The multi award winning record label, Chocolate City, is home to some of the music industry’s top house hold names, such as M.I, Jesse Jagz, Iceprince, and Brymo.

With the rapid growth of the label and increasing success of artist management, Chocolate City has proven to be a hub of talent exploitation, and manifestation.  It is no surprise that a lot of youth, internationally and locally, have reached out to be signed to the label, in hopes of achieving their dreams.  So far, Chocolate City has an all-male cast as its line up, and the general public have bugged the label to sign a female act.  Chocolate City, known for setting trends, decided to bide their time, and look out for the girl that possessed qualities of a Choc BOI – Bold, Original, Innovative.

In came a young lady, full of energy and enthusiasm who welcomed the opportunity of being featured along-side, award winning Africa’s rapper numero uno, M.I on his upcoming mixtape “Deux Illegaux de Musique – Illegal Music 2”. After label heads, Audu Maikori, and Paul Okeugo heard her lyrical prowess on the song “No-tis” (a cover of Jay Z and Kanye West’s Otis), they decided to put her through the CC boot camp.

Without further a-do, ladies and gentlemen, Chocolate City presents to the world, its first signed female artist, Pryse! (Pronounced Prize)

Pryse is a talented Nigerian rapper who is eager to follow the footsteps of her fellow label mates in creating music that would not only entertain, but influence the public.  Born and raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Princess Esindu a.k.a Pryse, started rapping in church at the tender age of 10.  Pryse always knew she wanted to be a musician; encouraged by her family who own and run Frontline TV Studio in Port Harcourt, Pryse took a keen interest in entertainment.  Pryse knew she had to nurture her passion, so she went to study media in Nottingham, UK.  While in the UK, she took up writing her own songs, and co-producing with her older brother.  When asked who her influences are, Pryse lists, Jay Z, Drake, Lil Wayne, and M.I – it is precisely the admiration for M.I that led her to work her way to be signed by Chocolate City.  In an industry where female emcees are outnumbered by men, Pryse is sure she will keep the torch blazing for the young ambitious women out there.

When asked what it meant to be the first female signed to Chocolate City, Pryse had this to say “ I thank God I’ve come this far, and I’m just happy its finally happened, and I’m ready to put in the work, so let’s go. I’m ready to be a BOI (Bold Original Innovative).”

The label is looking forward to presenting to the world its first signed female artist, Pryse.  “We hope they hear/see in her, what we did” – Doosuur Tilley-Gyado (Talent Mngr Chocolate City).

Pryse is available for interviews from March 20^th 2012.

Leading entertainment company Chocolate City Group (CCG) recently reconstituted its board naming renowned entrepreneur Mr Hakeem Bello Osagie as its chairman. Other board members include Yahaya Maikori, Paul Okeugo and Audu Maikori.

Hakeem holds an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School, a law degree from Cambridge University and an M.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University. He is a member of the Nigerian Bar. He started his career as a petroleum economist and a lawyer. For over three decades, he has been a key player in the Nigerian economy through his participation in several businesses in the private sector particularly in the energy, finance and telecommunications sectors.

He until recently served as the Chairman of the board of directors of the United Bank for Africa Plc. one of the largest commercial banks in Nigeria. He is also the founder and former Chairman of First Securities Discount House, Nigeria’s leading money markets and treasury bill trading financial services firm, in which the IFC is an equity investor.

Currently he sits as Chairman of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Ltd (‘EMTS’), a mobile telephone operator that operates in Nigeria under the ‘Etisalat’ brand as well the Abuja Investment Company.

Chocolate City Group CEO Audu Maikori said: “As Chocolate City enters this new phase of global expansion and rolls out next generation services for its artists, clients and media partners we are very pleased to welcome Mr. Hakeem Osagie an entrepreneur par excellence who shares our passion and vision of creating a world class entertainment brand. He will bring to Chocolate City years of vast international experience, relationships and a uniquely successful track record in global business excellence plus invaluable guidance as we execute our objective of building the leading entertainment brand in Africa”.

The Chocolate City Group is comprised of three companies -Chocolate City Music (home to artistes like Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, Brymo, Dj Caise and MI (who is also a Director of the subsidiary)  amongst others-Chocolate City Media and Chocolate City Movies which is currently headed by Katung Aduwak.

Chocolate City Group recently won the prestigious Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship 2011 (www.africaawards.com), which held in Nairobi, Kenya in December 2011. CCG was selected from over 3,300 applications from 48 countries around Africa and became the first entertainment company to win the award since its inception in 2007.

The company has since 2005 continued to set standards in the entertainment industry around Africa, selling over 35 Million albums till date and winning a slew of local and international awards including the global award for Music business i.e. International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year (IYMEY) by the British Council in 2007.