Super talent manager Asa Asika has given insights into the power of partnerships between artists and brands.
Using his client Davido as an example, Asika shared that the Afrobeats star’s endorsement pays for a considerable part of his music videos.
“I can’t remember the last time I paid 100% for a music video for Davido. I always have a brand that’s willing to pay for at least half the video.”
Asa Asika
He shared that their deals with Martel, Infinix, and PlayStation have paid for some of the music videos.
Asika added that the way they approach ambassadorial and endorsement deals is with a partnership mindset that has attracted other brands to Davido.
Davido is one of Nigeria’s most endorsed stars with several partnerships with global brands. In an interview earlier in the year, Davido boasted about increasing Martel’s market share in Nigeria.
The visible influence Davido wields led his manager to describe him as the most influential person in Nigeria because of how his lifestyle massively impacts culture. “I have seen this firsthand,” he added.
Asika shared that the artist’s commitment to this partnership and how he seamlessly fuses it with his brand has created a standard for how brands should use talent.
On how he has managed to guide these partnerships to align with the Afrobeats star’s career, Asika shared that it’s always better to adopt the long game rather than focusing on the immediate monetary gains brands can offer.
Aside from being Davido’s manager for over a decade, Asa Asika is also the co-founder of The Plug Agency.
His pivotal role in the ‘Assurance’ hitmaker’s career has rocketed both of them to the summit of the African entertainment industry in their respective fields.
The multi-award-winning star is currently on his 5 Alive tour, where he has sold out multiple venues across the US and Canada. His brand partnerships are also evident on this tour through his wardrobe choices and stage setup.
DJ Azonto’s Team Slams Davido, Asake on Brand Identity
Ghanaian musician DJ Azonto is once again making headlines, this time through his management team, the Rolls Royce Family, which accused Nigerian Afrobeats stars Davido and Asake of copying elements of his unique brand identity without permission.
In a strongly worded statement issued, the team expressed disappointment over what it called “unauthorised usage” of Azonto’s creativity and stage persona at two major events.
The first incident, according to the statement, occurred at Davido and Chioma’s lavish #Chivido2025 wedding in Miami, where the singer appeared wearing a lipstick style strikingly similar to DJ Azonto’s trademark look.
The second happened at AfroFuture 2025 in Detroit, where Asake performed in a wig that, management claims, mirrored Azonto’s recognisable stage appearance.
“Watching its unauthorised usage without acknowledgement from management, clearance, or compensation is highly unacceptable,” the release read, adding that significant investment had gone into creating and popularising Azonto’s “Alla Woyo” brand.
DJ Azonto is no stranger to controversy over image rights. He has previously called out Kumawood actor Lil Win over the alleged use of his “Alla Woyo” persona to promote a film, and earlier this year demanded a staggering $100 million in compensation from Medikal and Shatta Wale, even releasing a diss track to drive home his point.
This time, however, the demands are even more audacious. In response to the alleged infringements, Azonto has requested: His image has been on the Nigerian Naira note for ten years, Dangote Cement to be renamed “DJ Azonto Microfinance”, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to be renamed “Corolla Arthur International Airport” after his firstborn.
He also requested a shareholding stake in Adeleke University, full ownership of royalties belonging to Davido, Asake, and Olamide, and the diamond chains of Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz.
The statement, signed by Sammy Anim, PRO of the Rolls-Royce Family, warned that the team would pursue legal action in multiple jurisdictions if necessary. “We once again advise fellow creatives that DJ Azonto’s creativity and intellectual property is not for free usage,” it stated.
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