Famed music executive Banky W recently shared insights into the early career of afrobeat star Wizkid, describing the artist’s initial struggles in the industry. In a viral video circulating on social media, Banky W recalled Wizkid’s relentless dedication to music, revealing how the singer began as a “studio rat,” spending countless hours in recording studios without the funds to pay for studio time.
Banky W, who played a significant role in launching Wizkid’s career through his record label Empire Mates Entertainment (EME), explained that Wizkid would linger in various studios, hoping for a chance to record. “Wizkid for a long time in his life was not fortunate enough to afford studio time,” Banky said. “He would go to any studio where they would let him hang out, spending all day waiting, hoping, and praying that an engineer or producer would have mercy on him and give him just 15 or 30 minutes to record.”
This process, Banky W noted, shaped Wizkid’s approach to songwriting, as he would constantly prepare hooks and melodies, ready to jump on the microphone at a moment’s notice. Today, Wizkid is known as one of the fastest songwriters Banky has ever encountered. “He will just sit, listen, and start freestyling a melody that would become a song the whole world wants to sing. That is where the name Wiz started from,” Banky added.
Wizkid’s journey from a young artist struggling to gain access to studios to an internationally renowned afrobeat star has become an inspiring story for many aspiring musicians. His rapid rise and remarkable talent have helped him become one of the most celebrated voices in afrobeat today.
