Creatives find strength in collaborations. A wise saying even goes: Don’t go alone if you want to go far. This is, perhaps, the most popular advice the Nigerian creative industry takes for itself. The promise is simple: If you work with those who align with your style and vision, you’ll share synergy, build bridges, expand audiences, and secure more bags.
Collaboration is as old as time. But it works when the parties put collective effort above individual glory. Everyone needs others to succeed. The eye-catching movement of BNXN comes to mind here. Before he became a multi-million-stream Afrofusion artist, he was a buzzing internet sensation circa 2018. However, he needed a career scale-up from Zlatan, the hottest artist at the time. Spiritual (2019) came out of that process, pushing BNXN’s music to a broader audience. Riding on the clout that collaboration gathered, BNXN put out L’enu, a single which further elevated his career status.
L’enu, a self-assurance song, took off, landed a remix with Burna Boy and a befitting TG-Omori-directed music video in April 2020. By 2021, BNXN had started donning collaborations himself. His features with Timaya, Rexxie, Ladipoe, and Wizkid were in the bag. Veteran comedian and music executive producer Basketmouth also grabbed BNXN for a single titled Your Body.
This collaboration built a new relationship with another creative.
Earlier in 2021, BNXN reconnected with childhood friend Sore Adebisi. They grew up together as kids in Gbagada, Lagos, but lost touch in their formative years. They didn’t cross paths for many years until one random day in a Lagos shopping mall. It was right there Sore pitched himself to BNXN as a graphic designer and illustrator.
BNXN promised to give a call, and he did on a random day to commission Sore to make the official artwork for Basketmouth’s Your Body. BNXN was a satisfied client. Sore became BNXN’s creative director, solidifying their creative partnership. Since then, they’ve collaborated on over six BNXN’s artworks, including his “Sincerely, Benson” album. They went further and created a metaverse and Web3 project called “headsbybnxn” together.
Their relationship lends credence to the concept of “I rise, we rise”. In a short time, Sore’s work with BNXN started to open him to collaboration deals with other artists and brands. Sore made Kizz Daniel’s “10 Years On Stage” concert design. Popular liquor company Chivas Regal sponsored Sore’s art exhibition.
Interestingly, this same brand made BNXN its new Regal, including video director TG Omori. In an appraisal of their deals with Chivas Regal, it’s important to note the drink brand’s intentionality in associating itself with Nigerian top creatives that embrace collaboration.
TG Omori has also come a long way from Wale Adenuga Productions, equipping his jetpack by the way of PEFTI before he took off. TG’s break into the mainstream came in 2019 with YCee’s My Side music video. The same year, his CV scored ID Cabasa’s Totori, which features Wizkid and Olamide. Since then, TG Omori’s collaborations have moved from Olamide to Diamond Platnumz, Kizz Daniel, Asake and BNXN, for whom he shot his breakout song video (L’enu Remix). TG and BNXN have also collaborated on other videos like Outside and PRAY. The latter, which is their favourite, has over 10 million YouTube views.
BNXN and TG Omori’s linkup happened naturally. TG received PRAY at a time he could deeply relate to the message and felt the need to tell an authentic and poignant story. BNXN, too, was inspired to make a short film out of the song. From there, they synced, and everything fell into place.
Fast-forward to 2024, BNXN, Sore and TG Omori are recognised as top collaborative talents. BNXN continues to stretch its collaborative streak. In 2024, he put out “RnB”, a joint album with Ruger, and assisted on UK’s Stefflon Don and Headie One’s new albums. Sore is illustrating some of the hardest artworks in Afrobeats; from Davido to Timaya to Mayorkun, Mayorkun, Taves and Kizz Daniel. TG Omori continues to stun with videos like Asake’s Only Me, Kizz Daniel’s Twe Twe, Fireboy DML’s Everyday, and Young Jonn’s Go Hard. He has become one of the most sought-after music video directors, and his price point attracts $50,000.
Looking at their creative journeys, they’ve achieved significantly in a short time. However, these successes aren’t just a result of their passions and talents; their openness to collaborations also played a part. Bringing ideas and minds together elevates creativity from ordinary to grand and special. BNXN, TG Omori and Sore can teach us that.
