ABOUT WALE DAVIES

Wale Davies, also known as Tec, is a creative pioneer and figurehead of the independent music scene in Africa. As a musician entrepreneur, he is a record label owner, a production company owner, video and film director, and talent manager.

Making Music with Integrity

Music is not a career most African parents want to see their kids pursuing. That may be why many parents tried to have Wale Davies dissuade their youth from entering the industry. But Wale is the perfect example of living your passion. Music is encoded into his DNA. Through the rap duo Show Dem Camp, this love has become a thriving career.

In Wale Davies’ journey from finance student to musician, you will hear firsthand about hard work, living authentically, and the need to keep learning. He’s added to his skill sets over the years, which has diversified his knowledge base and led to new opportunities.

He will also touch on the advantages of being an independent artist. Learn where he sees the music industry going and how it’s different from when Show Dem Camp started.

Highlights of the episode:

• Music was never Wale Davies’ plan; he didn’t see it as a career (4:52)
• His time at the University of Brighton and university’s ability to expose you to different points of view. (7:21)
• Being raised by a single parent and the foundational lessons he learned from his mother (11:33)
• How he ended up in Nigeria making music (21:39)
• The work behind building a music career; parents asking him to talk their kids out of it and the pushback from peers about choosing music (25:29)
• The source of Wale Davies’ confidence (29:51)
• Deciding to go independent versus signing onto a label; how it increased their skillset and made them more strategic (33:07)
• Comparing how things were before to today’s music industry and streaming distribution; how social media is an amplifier (52:48)
• Wale Davies’ thoughts and hopes on the music industry’s future (1:10:08)

Mentioned Resources

• Show Dem Camp
• Ghost
• Malée
• Tuface Idibida
• Naeto C
• DRB LasGidi
• P-square
• Nneka
• M.I.
• Art X Lagos