Chocolate City is a Nigerian record label founded in 2005 by lawyers Audu Maikori, Paul Okeugo, and Yahaya Maikori. Considered one of Nigeria's top record labels, Chocolate City operates as a subsidiary of Chocolate City Group. Other arms of the group include Chocolate City Distribution, Chocolate City Events, CCX, and Chocolate City Media. The label partnered with Warner Music Group (WMG) on 28 March 2019. Through WMG's independent division, ADA, Chocolate City artists will join WMG's catalog and benefit from the company's distribution and artist services.
The label is currently home to artists such as Young Jonn, Blaqbonez, Candy Bleakz, Tar1q, Major AJ, and Noon Dave. Artists formerly signed to the label include M.I Abaga, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, Brymo, Victoria Kimani, Nosa, DJ Caise, DJ Lambo, Jeremiah Gyang, Dice Ailes, Ruby Gyang, Koker, and Pryse, among others. Chocolate City has also worked on the careers of artists such as Djinee and Aṣa.
History Founded as a nightclub in 1997, Chocolate City quickly became the number one promotions outfit in the Northern part of Nigeria and moved into the industry mainstream in 2005 with the launch of the record label (Chocolate City Music). In 2001, Audu Maikori and Paul Okeugo founded the Guild of Artistes and Poets, called an "arts appreciation society" which held weekly meetings which focused on the arts, music, poetry and creativity as a means of youth engagement and empowerment.
Under the leadership of MI, Chocolate City expanded by creating sub-labels that included 100 Crowns which discovered and signed Blaqbonez, and UpNorth Records, which signed Classiq and Dijay Cinch, it had its first-ever press conference where every artiste was present to answer questions from members of the press. The press conference was planned to be every month, but it only had been held once
In March 2019, Chocolate City signed a worldwide distribution deal with Warner Music Group. In April 2015, Maikori stepped down after ten years of piloting the affairs of the label and appointed M.I. to take over as the CEO of Chocolate City Music label while Ice Prince became the Vice President of Music for the label Maikori assumed the position of Group CEO of Chocolate City Group, which comprised Chocolate City Music (Record Label), Chocolate City Media, CCX Lounge (live music venue franchise), Bean Agency (an experiential marketing company), and Replete Publishing (A music publishing and distribution company). Paul Okeugo was also appointed Group COO for the group.
The G.A.P later became one of the new age art renaissance movements, which quickly gained membership in Jos, Abuja, and Lagos with a combined membership of over 3000 attendees at its peak. The GAP brought to light the need for artists to have better representation, which Audu gave in the form of pro bono legal services, and this eventually led to his registering Chocolate City with his bonus earnings from his job as a lawyer with the chambers of Afe Babalola and co. The first act to be signed to the Chocolate City label was multi-talented instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer Jeremiah Gyang (whose debut album Na BA KA sold over 4 Million copies and won numerous accolades and acclaim for the artist as well as the label).
Chocolate City went on to discover and manage the careers of Djinee, M.I, Aṣa, Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, Brymo, and other artists who have won over 70 local and international awards. In June 2007, Audu Maikori won the British award for International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) by the British Council, making Nigeria the first country to win two global awards in the Young Creative Entrepreneurs Series (the first was Lanre Lawal (IYDEY) 2005), after beating nine countries including the Philippines, Latvia, Lithuania, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Tanzania, Egypt and Poland.
Chocolate City was the first Nigerian music company to attain a global music award and recognition by the British Council in 2007: International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) 2007. Chocolate City has since worked closely with the federal government of Nigeria and several international organizations, such as the British Council, to promote creative industries and capacity-building projects in and around Nigeria. In April 2008, Chocolate City announced a major collaborative effort in partnership with the British Council and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to take a delegation of Nigerian music stakeholders to London Calling 2008 in a bid to open new vistas for the fast-growing Nigerian music industry currently valued at around $500 Million (2007). The Minister of Culture and Tourism led the 40-man delegation.
Reuters International produced a documentary on the Chocolate City success story tagged "Music and Money" in recognition of its contributions to developing the Nigerian music industry. Over the years, Chocolate City has partnered with many international and regional creative industry organisations, with affiliates in South Africa, the U.K., and the US, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the British Council toward promoting and celebrating creativity in Nigeria. On 8 December 2011, parent company Chocolate City Group won the African Awards for Entrepreneurship, beating over 3,300 applicants from 48 African countries to clinch the runner-up prize, making history as the first entertainment company to win the prize since 2007.
