My experience working with, Krizbeatz, Reminisce, others —Oyin Ameen

Oyin Ameen may be short in stature but not in experience. Ameen is rated as one of the biggest artiste managers in the country as he has shown over the years with the management of successful artistes such as Jahbless, Reminisce and more. He’s currently handling the affairs of popular music producer, Krizbeatz and has been able to use his wealth of experience to transform the career of the young man, who is now rated as the king of new wave music producers. In this interview with SEGUN ADEBAYO, Ameen, speaks on his job and why he will continue to stay relevant.

 

You have been in the entertainment industry for a few years, how would you describe the struggle over the years?

Entertainment started for me when I was in the university. It remains a hobby for me. I started with writing entertainment articles and reviews for various publications. Then,  I had my entertainment magazine, and later, I started hosting events. There were a couple of tours in the middle of it too. And of course, the artiste management side of me. It all started from school. So when I left school, I figured I am passionate about entertainment and everything that relates to it. I decided to give it my all and that remains one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

 

How did you handle moving from managing one artiste to another; what did they see in you, despite being a young man?

We are business people. Basically, it’s all about interest. Once our interest aligns in terms of vision and revenue, we will work. When we differ on interest the relationship would be affected. It is a common saying that there is no permanent relationship, just permanent interest, which, for me, is success.

 

People say Ameen is one of the biggest managers in the industry today, how big are you and how strong is your game?

It depends on the angle you are coming from. The roaster of my company, my clients or how rich I am, depends on how you want to look at it. I think I am doing just fine; there are many things to achieve. My best is yet to be seen.

 

You have worked with a lot of artistes over the years, who was the first one and what was it like?

The first major artiste I managed was Jahbless. We worked for two years. Jahbless is a very patient person and a great teacher. I learnt a lot from him, may God bless him for the opportunity despite the fact that I had no prior experience. He saw the zeal and interest in me and gave me the shot. Shortly after then, I was with Reminisce between 2015 and 2016, which was more of a learning process at that time. Reminisce experience was more professional, he is great guy too. Now, I am with Krizbeatz and very soon, I will be working with Emma Nyra. I will be taking up her project next year.

 

You didn’t set out to be an artiste manager, how did you come about that?

My first love has always been artiste management. I grew up watching Irv Gotti and his murder Inc Company while in secondary school. I admire him a lot and always want to grow up and be like him. In Nigeria, I admire people like Obi Asika and Keke Ogungbe; they are professional label executives. They started when artiste management wasn’t so pronounced, and they have done well for themselves. At this stage, I am also a music business executive, not just a manager.

 

If you had managed all the guys you mentioned, why did you leave them?

It was definitely for different reasons. I won’t like to go into details now, and like I said earlier, business is about interest, ones our interest no longer intercepts, we move on. It was nothing personal, it’s just business.

 

Your company now manages Krizbeatz, who is regarded as the king of new-wave producers and one of the biggest in the music industry today. How has it been?

Krizbeatz’s job was a very different experience for me, it came with a lot if creative challenges. To establish his brand and build it from the rock bottom to where it is, I am glad you called him King of new wave. I think that’s part of the work we did for his brand.

 

Krizbeatz is a music producer and songwriter, how do you manage to balance the two for him?

I think it goes hand in hand because he writes most of the songs he produces. So, it is like selling rice and stew as only few people eat rice without stew. The fact is that only a few people write their songs these days.

 

How would you rate yourself among other top artiste managers around now?

There is no artiste I can’t handle as far as artiste management is concerned. I am very good at that and I have the experience. I don’t attempt to rate myself because that will be a recipe for failure. I just love to concentrate on my game and build a very strong brand that I don’t have to struggle to be heard or known. It is that simple.

 

Who influences you in the music industry?

I have only one mentor in the world, Irv Gotti, one of the most creative and hardworking in the United States. He is a man who worked hard from the bottom to the pent house; he lost everything and started from the scratch again, he has my respect any day.

 

Now that everything about music management seems to have gone digital thereby bringing an artiste even closer to his clients, what does the future hold for artiste managers?

For me, there are no robot artiste managers yet. Artiste management is one of the most secured jobs on earth. People I grew up to know in this job are very active today and still call the shots within and outside the country. It will even shock you to know that only two per cent of the artistes that reigned back then are relevant today while their managers are still very active. There are new artistes every day. As long as you can identify the good ones, your job is secured for another 10 years. You just to keep reinventing yourself discover new talents and nurture them.