Nigerian dancehall icon Timaya recently shared his humble beginnings in the music industry on the Afrobeats Intelligence Podcast. He revealed that he sold his debut album “True Story” for just ₦500,000, a deal that gave him his big break in Lagos.
The album became a huge success, prompting the marketer to invest an additional ₦7 million for music videos and even gift Timaya a car. This marked the start of his rise to becoming one of Nigeria’s top artistes.
Following the success of True Story, Timaya’s second album “Gift and Grace” attracted major offers — including a groundbreaking ₦24 million deal from Abu Ventures, rivaling figures only earned by stars like 2Baba, P-Square, and D’banj at the time.
Nearly 20 years later, Timaya remains a consistent force in Nigerian music, known for his fusion of dancehall, highlife, and hip-hop, and his ability to churn out street anthems that resonate with fans globally.
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