Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on The Truth About Afrobeats Going Global

Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down the truth about Afrobeats going global and what African artists need to understand before chasing the American music market.

In this clip, Muyiwa explains why artists need to build real leverage at home first, how cultural ripple effects shape global crossover, and why labels must invest in African music infrastructure instead of only extracting from the culture.

He also gets into why modern managers have to think like CEOs, how to create music moments with intention, and how Tems’ team built trust, equity, and long-term strategy around her career.

A must-listen for artists, managers, music executives, and anyone serious about Afrobeats, African music, global crossover, and the business behind the music.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

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Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1duk4mJxoVF7D9G5Whhjqk?si=mI5dFiQAT7uwrOUXtFLlHA

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

In this episode:
00:00 Visitor Mindset in America
00:25 Does the West Water Down Afrobeats?
01:34 Cultural Ripple Effects and Global Music
02:18 Breaking Into the U.S. Music Market
02:49 Why Labels Miss Cultural Nuance
04:07 Investing in African Music Infrastructure
05:03 Why Artist Managers Are CEOs Now
05:53 Creating Music Moments and Planning Ahead
07:00 Twitter Fans, Criticism, and Artist Strategy
08:21 Artist-Centered Management vs Business
08:52 Going All In for Artists
09:36 Building Trust, Equity, and Long-Term Leverage