Show Dem Camp has always been at the forefront of granting visibility to emerging artists and playing vital roles in their growth and eventual success, which has earned them a spot as an impactful musical duo in the Nigerian music industry. Composed of two rap-heads, Wale Davies and Olumide Ayeni, known as Tec & Ghost, the duo have been actively involved in the music industry for over a decade, since the release of their debut mixtape in 2010. They have since released a total of 10 studio albums, with their latest offering being a joint album featuring Nsikak & The Cavemen.
SDC makes it their duty to introduce emerging artists to the industry with each album release. Whether through the Clone Wars Series – showcasing their hip-hop range – or the Palmwine Series, a blend of highlife and feel-good music, they consistently shine the spotlight on these artists. Some of the artists who have benefited from this include Tems, Shalom Dubas, Moelogo, Oxlade, and most recently, Rhuttie, who features on their latest project, No Love in Lagos.
In 2017, they held their first ever festival in Lagos, the Palm Wine Fest, with all the artists featured on the lineup being emerging talents, including Funbi, Efe Oraka, Santi, Lady Donli, Prettyboy D-O, and others. This festival was an extension of their approach to supporting these artists. Hence, while the album features helped introduce the artists and their sound to the public, their performance at the festival helped strengthen the relationship between them and their fans.
Seven years since the festival began, it has evolved from a small gathering of SDC and alternative music lovers into a yearly cultural event, spotlighting emerging artists and celebrating the alternative music scene. The Palm Wine Festival is now held in multiple cities worldwide, including Lagos, Abuja, Accra, London, and New York.
For a country like Nigeria, with its large population and intense competition, artists often struggle to break through in their careers. Record labels and music academies, which are primarily tasked with this responsibility, can only do so much within their means.
This highlights the importance of artists like SDC, who have established themselves in the industry and are now using their influence to support emerging artists and build the ecosystem.
A product of SDC’s effort at artist discovery and development is Tems, who has transitioned from an emerging artist to a global superstar. Having featured on SDC’s Tales by Moonlight off their Palmwine Express album, she gradually found her niche and grew into a mainstream act. She has since released two EPs, a debut album, and completed a world tour in just five years.
Apparently, if more artists followed this model of spotlighting emerging talent with or without signing them to their label, it would go a long way toward artist discovery, development, and the continuous growth of the Nigerian music industry.
Chukwuebuka Mgbemena is a writer focused on the Nigerian & African entertainment industry. He loves fashion, art and is a staunch chess player.
