As part of its efforts to build young creative ideas, producers of TomTom, Cadbury company, has concluded the second edition of the Breathe for It’ summit in Jos, Plateau State.
The summit-themed ‘Bars and Beats: Rap and Afrobeat’ was attended by young creatives from across the state and beyond.
The ‘Breathe for It’ Summit is part of TomTom’s efforts to nurture youth creativity across the country, in recognition of Nigeria’s music export and a commitment to helping the youth thrive in their identified passion points.
In a release made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday, the summit was thrilled with a freestyle rap battle and singing competition from which winners were rewarded with gifts courtesy of the company.
“The summit is an integral component of TomTom’s larger ‘Breathe for It’ campaign, which was introduced in 2021 to help young creatives build capacity in a key passion area which is music,” it added.
Speaking at the summit, the Brand Manager, Cadbury West Africa, Joan Odafe said the Nigerian music industry is filled with talents in the entertainment sector across the globe.
“The Nigerian music industry is currently one of the most thriving entertainment sectors globally, with a lot of talented young creatives looking for opportunities to start or grow their careers. Through the summit, we can fulfil our social mission to nurture young creatives in the Nigerian music industry and provide a platform that supports their career growth. The theme “Bars and Beats: Rap and Afro Beats” was carefully chosen to recognise the giant strides of Nigerian Rap and Afrobeats artistes around the world,” she said.
An entertainment lawyer, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, reiterated the importance of a strong brand identity for upcoming artistes.
He said, “The two most essential assets for a recording artiste or musical creative are the music you create and your identity. It is important to constantly work on those two assets and take advantage of opportunities that allow your assets to shine through. This, in time, will draw your audience’s attention to your craft and give room for people to invest in you”.
Some of the panellists present at the summit are songwriter and rapper, Jesse Jag; entertainment lawyer, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa; entertainment business consultant, Rosemary Ofoegbu; talent and events manager; Fiammari Zoaka; and music business executive, Tamunosaki Romeo.
On his part, Jesse Jagz, hailed the company’s decision to host the event in Jos saying, “Jos is a city full of potential superstars and talent. The work TomTom is doing to bring these talents closer to the knowledge that will elevate their journey is laudable. It not only recognises musical talent but also opens the doors to a world of collaboration and partnerships for these creatives.”