What Goes Into Building a Large Festival

Darey On LiveSpot, Dirty December, Cardi B, And The Business Of African Entertainment

Guest: Darey Art Alade, Founder of LiveSpot 360

What if entertainment wasn’t just about the music, the lights, or the artists but about building the infrastructure of a billion dollar industry in Africa?

In this powerful conversation, Darey takes us behind the scenes of Nigeria’s creative economy from pioneering LiveSpot 360 to bringing global stars like Cardi B and Kelly Rowland, and shaping the cultural movement known as Dirty December.

He shares how festivals are built from scratch, the financial realities of touring in Nigeria, and the policies that could unlock Africa’s entertainment future. Darey also opens up about working with his wife, balancing creativity with business, and why cultural influence is Africa’s next global export.

In this episode:

 → The untold business of concerts, festivals, and shows in Nigeria

 → Why Dirty December became “Africa’s summer”

 → Building LiveSpot 360 out of frustration and problem solving

 → Behind the scenes of Cardi B’s Lagos show and cultural impact

 → How forex, inflation, and infrastructure shape African entertainment

 → The future of Afrobeat, Nollywood, and experiential marketing

 → What every Nigerian artist needs to break through today

 → How cultural influence opens doors to politics and global power

 → Lessons on marriage, business partnerships, and energy management

If you’re Afropolitan, drop a YES in the comments and subscribe for more builder-level conversations.

This episode is sponsored by Inverroche Gin, South Africa’s premium craft gin that fuses heritage botanicals with innovation.

Discover more: https://www.inverroche.com/

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Hosted by

Eche — https://www.linkedin.com/in/eemole/

Chika — https://www.linkedin.com/in/chikauwazie/

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00:00 - Intro

02:36 - The Business Behind the Show

05:38 - The Myth vs Reality of Nigerian Entertainment Business

06:36 - Breaking Down a 30,000-Person Festival Production

13:43 - Equipment Infrastructure: Why International Artists Don't Tour Nigeria

20:02 - How LiveSpot Was Born from Problems

25:10 - From Artist to Industry Builder: The Transition

29:32 - Bringing Cardi B to Nigeria: Behind the Scenes

32:00 - Cardi B Twerking at Sanuisi Roundabout at 6 AM

34:48 - Foreign Exchange Crisis and Creative Business

39:21 - The Future of Detty December

46:46 - Growing Up in a Musical Dynasty

50:17 - Building Business with Your Spouse

57:37 - Energy Management and Setting Boundaries

01:03:09 - "Your Wife Should Be Your Guy"

01:07:23 - The Evolution of Nigerian Music Industry

01:11:45 - What It Takes to Break Into Music Today

01:16:03 - Meeting Bill Clinton: Breaking Ice with Cultural Knowledge

01:20:46 - Policy Recommendations for Nigeria's Creative Industry

01:26:26 - Rapid Fire: Favorite Artists & Nigerian Food

01:32:10 - Who Should Be on Afropolitan Next