Afrobeats Intelligence

Jeriq on Community, Culture and the Business of Music

Afrobeats Intelligence

Show Notes

Jeriq has built a career by staying deeply connected to where he comes from while finding his place in the mainstream.

In this conversation with Joey Akan, Jeriq reflects on growing up in Enugu, the determination to make it out of a difficult environment, and how his community became the foundation for his music, identity and career.

He talks about staying true to his sound while learning how to navigate the mainstream, why he continues to live and create in Enugu, and the tension between representing the East and building a global career.

Jeriq also discusses the lack of structure and access for artists in the East, the evolution of his music, the rise of Yoko Cartel, his fashion brand and the importance of building a community that can grow with him.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple ambition: to show young people from the streets that there is more beyond what they can currently see.

Follow Joey Akan and Afrobeats Intelligence for the latest coverage on African music culture and news.

Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence

Instagram: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel

Tik Tok: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintelligence

X: @joeyakan @afrobeatsintel

Follow Jeriq:

Instagram: @jeriq

TikTok: @jeriq

X: @jeriq

Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from Afrobeats Intelligence

Oct 9, 2026

Jyde Ajala is one of the most in-demand music video directors in Afrobeats. After studying film production at Full Sail University in Florida and working for over a decade in the United States, he returned to Nigeria just before the COVID-19 lockdown with a clear mission: to bring a stronger narrative and cinematic approach to the local music video space. He founded Old Soldier Inc. and built his career from the ground up.

Sep 25, 2026

FOLA sits down with Joey Akan and goes all the way back; Ibadan, the betting shop, the pen and notepad days when nobody was watching. He talks about locking in early, the people who believed in him when the gap felt impossible, and why he is grateful that he committed to the process.

Sep 11, 2026

In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Winny sits down with Joey Akan for a conversation about finding her voice, trusting her instincts, and learning to create on her own terms.

Aug 28, 2026

In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Alhaji Popping sits down with Joey Akan for a wide-ranging conversation about the principles that have shaped his career across entertainment, business, and culture.

Aug 14, 2026

In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Joey Akan sits with TG Omori, one of the most prolific and influential music video directors of his generation, for a raw conversation about creativity, ambition, and what it really means to chase greatness.

See all episodes →