If you know anything about African parents, then you know Davido’s father was not happy when he dropped out of Oakwood University to pursue music (as a Caribbean-American, I can absolutely relate).
After all, he’d moved from Nigeria to the US for what was supposed to be a world-class business education, but instead chose to make beats instead of getting his degree. The audacity of it all!
Thankfully, his story had a happy ending (because I’m sure he would never hear the end of it), and look where he is now. This July, Davido’s performing at Essence Festival of Culture 2025 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, which is a major milestone achievement for any artist, but especially for someone who basically bet his entire future on Afrobeats. A genre that was still fighting for recognition outside of West Africa (even though, let’s be real, the sound had been setting trends for years already).
There’s honestly so much to learn from Davido’s gamble on music that has now led him to a business empire, and while we’ll be enjoying his performance this summer, we’ll also be swiftly taking notes (and you should too!).
Why building your own system beats playing someone else’s game
Davido Music Worldwide (also known as DMW), was founded by Davido in 2016 and it is one of Africa’s most prominent record labels. Between DMW’s roster of hits (from artists including himself, Morravey and Boi Chase) and all his endorsement deals with brands like Pepsi, Puma, and Infinix Mobile, Davido has tapped into multiple revenue streams that most artists never think to create.
Streaming may have cracked the door open, but Davido didn’t stop there. He built a real infrastructure — from artist development to arena-scale performances — while some of his colleagues and peers were only focused on getting radio airplay. And if you’ve ever seen ANY artist biopic, you know how those things turn out, because the money is not just in the music. Davido had a global vision and saw the bigger picture that was outside of Africa.
Under his leadership, DMW became a launchpad for talent, a creative ecosystem, and a brand with its own gravitational pull. He learned early on that when you control the infrastructure, you control the profits.
How to make brand partnerships feel real instead of fake
You know how some celebrity endorsements just feel forced (*ahem, looking at you Kim Kardashian)? To the point where you know that someone clearly just handed them a check to hold up a product. And while I’m not mad at anyone getting their bag, there’s a certain finesse that should happen, especially when trying to sell to your audience. If you’ve been following Davido for any period of time then you know his partnerships don’t have that problem. When he’s promoting a mobile phone brand, it makes sense because the man is constantly on social media connecting with fans. When he’s endorsing a drink, it fits his party-ready image.
Actually, all of his recommendations feel like they’re from someone whose lifestyle you actually want to emulate. And that’s worth way more than your typical spokesperson deal, honestly.
What happens when you stay true to yourself while expanding globally
When Davido started pushing into the American market, he could have tried to sound more “American” or water down his Nigerian identity. We’ve seen it happen before, and sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t. Instead, he doubled down on being authentically African.
And that’s exactly what global audiences didn’t know they needed. We were getting tired of standing on couches listening to the same Drake songs on repeat. No shade to Drizzy, but it was time way before Kendrick said so. By staying true to his roots while learning how to package his music for different markets, Davido created a blueprint that other African artists are now following.
The collaborations with Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, and other international artists also opened doors and created relationships that would help him tenfold in penetrating the American market.
Why treating every relationship like a potential business opportunity pays off
Social media is where Davido really shows his business intelligence. Most artists use Instagram and Twitter to promote their music and that’s it. Davido often engages with fans, sharing behind-the-scenes content, making people feel like they’re part of his journey.
That kind of engagement builds loyalty that translates to real money. When he drops a new song, he’s got millions of people who feel personally connected to his success.
The Superdome stage this summer is going to be one of the biggest cultural moments in history (if we do say so ourselves), but it’s not like this is where his story ends. Davido’s built something that can survive way beyond any single song or album. He’s created a business empire that shows you don’t have to choose between staying authentic and making serious money.
Looking at his journey from university dropout to international mogul, the lessons are clear: Build your own infrastructure. Stay true to who you are while learning how to speak to different audiences. Treat every relationship like it matters. And most of all? Never forget where you came from.
The ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® will take place July 3-6. For more information and updates on the festival, visit our website and follow us on social media @ESSENCEFest on X, Facebook, and Instagram.