Ubi Franklin, Nigerian artiste manager and founder of Made Men Music Group (Triple MG), has revealed that his record label includes a “no-pregnancy clause” in contracts for female artistes.
Speaking on the Culture Sonic Podcast, Franklin argued that pregnancy can disrupt an emerging artiste’s momentum, making it difficult to stage a comeback without an already established fan base.
“Imagine you’re investing in a female artist and she gets pregnant — that’s it, it’s over,” Franklin said.
“It takes a lot for artistes to make a comeback. Tell me one female artist in our industry who hasn’t already built a strong career, had a baby, and then come back. It’s not easy.”
“I’m not saying they shouldn’t have children. But the point is, while you’re active, build a solid career first. If I’m signing a female artist, I always include it in the contract: during the contract period, you must not get pregnant.”
Franklin, whose label has managed stars like Tekno, Iyanya, and Selebobo, emphasised the high financial stakes in the music business.
“This is a freaking business. We need to stop acting like, because artists seem playful on social media and fans can interact with them, it’s not serious — it is serious,” Franklin said.
“These days, to break an artist, you can spend ₦150 million and still not be halfway there. Sometimes, you spend ₦300 million and don’t get anything in return.”
