Talkless, Repackage Your Brand and 3 Other Things Portable Must Learn From His Police Wahala
Love or hate him, fast-rising, controversial street pop artist Habeeb Okikiola aka Baboo, better known by his stage name Portable, has come to stay in the Nigerian music industry.
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Since his big break in December 2021, he has worked his way through numerous controversies, bangers and outlandish stage performances into the minds of Nigerians.
Source: Instagram
I don't think there is an average Nigerian with a smartphone and a social media page who doesn't know who Portable is.
His popularity and acceptance aren't limited to only his prominent online presence; he is also well-known on the 'streets'.
However, he recently hit a snag and faced controversies and run-ins with the law and Nigerian security operatives.
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The run-in resulted in him spending 72 hours in jail and being tried in court for assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and attacking his signee Manny Monie.
The question then is, what can he learn from the experience? In this article Legit.ng looks at five ways Portable could use the recent controversy further his music career and how best to do it this time.
1. Talkless and reduce how much of his private life goes online:
Yes, there is no denying that the regularly churning out content on his page is one reason Portable stays relevant and continues to drive traffic and attention towards himself.
However, he needs to show less of some controversial things he publishes online. Like him recording the moment he beat up his signee, Mannie Money, who wrote the petition that got him into trouble.
Or him going live when men of the Nigerian police force visited his bar. As advised, continue to post content online but share less sensitive moments online.
2. Portable needs to rebrand himself
Portable needs to rebrand and repackage himself while retaining the core of his identity and what his brand stands for.
Yes, he is a street pop artist, but as singer Olamide said, one can come from the street and still be classy. Portable lives the street life but shouldn't let it control every bit of who he is.
He can let it inform his art but remain professional with the business side of music and make money while staying street-smart.
In all aspects, he was wrong to assault a signee or an employee of his label. That's unprofessional.
3. Put in proper organisational structure for his label:
There is no denying it, Portable is a talented and hardworking singer and songwriter, but talent can only get one so far, not the whole distance.
As such, it is pertinent to ask what is the outlook of his label and personal brand for upcoming artists? What type of artists does his label attract, and who handles and manages them?
These questions must be answered to prevent other cases like the Manny Monie case.
4. Continue to use his music to tell his personal life stories
Every time Portable puts out a song about social issues or his travails, it tends to perform well. That means he has a story to tell that millions of people can relate to.
Such songs include Apostle; I'm Not A Prisoner, and Koselabaro. His strength is storytelling and commenting on social issues. He needs to delve into it and tell more of his stories. People want to know him and not the façade he puts up online.
5. Stay crazy but be creative about it
Nothing could be more accurate than saying it as it should be. Portable's craziness is the reason for his prevalence and rising popularity.
It is said that most great creatives are often on the borderline of madness and genius. Portable has to stay crazy like Olamide would say, "Werey lo jawo"; however, he needs to get more creative.
Portable Zazu issues warning, recounts experiences in new song, video trends, many react
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recalls reporting that street Pop singer Portable Zazu's experience with the police and the court had inspired him to drop a new song titled Federal Government Liability (FGL).
Portable took to his Instagram page to share a video of him vibing to the new song as he recounted his experience with the police, stating that he was not a prisoner.
The Zazu crooner, in a line of his song, further issued warnings to backbiters as he said he would report them to the police.
Source: Legit.ng
