“I GOT CARRIED AWAY WORKING WITH BIG ARTISTES, I WASN’T MAKING ANY BREAD” – Dancegod Lloyd Opens Up – Nsemkeka
Ghanaian dancer and choreographer Dancegod Lloyd has candidly revealed the challenges he faced working with top music artistes, many of whom exploited his talent without proper financial compensation.
Speaking on the Konnected Minds podcast, Dancegod Lloyd shared how the façade of “brotherhood” often led artistes to take advantage of him. “I was exploited way too many times, but it also taught me a big lesson,” he said. According to him, artistes would frequently ask for favours under the pretense of friendship: “You’re my brother, do this for me. It’s just a one-minute thing.” In reality, this meant performing without pay to promote their songs.
Dancegod Lloyd warned upcoming talents not to let the glamour of working with big names cloud their judgement. “If you get carried away with the fact that you’re working with this artiste or that artiste, that’s when you’re going to lose it. I lost myself in that way,” he admitted.
Despite collaborating with some of Ghana’s biggest musicians, Dancegod Lloyd confessed that he was not earning financially. “I thought I was just helping and building my name, but there was nothing coming into my pocket,” he lamented.
He highlighted the unfairness of the situation artistes benefiting from massive streams and constant shows while ignoring his financial struggles. “Nobody cared about me and how I was going to make money,” he added.
These hard lessons prompted a shift in his business approach. Dancegod Lloyd now charges for his services and refuses unpaid requests, regardless of the artiste’s stature. “If you can’t pay, that’s fine. Move to the next person,” he stated firmly.
Source:Nsemkeka.com