On Thursday, April 18, 2024, Davido announced the news for his new record label, Nine+ Records.
Nine+ is a new record label formed by Davido and Steve Stoute‘s UnitedMasters. The new record label will be a 2.0 version of Davido Music Worldwide Records (DWM) as of April 17.
Steve Stoute and Davido connected last year at the SelectCon event by UnitedMasters, and from the event they have been talking business. Steve Stoute visited Lagos, Nigeria, where they solidified their plan and partnership, leading to Nine+.
The name Nine+ is coined from Davido’s lyrics, “OBO elemi nine plus,” from his song Stand Strong, which means “OBO has more than nine lives,” according to Davido’s PR team member, David Adeyemi.
Last December, UnitedMasters partnered with the NBA to forge a new deal that allowed their artists to showcase their work on NBA Africa’s social media channels showcasing their artists to African audiences via technology. The initiative is based at the NBA Africa office in Lagos, Nigeria. This partnership marks another step for United Masters in Africa, following their collaboration with Sarz Academy in 2023.
According to his manager and lawyer Bobo F. Ajuda, “Davido will collaborate with Steve Stoute to identify and develop talent. Their respective teams from Nine+ Records and UnitedMasters will work together to support these artists. This includes everything from artist development and branding to securing market opportunities.”
Davido continues to uphold his responsibilities at Nine+ same as DMW but including a collaborative approach in his capacity as a music executive. This collaboration will play a role in identifying and fostering talent, providing them opportunities for strategic brand alliances and synchronization.”
“I am thrilled to announce the launch of a new joint venture between my label, Nine Plus, and UnitedMasters, founded by my good friend, Steve Stoute. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in our journey, as we aim to empower artists globally by leveraging UnitedMasters’ revolutionary music distribution platform and Nine Plus’ innovative vision and eye for talent. Together, we are set to redefine the music landscape both African and global, providing artists with unprecedented tools and opportunities to amplify their voices and craft. Excited to witness the creativity and growth ahead. This partnership signifies a significant step in music history, encompassing both Africa and the world,” Davido, Founder/CEO of Nine Plus.
This announcement comes after Davido’s sold-out performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where he made history by bringing Afrobeats to one of the world’s most iconic venues. A moment after his performance he visited Tunde Onakoya who was attempting to break the world record for the longest chess marathon.
UnitedMasters has been making waves with recent company announcements, including partnerships with SymphonyOS and Groover.
Davido expressed his enthusiasm in a statement, saying, “I am thrilled to announce the launch of a new joint venture between my label, Nine Plus, and UnitedMasters, founded by my good friend, Steve Stoute This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in our journey, as we aim to empower artists globally by leveraging UnitedMasters’ revolutionary music distribution platform and Nine Plus’ innovative vision and eye for talent. Together, we are set to redefine the music landscape both African and global, providing artists with unprecedented tools and opportunities to amplify their voices and craft. Excited to witness the creativity and growth ahead. This partnership signifies a significant step in music history, encompassing both Africa and the world.”
Davido’s first move is to move DMW Record artist to Nine+.
