I'll Take You There

Talent, charisma, hard work, luck is the key to success and stardom? Yeah, right. No, look for the big Oga Madam or Oga pointing and clearing the way for the superstar.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Ok, yes…you don’t become a superstar if you are talentless, lazy, with the personality of a wooden block, and live a life of bad luck. If you know one, just send me a DM and your bank account info, and I’ll World Remit some serious cash your way.

What is inspiring this diatribe, my guy? Oga Chidi, who vex you?

Nobody vex me…I just had an epiphany while watching a piece on super-producer Jack Antonoff, who has won the Grammy for

Best Producer of The Year three years in a row.

We were told if you work hard, and have talent you will be successful. That is an incomplete statement at best. Could be a lie if I feel like arguing with you. There’s a singular reason why certain individuals have hit the rarefied air of superstardom in their professions—you need to be chosen. Chosen by a secret society to become a star, a superstar. Talent? Check. Hard work? Absolutely. Charisma? Yes. Luck…for sure. But without that one insider’s golden handshake, the magic wand revealing and waving open secret doors, shining light on the shadows, nah…I don’t think so, bros (the gender agnostic bros).

Let us be clear o…the self-made superstar is mythology. Pure, undiluted, mythology. No such thing, and once I came to terms with this, clarity slapped me silly. Of course, folks are out there selling us their fairy tales of being the lone genius conquering the world with grit and a dream. And we buy it wholesale, straight no chaser. Nah, bruh. Hold that thought, sister. We all know no one ascends to the stratosphere alone. There’s always a backstage pass, a lifted velvet rope, a hand pulling them into the VIP lounge of success.

The fantasy books we read back in the day called them fairy godmothers and godfathers. I call them the anointers, the whisperers, the revealers, and the blockers. These are the gatekeepers to greatness—the champions, the connectors, the ones who whisper your name in the right ears, bring up your work and brand in the right rooms. These folks are the executive producers and showrunners who put the spotlight just right where you are (need to be) when you step on stage.

Let’s get back to Jack Antonoff. If you don’t know him, he is the most heralded producer today. Hits upon hits, with the biggest names in the industry. But it took a bit for things to pop for him (Chidi…these puns, eish), even though he was a talented songwriter and producer. And then Taylor Swift decided she was going to work with him, and as he said, “She literally kicked down the door for me.” When she handed him the mic…no, handed him the megaphone, c’est finis. It was over. Okwe don finish be dat. Any miring in obscurity…gone. He may win his fourth Best Producer of the Year Grammy this year.

He was anointed.

Other examples?

• You should know about superagent Rich Paul who negotiates billion dollars and is engaged to Adele. Met Lebron at the airport where he was hustling t-shirts & Lebron who was in high school was digging the man’s game. Their friendship deepened, and Lebron goes into the NBA with Rich Paul in his inner circle. And then Paul goes from friend to Lebron’s agent, call the game right there. A superstar was born. Paul founded Klutch Sports, and they practically own the sports world today.

• As much as Serena Williams has accomplished, her sister Venus Williams was the blocker that carved the path to their collective glory. I don’t know that Serena would be the GOAT without Venus serving up wins and opening up eyes to a different type of tennis brilliance with her 120mph serve.

• Donald Trump is no Donald Trump today without the bulldozer and power layer, Roy Cohn. That guy crafted and honed the bobo you see today.

• There’s no Elon Musk without Peter Thiel. Thiel merged companies with Elon in their early days to form Paypal. And then after selling Paypal, Thiel was his benefactor and door basher, backing and validating Elon financially and socially.

• Another Thiel protege…Mark Zuckerberg. You think Mark refused a $1B buyout offer from Microsoft for Facebook because he was smart? Nah…he was Thiel smart, that’s what.

• Yes, Gayle King is a boss, but she is doing what she’s doing today because her best friend is the queen of media. That proximity to Oprah Winfrey did not open doors for Gayle, that proximity was a tsunami of influence that swung those doors wide open with velvet red carpets spun by the gods.

There are many others—Ed Sheeran & Jamie Foxx (bet you didn’t know, fascinating story), Rihanna & Jay-Z (once Jay-Z brought her under his Umbrella, nothing but rocket fuel from there).

Another good one. There’s this African entrepreneur, just killing it out there. I’m keeping this anonymous as I know this person and have no desire to put them on blast. Their grind is real—talent, vision, sleepless nights, charisma coming out of every orifice. Smart as hell. But their ascent into the global elite? Their iPhone contact list of benefactors and door-busters reads like a Forbes Global and Forbes Africa top-everything list. This is both in the business and the public sector worlds. And when your bestie is also a super-connector and player, as in Brad Pitt and George Clooney bestie levels, you’re not playing small ball anymore. The globe is now your ball…honestly, na real wa o.

Here’s the kicker for me…opportunity doesn’t knock, no it sneaks in through the back window while you’re busy perfecting your craft. The goal is to be the best-kept secret, grinding and doing the work, so when the spotlight finally swings your way, you’re not just ready—you’re undeniable.

Undeniable. As in not to be denied.

And be careful with the over-exposure, abeg. The brand builders. Fact—these folks don’t like attention hogs acting a fool in their world. Do just enough to get you on radars that these folks eyeball every now and then. And don’t let that stuff get to your head, either. They’ll be watching what you do with your annointment.

Ask Puffy.

You know the saying, “We know what we don’t know”, but the real play is in not knowing what we don’t know. My person…I’m telling you, there are rooms you don’t even know exist until someone hands you the key—and trust me, even if it is a little glimpse…SMH. That may be Luck, or maybe more about the stars aligning, you being in the right place because someone thought you deserved to be there.

I don’t care how you slice it, for real, the fact is…as much as talent and hard work light the fuse, it’s the hidden hands and magic wands that launch the rocket. Keep doing the work, keep doing your thing, build genuine relationships, and possibly, maybe—just maybe—you will be anointed as Another One.

We dey here o.