ILORIN In an exclusive chat on Musical Moment With Veritas News, AbdulRaheem Jamiu, Chief Executive Officer of Big Jam Records, opened up about the label’s mission, its plans for Kwara artistes, and a new street-to-studio project called “Musical Hunting” designed to discover raw talent across the state.
This is the label boss’s first in-depth interview since Big Jam Records began operations. Speaking with Veritas News Hub, Jamiu said the core purpose of the record label is simple: to give upcoming artistes without a platform the opportunity to be heard and seen.
“The main purpose of Big Jam Records is to give upcoming artistes without a platform the opportunity to be heard and seen,” he told our host. “There are so many talented boys and girls in Ilorin and other parts of Kwara who can sing, rap, and create magic, but nobody is listening because they don’t have access. We want to change that.”
Jamiu, who runs the label alongside his longtime partner Juwon Samson Oyedepo of Hotboiz, said the idea for Big Jam Records came from watching talented youths in Kwara struggle to break out due to lack of structure, funding, and exposure.
“Kwara is blessed with stars,” he said. “But if there’s no one to push them, to put them in a studio, to market them, their talent dies in the room. That’s what we’re here to fix. If I don’t support them, it may be harder for them. So I’m here for Kwarans coming up.”
He revealed that the label currently has one artiste signed Showboy, a singer and rapper who already featured alongside Stevolee on JerryLoba’s latest track “Ride On”produced by YK Holy. But Jamiu insists the focus isn’t just on one name. It’s about building a system that can carry many.
“We’re starting with Showboy to show people how we work,” he explained. “One artiste, full attention, proper structure. When people see results, they’ll trust the process. Then we can take more.”
The major announcement from the interview was Big Jam Records’ upcoming grassroots project: “Musical Hunting.”
According to Jamiu, “Musical Hunting” will be a street show that moves from one community to another across Ilorin and beyond. The concept is straightforward upcoming artistes will perform live in public spaces, get rated by judges and the crowd, receive compensation for their performance, and the best performers will win a day of recording at the studios of Big Jam Records.
“It’s going to be a street show where upcoming artistes perform, get rated, compensated, and given a day record at the studios of Big Jam Records,” Jamiu said. “We want to meet them where they are. Not everybody can come to the studio and pay. Some of them are singing in streets, at bus stops, at events for free. We want to find them, reward them, and give them studio experience.”
He described “Musical Hunting” as both a talent hunt and a message: that talent in Kwara deserves respect and reward, even before it blows.
The project will feature live judging, audience voting, and immediate feedback from industry people brought in by the label. Winners of each edition will not only get studio time but also mentorship sessions on branding, songwriting, and digital distribution.
“We’re not just recording songs,” Jamiu said. “We’re teaching them how to be artistes. How to package themselves, how to use social media, how to collect royalties. That’s what’s missing here.”
When asked where he sees Big Jam Records in 8 years, Jamiu didn’t hold back.
“We would have taken over everywhere,” he said.
The CEO said the partnership with Hotboiz is key to that vision. The two CEOs, who described themselves as long-time friends, said their collaboration is “till forever” and will be used to push Kwara’s sound beyond North Central.
“This business will further unite us,” Juwon Samson Oyedepo added during the interview. “We’re building something that can last beyond us. In 8 years, Big Jam Records should be a name people mention when they talk about Nigerian music, not just Kwara music.”
Both executives said they’re ready to change the music narrative around North Central Nigeria, a region often left out of mainstream industry conversations.
“Kwara has culture, Kwara has sound, Kwara has stories,” Jamiu said. “What we lack is structure and belief. Big Jam Records is here to provide both. We want the world to know that hits can come from Ilorin, from Jebba, from Share, from anywhere in Kwara.”
He urged stakeholders, brands, and government to support local talent development, noting that investing in artistes early creates jobs and keeps creative energy within the state.
“If we keep waiting for Lagos to discover us, we’ll keep waiting forever,” he said. “Let’s discover ourselves first. That’s what ‘Musical Hunting’ is about.”
Big Jam Records says details for the first edition of “Musical Hunting” will be announced soon via Veritas News Hub and the label’s social media pages. Auditions will be open to all genres, and Jamiu stressed that the platform is for serious artistes ready to work, not just chase clout.
“We’re not looking for perfect voices only,” he said. “We’re looking for hunger, originality, and consistency. If you have that, Big Jam Records has a space for you.”
For now, the label continues to push Showboy’s music while preparing the ground for more signings and the rollout of “Musical Hunting.”
With the CEO’s clear mission and a practical plan on the table, Big Jam Records may be the structure Kwara’s music scene has been waiting for.
_This interview was conducted on Musical Moment With Veritas News Hub. Follow Veritas News Hub for updates on “Musical Hunting” dates, audition locations, and Showboy’s next release.
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