07/02/2025
On the EeZee Tee vs Mercy Chinwo & Judikay outings
A brother writes:
When Family Becomes Business⌠And Then Just Business. đ (For Education Purposes)
Letâs talk about something Iâve seen happen too many times. Itâs the rise and fall of family-business relationshipsâa situation where people start out as partners in vision but end up as enemies in business.
Now, letâs assume how this all began.
A passionate guy named EeZee Tee, who had never professionally handled music business before, saw something special in Mercy Chinwo.
⢠Maybe he saw her sing somewhere and thought, This girl has something powerful.
⢠Maybe he had a vision for gospel music and wanted to build something great.
⢠Maybe he wasnât thinking like a businessmanâhe was just following his heart, pushing a dream.
So, he took Mercy under his wing.
⢠Not just as an artist, but as someone he deeply cared for.
⢠Not just as a signee, but almost like a daughter or younger sister.
In a relationship like this, everything is built on trust.
đ There is no deep paperwork or formal structures.
đ There are no strict financial boundaries.
đ There are no performance-based accountability measures.
Instead, itâs:
⢠âDonât worry, I got you.â
⢠âWe are in this together.â
⢠âGod is doing something big through us.â
And for a while, this bond is unshakable.
What Happens in a âFamily Businessâ Type of Relationship
When you run a business like a family, certain things are assumed, not planned.
â
Trust is everything.
⢠You trust that the artist will be loyal.
⢠The artist trusts that you will be fair.
⢠You both assume that money, fame, and relationships will never change anything.
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Accountability is relaxed.
⢠Money isnât properly documented.
⢠Performance earnings are not structured.
⢠The artist feels like they can make decisions without reporting to the label.
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Future plans are made based on emotions.
⢠You talk about how big this will be as a movement for the gospel.
⢠You dream together about the next big stage, the next album, the next world tour.
⢠You donât think about What if this person wants to leave someday?
But hereâs the truth: People change.
And when people change, this kind of relationship is the hardest to navigate.
Then One Day⌠The Artist grows and maybe Finds Love
Now, this is where the first big shift happens.
At first, it was just you and the artist. You were the biggest influence in their life.
⢠You helped shape their brand.
⢠You covered their expenses.
⢠You built connections that brought them to the limelight.
But then, one day⌠they find a partner.
And suddenly, things begin to shift.
đ The partner was not there from the beginning.
đ The partner does not see the years of work and investmentâthey only see the current success.
đ The partner starts questioning things.
⢠âWhy are you still under this label?â
⢠âDo you know how much you are actually making?â
⢠âYou can do this on your ownâyou donât need anyone anymore.â
The artist, who once saw you as their closest guide, now has a new voice in their ear which they love and trust.
And hereâs what happens next:
⢠They start making independent decisions.
⢠They start wanting more control.
⢠They start seeing things differently from you.
And when contract renewal comes up, they start thinking about leaving.
Letâs talk about The Shift: From Family to Strictly Business
This is where everything changes.
In the beginning, you werenât thinking like a businessmanâyou were just following the passion.
But now? You realize the weight of your investment.
⢠The money spent over the yearsâŚ
⢠The long nights strategizing for their successâŚ
⢠The risks you took to make things happenâŚ
Suddenly, it hits youâthis was not just love and passion, it was BUSINESS.
And now that they are ready to leave, it feels like betrayal.
⢠You start thinking, How can they just walk away?
⢠You remember the dreams you shared together, now abandoned.
⢠You start feeling like I built this person, and now they want to go solo?
And thatâs how a family-business relationship turns into a bitter business battle.
Speaking to Labels: Build a System, Not Just a Star
The biggest mistake labels make is building around one person.
You pour everything into them.
You put all your resources into them.
You build your entire identity around their success.
And then they leave⌠and youâre left with nothing.
This is why I say:
đ Build a system, not an individual.
đ Create a structure where multiple artists are growing at the same time.
đ Make sure your investments benefit the label, not just the artist.
If you do this, then when someone leaves, you are not broken.
You are simply transitioning to the next phase of your business.
It hurts when someone you built leaves, but if you structured things properly, it wonât break you.
Speaking to Artists: Take Responsibility for Your Choices
If you are an artist reading this, understand something important.
đ You signed a contractâthat means you must respect it.
đ You benefited from the investments made in youâthat means you must acknowledge it.
đ You wouldnât be where you are without the labelâthat means you must respect the process.
Many artists enjoy the ride, but when they get to the top, they want to walk away like they owe nothing.
Thatâs not integrity.
⢠If you didnât like the contract, you shouldnât have signed it.
⢠If you wanted independence, you should have built your career alone.
⢠If you feel the label owes you something, settle it privatelyânot on social media.
Leaving a label is not the problem.
The way you leave is what determines whether you exit with honor or with scandal.
Final Thoughts: The Hard Truths for Both Sides
1. To labels:
⢠If you make your success depend on one person, you will always feel hurt when they leave.
⢠Structure your business so that you donât fall apart when someone moves on.
2. To artists:
⢠If you signed an agreement, respect it.
⢠If you grew under a system, acknowledge it.
⢠If you want to leave, leave honorably.
At the end of the day, people change, seasons shift, and relationships evolve.
What matters most is how you handle those changes.
đ Never build with emotionsâbuild with structure.
đ Never burn bridgesâleave doors open.
đ Never fight on social mediaâhandle matters with wisdom.
Because when business starts as family, and then later turns into strictly business, things will always get messy.
The key is knowing how to transition with integrity, wisdom.
