

1. Ownership and Control of Masters (Master Rights)

Explanation: The master recordings are the original versions of your songs. Whoever owns the masters has control over how the music is used, licensed, and monetized. Traditionally, record labels own the masters, especially in a 360 deal.

For an artist, retaining control over your masters is crucial because they are your most valuable asset but not easy to acquire if you started your career with a record label before hitting the limelight. If you own your masters, you control how your music is used in movies, commercials, video games, or even sampled by other artists. You also earn royalties directly from your music’s usage.

Here are some real-life examples:

EME still owns Wizkid’s Ayo and Superstar albums.

HKN Music owns Davido’s debut album Omo Baba Olowo.

G-Worldwide still owns Kizz Daniel’s master rights for Woju, Laye, and New Era album. He only moved the songs from his old profile (Kiss Daniel) to his current profile (Kizz Daniel) after reconciling with is former label boss.

Aristokrat Records used to own Burna Boy’s L.I.F.E and On A Spaceship albums until he bought back the rights last year.

All songs that Korede Bello, Reekado Banks, and Tiwa Savage released under Mavin Records still belong to the label, while they receive a percentage of streaming royalties for these songs, Mavin Records owns the master rights, meaning the label can license the songs for movies, games, or even samples without the artist’s direct consent.

Clause to get your master right:

For unknown artists, convincing a label to give you complete control over your masters can be difficult because they helped build your image during your early career.

However, you can negotiate a buy-back clause when signing a record contract. This allows the label to own the masters initially but gives you the right to purchase part of it or the full rights after a set period (e.g., 5-10 years) for a pre-agreed amount.

This compromise ensures that:

The label profits from their investment.

You have the opportunity to regain control of your music in the future.

Why This Matters:

Master rights represent your long-term wealth. No matter how popular you become during your active career, your masters will continue to generate income for you and your children long after you’ve stopped making music.

Final Thoughts:

The music industry is a business. Record labels aren’t charity organizations — they are in business to make a profit. But as an artist, you need to protect your long-term interests.

Don’t rush to sign any contract without understanding what you’re giving up.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about another essential clause — “Term and Options (Contract Duration)” — and how to negotiate it smartly.

My name is Obama-Naija, and all through this week, I’ll be breaking down each clause every artist must consider before signing a record deal.

Follow my page to stay updated!

 

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Relationship expert, BlessingCEO celebrates as IVD is discharged and acquitted of involuntary manslaughter after 4 years

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Relationship therapist and media personality Blessingceo has taken to Instagram to announce that businessman Ikechukwu Darry Ogobnna, popularly known as IVD, has been discharged and acquitted of manslaughter charges related to the d3ath of his late wife Bimbo.

In an emotional post, Blessingceo described the moment as an answer to prayers, marking the end of what she called four years of tears and false narratives.

According to her, the outcome proves that the Nigerian justice system still works, as she expressed pride in the country and relief that the case has finally come to an end.

She congratulated IVD, saying he can now have his life back after the long legal battle.

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Billionaire’s daughter Temi Otedola and singer Mr Eazi open up on stress, disagreements before settling on three destination weddings

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Temi Otedola and singer Mr Eazi have opened up about the intense stress, back-and-forth, and disagreements they went through before finally agreeing on the countries for their destination weddings.

According to the couple, planning three weddings across three countries within just three months was anything but easy.

“Three weddings in three months is insane,” they admitted, revealing how overwhelming the entire process became, especially with one event following closely after the other.

Temi shared that their original idea was to have a quiet court wedding in Nigeria. But privacy quickly became an issue.

“If we went to the courthouse in Nigeria, it wouldn’t be as private as we wanted,” she explained.

An alternative was suggested — bringing the court officials into their living room for a private civil ceremony. Temi found the idea interesting, but Mr Eazi wasn’t fully convinced.

That disagreement pushed them back to the drawing board.

Eventually, they settled on Monaco for their civil wedding, a choice Temi described as more sentimental. The UK was also considered at some point, but Temi admitted it didn’t feel personal enough to her.

What shocked her the most, however, was the reality of marriage paperwork.

“I thought getting married was just deciding and signing papers,” Temi said. “I didn’t know there was a mountain of administration.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSSAJ6rjAjr/?igsh=MTd4OXphazl3M2pqOQ==

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John Cena Retires From Wrestling (Video)

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John Cena’s in-ring WWE career officially ended on Saturday night at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., bringing down the curtain on more than two decades at the top of professional wrestling.

The farewell headlined the final WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event of 2025 and delivered a definitive, emotional conclusion to one of the industry’s most influential careers.

Cena’s last match saw him submit to Gunther after a punishing, near 24-minute main event that blended intensity, respect and finality.

The crowd remained fully invested throughout, rallying behind Cena in the hope of a last-gasp victory that never came.

While the result shocked many in attendance, the post-match atmosphere quickly shifted to appreciation as Cena addressed the crowd, surrounded by WWE talent and staff.

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes faced NXT Champion Oba Femi in the opening bout, but interference from Drew McIntyre led to a disqualification finish.

Despite the short runtime, Femi emerged as a clear winner in perception, making him a future main-event player.

Meanwhile, Sol Ruca delivered one of the standout performances of the night, defeating Bayley in a result that felt less like an upset and more like a statement.

Her athletic offence and confidence marked her as a rising force in the women’s division.

The final match before Cena’s farewell featured World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee against Je’Von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater.

Despite the difficult slot ahead of the main event, the bout delivered action and kept the crowd engaged.

Cena exits WWE having helped elevate the company to new commercial heights, while deliberately leaving the spotlight to the next wave of stars.

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