Sarz: The Brutal Truth About Making It in Afrobeats

"In Nigeria, I haven't received any residual income from my music. From Nigeria." Sarz, the architect behind two decades of African sound, joins us for a raw conversation about what it really takes to build a career in music from this side of the world. From producing "One Dance" to "Beat of Life" to his latest album, Sarz has shaped the sonic identity of Afrobeats—but the journey has been anything but glamorous. In this episode, he breaks down the brutal economics of being a producer in Nigeria, why "One Dance" going global actually made him feel unreachable to the Afrobeats community, and the moment he realized his destiny couldn't be tied to anyone else's decisions. We go deep on the business politics that kill collaborations, why black music globally is at a crossroads, and the personal cost of two decades of relentless ambition. This is a masterclass for anyone in the creative industry—and a wake-up call about the infrastructure gaps holding African music back. 🎵 WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS • Why Nigerian producers earn nothing from local streams while their music dominates • The politics behind why hit songs never get released • How "One Dance" changed everything—and nothing • The real reason Afrobeats artists are leaving Nigeria • Timeline grief, burnout, and reconnecting with family after years of grinding • AI in music: threat or tool? • Building the Sarz Academy to change the game for the next generation 📍 WHERE TO FIND SARZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/only1sarz/ Sarz New Album: https://sarz.lnk.to/PSAAC? 💰 EPISODE SPONSORS Vban - Open a free global account in minutes. Use code AFROPOLITAN: https://vban.com Risevest - Dollar-denominated investments in US stocks, real estate & fixed income: https://click.risevest.com/gb0g/afrop Convo - Book 1:1 calls with Africa's boldest thinkers: https://convo.vip/ 🎧 LISTEN ON OTHER PLATFORMS Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YwRlkS Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast 👥 YOUR HOSTS Eche Emole — /eemole Chika Uwazie — /chikauwazie Book 1:1 with Eche: https://convo.vip/echeemole Book 1:1 with Chika: https://convo.vip/chikauwazie 🌍 STAY CONNECTED Twitter/X: https://x.com/afropolitan Instagram: /afropolitanpodcast LinkedIn: /afropolitannation Website: https://www.afropolitan.io Join the Network State: https://afropolitan.io/join Newsletter: https://www.afropolitan.io/newsletter Community: https://afropolitan.io/community TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - "I haven't received any residual income from my music in Nigeria" 2:16 - Why music is extreme sports: "If you're not passionate, don't try it" 3:45 - What keeps Sarz going after two decades 6:02 - The broken royalty system in Nigerian music 9:25 - Reflecting on 8 years since "One Dance" 11:08 - Why Afrobeats can't scale: venues, economy, and infrastructure 14:18 - "If you explain Nigeria to someone and they understand, you didn't do a good job" 16:07 - The streaming economics: $3-5K per million US streams vs $300-500 in Nigeria 19:23 - Why Afrobeats artists are leaving Nigeria 22:31 - First time in the US: meeting Timbaland and learning to go global 25:03 - The power of collaboration vs. doing everything yourself 28:03 - How the Sarz x WurlD project came together 31:10 - Setting boundaries and knowing your worth 36:13 - The chaos of releasing an album with multiple artists 43:00 - How label politics strain creative relationships 45:43 - Is Afrobeats in trouble? The state of black music globally 51:54 - Partnering with United Masters and building Sarz Academy 53:44 - "I don't see myself as an OG—I still have so much to give" 56:27 - The reward for great work is more work 58:40 - What success has cost: family, relationships, introversion 1:01:47 - Timeline grief: mourning the version of yourself you left behind 1:05:53 - COVID as the reset: learning to slow down 1:08:52 - What Sarz is unlearning in this season 1:11:40 - AI and the future of music production 1:15:36 - Rapid Fire: favorite food, best beat, Cape Town love 1:18:54 - What would you pay for "One Dance" streaming rights today? 1:21:43 - Why "One Dance" made Sarz feel unreachable—and sparked his evolution 1:24:04 - From video game dreams to music: Sarz's origin story 1:26:00 - When his dad thought he was in a robbery gang 1:28:29 - The story behind "Beat of Life" 1:30:44 - Who should sit in this chair next? DJ Maphorisa