Nel Oliver

Nel Oliver has run a music recording studio in Benin for the last fifteen years. Before that he was the first black African to open a recording studio called Spade Music in Paris as early as the 1980’s. Artists from across the continent and Caribbean were able to launch their careers because of this great man – in fact he helped create legends. Nel returned to Benin to build the local music industry. He produces young performers and most of Benin’s established artists, including Anna Teko, Castella Ayilo, Amagnon Koumagnon, Kinmagnon Agberhounkpan, Adjassa, Sagbohan Danialou, Prince Ade Oye, Gankpon Gbesse, Anafila Alao, Madou, Abdallah and Nel Oliver. Nel is also the head of a group that is trying to stop piracy. He believes that Benin is one of the few countries where the country has taken a stand to stop a criminal practice that is going to lead to the death of Africa’s music industry. He says, "If it doesn’t stop then 20 years down the line it will be owned by the Europeans". Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.