Music executive and talent manager Ubi Franklin has stated that upcoming or established artists seeking to break into Afrobeats' elite "Big 3" comprising Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido cannot achieve that status through musical talent alone.

Speaking during a recent podcast appearance, the Made Men Music Group (Triple MG) founder emphasised that the trio's massive music catalogues, combined with their financial scale and high-profile social standing, create a bar that talent alone cannot cross.

"That Big Three conversation, you cannot do it with just music because if it's a catalogue, they have it. You need to be someone grossing at least between fifteen and twenty million dollars, or $25M yearly, to come close," Franklin explained.

Speaking about the display of wealth and status that surrounds the trio, Franklin pointed out that luxury cars, global image, and networking play a massive role in maintaining top-tier status in the international music scene.

"You need to understand the reason why they are doing that. Look at Burna Boy; he just bought a car yesterday. Look at Davido; sometimes when I go to David's house and we're going out, you don't even know the car that he wants to use. Some of them have not even hit 5,000 miles, and they're still buying.

"So, how many artistes want to break into the top three conversation? It's not just the music. It's a lot of things. It's the lifestyle, the cars, how you speak, your knowledge about things, and and also your relationships," he stated.

Franklin concluded by urging younger artistes to focus more on building long-term industry connections and business acumen rather than relying solely on hit records.

"Look at it this way, a lot of these young guys are not interested in building relationships," he noted.

He warned that neglecting strategic networking will prevent upcoming acts from sustaining long-term relevance at the highest level of the industry.

“Any artiste trying to break into the Big 3 Wizkid , Burna Boy and Davido can’t do it with music alone. They already have the catalog. You need to be grossing $25M yearly to come close, plus the lifestyle and pictures with powerful people.”

—Ubi Franklin pic.twitter.com/lOxRoDg89T

— carter🌚 (@carter8f) August 13, 2026