Nigerian music star Rapper YCee has disclosed that he has never received royalties from his music catalogue, even after his songs amassed more than 100 million streams across digital platforms.
The rapper made the revelation during a recent appearance on the Afropolitan Podcast, where he reflected on his career, his previous recording contract, and the financial realities behind his rise to fame.
According to YCee, he was signed to Tinny Entertainment under a recording agreement that operated on a 70/30 revenue split. However, he said the label maintained that it had not yet recovered the money invested in his career, leaving him without royalty payments.
“The mega hits and 100 of millions of streams that I have had, I didn’t get any money off them. I was signed to Tiny Entertainment. I had a recording contract and it was a 70/30 split.
It was a situation where I wasn’t been remited off the earning because at the time, my previous employer felt he hasn’t recouped what he invested,” YCee said.
The rapper explained that while his music career appeared successful from the outside, the financial reality behind the scenes told a different story.
During the peak of his popularity, he enjoyed endorsement deals, international trips and widespread recognition, yet he said the income from his music streaming never reached him.
“At that time, the songs were going crazy, endorsements, and I was travelling the world, and it was looking good from the outside looking in, but it wasn’t making sense to me in other areas. So I didn’t make any money off my streams,” he added.
The revelation has generated widespread reactions from fans and music lovers, many of whom expressed surprise that one of Nigeria’s biggest rap stars did not earn royalties from some of his most successful records.
YCee became a household name in 2015 after releasing the hit single Jagaban, which later received a remix featuring rap icon Olamide. He cemented his place in Nigeria’s music industry with other successful releases, including Omo Alhaji and Juice, featuring Maleek Berry.
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Following his departure from Tinny Entertainment, YCee continued releasing music while adapting to the industry’s rapid shift towards digital streaming and the increasing global popularity of Afrobeats.
The rapper also addressed his absence from the spotlight in recent years. He revealed that in 2020 he struggled with a mental health condition that required multiple hospital visits, contributing to his temporary break from music.
Now back in the studio, YCee has marked his return with a new project titled Out of Sight – Out of Mind – Volume 1. The 14-track double-sided album showcases both his rapping and singing abilities as he begins a new chapter in his career.