Accolades Year Awards ceremony Award description(s) Results Ref2011Africa Awards for EntrepreneurshipFinalist (Chocolate City Group)City People Entertainment AwardsRecord Label of the Year2013
Artists Current acts ActYear signedReleases under the labelRefNosa20121Yung L20171ClassiQ2019–Blaqbonez20193Candy Bleakz20202Young Jonn20222-Major AJ20224Noon Dave20212Tar1q20231
Former acts ActYear signedYear leftReleases under the labelRefJeremiah Gyang200520101M.I200820208Jesse Jagz20102013120152017Ice Prince20102016 3Brymo201020131DJ Caise20112017 0Pryse201220160Victoria Kimani201220172Nosa20121Dice Ailes20142021– Milli201520160Kahli Abdu & VHS Safari201520160Koker201520180DJ Lambo201520190CKay201620212
Discography
YearInformationRef2005Jeremiah Gyang - Na Ba Ka Released: May 2005 Singles: "Na Ba Ka", "Wakar Najeriya", "Gonna Be", "Kasi Tala", "Ban Da Kai"2008M.I - Talk About It Released: 11 December 2008 Singles: "Safe", "Anoti", "Money", "Teaser", "Crowd Mentality", "Blaze", "Short Black Boy", "Talk About It"2010Jesse Jagz - Jag of All Tradez Released: 20 April 2010 Singles: "Wetin Dey", "Nobody Test Me", "Love You", "Pump it Up"M.I - MI 2 Released: 23 November 2010 Singles: "Action Film", "Beef", "Undisputed", "Nobody"2011Ice Prince - Everybody Loves Ice Prince Released: 9 October 2011 Singles: "Superstar", "Oleku", "Juju" 2012Brymo - The Son of a Kapenta Released: 15 November 2012 Singles: "Ara", "Good Morning", "Go Hard"2013Victoria Kimani - Queen Victoria Released:14 October 2013 Singles: Ice Prince - Fire of Zamani Released:28 October 2013 Singles: "I Swear", "Gimme Dat", "More", "Aboki"2014Nosa - Open Doors Released:14 March 2014 Singles: "Always Pray for You", "Why You Love Me" M.I - The Chairman Released: 30 October 2014 Singles: "Bad Belle", "Monkey", "Bullion Van" Sales certification: 30,000 in pre-order sales2015Ice Prince - Trash Can Released: 29 January 2015 Singles: "Marry You"Chocolate City - The Indestructible Choc Boi Nation Released: 30 April 2015 Singles: "Summer Time", "Suite 99"2016Ruby Gyang - This is Love Released: 29 February 2016 Singles: "Shakara", "Good Man" M.I - Illegal Music 3 Released: 29 February 2016 Singles: "Everything I Have Seen"Victoria Kimani - Safari Released: 5 December 2016 Singles: "Gota", "Giving You"2017Yung L - Better Late Than Never Released: 13 October 2017 Singles: "Gbewa", "Anya", "Pressure"2018M.I - Rendezvous Released: 9 February 2018 Singles: "Your Father", "Lekki"M.I – A Study on Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl Released: 24 August 2018 Singles: "You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives" Blaqbonez – Bad Boy Blaq (EP) Released: 31 October 2018 Singles: "Mamiwota"2019CKay – CKay the First (EP) Released: 30 August 2019 Singles: "Way"Street Billionaires - Street Born (EP) Released: 27 September 2019 Singles: "Yoruba Ni Mi"Blaqbonez - Bad Boy Blaq Re-Up (EP) Released: 8 Feb 2019 Singles: Blaqbonez - Mr. Boombastic Released: 25 October 2019 Singles: "Shut Up", "Mr. Boombastic"Nosa- Na Your Way Released: Singles: Candy Bleakz Singles- "Owo Osu", "Virus" Released: 31 May 20192020MI Abaga- The Live Report (EP) Released: 15 April 2020
African Knockout
Released: 23 October 2020Nosa Singles
-Dry Bones (13 March 2020)
- If God Be For Me (1 May 2020)CkayLove Nwantintin remix (feat Joeboy, Kuami Eugene)Candy Bleakz Kelegbe (17 April 2020) Won La (11 September 2020)2021MI Abaga Singles: "TBDK" (19 March 2021), "All My Life" (4 June 2021)Blaqbonez- Sex Over Love Released: 30 April 2021 Singles: BlingCandy Bleakz- Singles Kope (19 March 2021)Baba Nla feat Teni (27 May 2021)2022Young Jonn- Singles
Dada Dada Remix feat Davido (28 April 2022) Normally Xtra Cool
EP
Love Is Not Enough Love Is Not Enough Vol 2Candy Bleakz "Tikuku" (single)- Released 29 April 2022 FIRE EP - Released 24 June 2022
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