Bella Shmurda Exposes Music Industry Secrets: Why Nigerian Artists Are Drowning In Debt

Nigerian Afrobeats star Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi, popularly known as Bella Shmurda, has revealed that many artists in the industry struggle to finance their music projects without the backing of major record labels—largely due to reckless spending on unnecessary luxuries.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, the Cash App hitmaker expressed concern over how frivolous lifestyles are draining the finances of numerous Nigerian artists.

According to Shmurda, building a successful brand doesn’t require splurging on flashy jewelry or luxury cars. He emphasized that simplicity can be just as powerful, urging artists to focus on personal grooming and style rather than materialism.

“I don’t believe packaging should be about material things,” he said. “Wearing good clothes, having nice skin, brushing your teeth, and smelling fresh—that’s enough. You don’t need chains or expensive items to look good. Some of us started out without any of that and still looked fine.”

The singer admitted he once made similar financial mistakes early in his career but eventually learned better.

He added, “Because there’s so much focus on appearances, young artists rush to take label advances and end up buried in debt. Their catalogs are then held hostage for years. They spend their money on big cars instead of investing in their music. I made that mistake too—but I’ve learned. We really need to educate ourselves about these things.”