Nigerian singer and former signee of the Marlian Records, Fabian Blu, has revealed that the record label of controversial musician, Naira Marley, known as Marlian Records, is like a prison.
Speaking in an interview with renowned media personality Chude Jideonwo, Fabian accused Naira Marley of discrimination, as well as physical and verbal abuse.
He said the Marlin Records is chaotic and dysfunctional, stressing he was introduced to hard drugs and other troubling lifestyles.
Fabian Blu signed to Naira Marley’s record in 2020 and left after his contract expired in 2022, the same year as the late singer Mohbad. He released four singles under the label before his contract expired.
Based on his experience during the two years he spent with the record label, Fabian claimed the label still owed him royalties from the past five years.
The singer explained that the label has not paid him a penny of what is rightly his, recounting how Naira Marley laughed in his face when he threatened to sue the label.
Fabia Blu went on to talk about the physical and verbal abuse and discrimination on the basis of tribe and religion he suffered under the label.
The singer revealed he was called a lazy artist and sidelined because he was neither Yoruba nor Muslim.
He also claimed he was maltreated in the accommodation provided by the label and was even marched out of the studio and ignored when he asked for help from his mother.
He said, “I got introduced to drugs in Marlian Music. I got signed to the record label. I have never liked the whole Marlian music kind of lifestyle. They were too gangster.
“I have met a lot of Yoruba people as friends. But getting to that Marlian music, I met a different set of Yoruba people. There was tribalism in the record. It was chaotic and dysfunctional.
“I was not given the free will to express my creativity. All of my songs in Marlian Music were a result of they wanted it to sound that way. They have not given me my share of royalties ever since I have been with them.
“That place was like a prison to me. When Mohbad died. I was abused in Marlian music because I was not a Muslim I cannot get favours from them.”
By Ezinne Okorie.
