The Rise of Artrepreneurs

Hello there,

For the longest time, I have always wondered why creative artists are seen as dumb (especially in Nigeria – my country). There is this popular belief that those who turn out to be musicians, actors, painters, sculptors, and so on do so because they were too dumb to make it to college. But just before you begin to hate, wait a sec. They believe so for a very good reason. 3 out of 5 Nigerian musicians dropped out of either high school or college. See why the stereotype exists now?



However, I think otherwise. I think that artists are some of the smartest people on the planet. How can you explain how an artist heads to a studio, records an album. When we listen to the magic produced, we find ourselves moving our bodies (a.k.a. Dancing) without being physically forced to move? How can you explain how people who make movies ‘addict’ us to them? Game Of Thrones FANatics can resonate with this. That’s pure magic and brilliance.

However, the sad thing is that the people who make this magic are being ripped off. The Nigerian entertainment industry is structured such that the artists who own the talent do not gain the full benefits of their art. Musicians only get roughly 40% of the total value of their work. Why? My hypotheses are: the artists are nothing more than artists; the system is one which is built in favour of the non-artistic executives who eat from where they did not plant; artists do not know how to create value from their art; should things go South, artists are lost because all they knew was their art; and of course, there is a LOT of piracy.




This is a problem I am dedicated to solving.  With a couple of elite scholars who happen to be friends, I am building a new model to revolutionize the entertainment industry. One that would tip the scale in favour of the artists themselves. We are building the MusArtt Group: a group of companies dedicated to developing the next generation of – not artists – but Artrepreneurs. These would be the people who would redefine the meaning of being an "Artist". The first project would be the Camp MusArtt which is scheduled to kick off in Nigeria by 2017. After that, we would lead the rise of the MusArtt School of Artrepreneurship. Later developments are still somewhat clandestine.

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." - wise words from Mother Theresa. We are looking for elite scholars who are passionate about and skilled in the performing arts, visual arts, technology, business and - of course - Africa.
If you feel this is something you’d like to work on, hit me up (arinze_obiezue@yahoo.com).

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Neo-Agnosticism - the Religion of the New World

Hey Teens,



So I know that this would be a very touchy subject for most of you who may identify as Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, or even atheists, but I believe that religion is overrated.

 Most people nowadays quickly fill themselves under some religious umbrella. In most cases, one which they did not even get to choose. What do I mean? Most of the religious people today, identify with a religion, not because it was their choice but because it was the religion of their parents; so much for ingenuity.

So traditional agnosticism is the belief that man lacks the capacity to either prove or disprove the existence of God or the Supreme Being. More like:

Person A: Did you know that God exists?
Agnostic Person: Lol, okay. *smirk*
Person B: Did you know that God does not exist?
Agnostic Person: Lol, okay. *smirk*

Get the picture now?



However, I'd like to prick the theory of traditional agnosticism a bit. If there is anything I know; anything at all, it is that God exists.

Nature, like any other thing in the world, would fall into utter anarchy if there is nobody or nothing guiding, or controlling it. Therefore, I choose to believe in a Supreme Being who holds all the forces of the universe together. A Being who creates life, a Being who nurtures life, a Being who takes life.

You must have deduced it by now. Neo-Agnosticism is the belief in the existence of a Supreme Being without having to be closeted under a given religious umbrella.

With the direction the world is taking, we are gradually experiencing the drowning of religions. Religions all over the world, rather than sticking to their faith and worshipping their gods, are going at each other tooth-and-nail; the most popular being the centuries-long brawl between Christianity and Islam.
The globalisation of the world, as well as the rapid rise of pop culture, would eventually lead the phasing out of religious doctrines.

The only thing left standing would be neo-agnosticism.

[Share your thoughts and comments on this in the comments section below]