Jeriq on Community, Culture and the Business of Music

Jeriq has built a career by staying deeply connected to where he comes from while finding his place in the mainstream. In this conversation with Joey Akan, Jeriq reflects on growing up in Enugu, the determination to make it out of a difficult environment, and how his community became the foundation for his music, identity and career. He talks about staying true to his sound while learning how to navigate the mainstream, why he continues to live and create in Enugu, and the tension between representing the East and building a global career. Jeriq also discusses the lack of structure and access for artists in the East, the evolution of his music, the rise of Yoko Cartel, his fashion brand and the importance of building a community that can grow with him. At the heart of the conversation is a simple ambition: to show young people from the streets that there is more beyond what they can currently see. Follow Joey Akan and Afrobeats Intelligence for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel Tik Tok: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintelligence X: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel Follow Jeriq: Instagram: @jeriq TikTok: @jeriq X: @jeriq Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices