Sarz Discusses Longevity & Building a Catalog as a Producer on a New Episode of ‘Afrobeats Intelligence’

Sarz has been around since the days when producers were only “as good as the advance you make from [a] song.” 

The renowned Nigerian producer and DJ has been a definitive force in Afrobeats for over a-decade-and-a-half, not only working with almost every star from across multiple eras but also inspiring many producers in the present and many more in the future. A combination of everything he’s been through and his evident drive to keep going lights up the screen as he sits on the Afrobeats Intelligence couch opposite host Joey Akan for the first episode of the new season.

At the top of the episode, Sarz discusses the industry standards and constraints he came up under, which defined his approach to his craft, until he was hit by a “professional shock” when he went to the U.S. for work. In an anecdote, he shares how he was at a recording session organized by a high-level music executive, and was disappointed with his showing simply because the volume on a beat he was playing was maxed out, even after he was asked to turn it up. It was a lesson that he needed to level up significantly to play on a global scale.

While he was undeniably the most lauded producer in Nigerian pop at the time, he quickly realigned, incorporating practices like mastering his beats and leaning more into collaborating. In his earlier days, a rabid obsession fuelled him to create “10 to 15” beats in a day, and a drive to become much, much better drove him years later. These days, he explains, it’s part of Sarz’s daily routine to create. With the self-awareness that hunger from years past won’t always be present, working while inspiration hits helps in creating freely.

Midway through the chat, he talks about knowing the music he keeps for himself and working on music for someone else. “You just know, man,” he summarizes at the top of his answer, sharing that he knew he was keeping “Getting Paid” and the songs on his debut album, Protect Sarz at all Cost, when he was creating. He elaborates on ownership as a primary motivation for curating his own headline songs, having a catalogue that keeps earning him money while inspiring future generations.

The money conversation organically morphs into how Nigeria’s macroeconomic situation is limiting the growth of Nigerian and African music, a consistent talking point on Afrobeats Intelligence from the last season. Sarz doesn’t pretend like he has all the answers to the recent global “decline” in the growth of black music, but his responses to Akan’s questions show that it’s something he’s been thinking about for a while. Even when it turns contemplative, the chat is still free-flowing, easing viewers into the show’s new season.

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