Beyond Music: Power, Policy, and Youth Voices in Nigeria

Beyond Music: Power, Policy, and Youth Voices in Nigeria

Author: ISRAEL OLUWAFEMI MAKANJUOLA September 20, 2025 Duration: 14:58

An artiste can sing, sure. But in our world today, being an artiste goes beyond music. Anyone with a message of value has a song, and that song does not have to sound like Drake, Beyoncé, Tems, Wizkid, or Davido. Your truth can be your song. Your hustle can be your song. That is why on The Artiste Hangout, we are not just spotlighting emerging artistes. We are amplifying voices with something meaningful to say.


This podcast is usually about music and artistry, but sometimes we need to step back and look at the bigger system that shapes every opportunity we fight for: governance. Whether you are an artiste, producer, or young hustler, the policies made in Abuja ripple down to how we live, work, and create.


In this episode, I speak with Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC (Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre), about why youth participation in governance is not just a political matter but a survival issue. With more than 60 percent of Nigeria’s population under 25 and young people still sidelined in decision-making, the gap between policy and reality could not be clearer.


Rafsanjani explains how digital activism, civil society, and grassroots pressure are forcing the doors open for youth inclusion, and why staying silent only guarantees exclusion.


If you have ever wondered why your voice feels unheard or why the hustle in music and beyond is so tough, this conversation connects the dots between governance, opportunity, and the future young Nigerians deserve.


At Artiste Hangout with Femi Makx, the conversation starts where the music ends. Hosted by music journalist Femi Makx, this isn't a typical interview show; it's a deep, meandering exploration of how the sounds we love are forged. Each episode is built on the premise that a song is never just a song-it's a product of identity, a response to power structures, a spark of creativity shaped by its time. You'll hear long-form, in-depth conversations that deliberately wander, connecting artistic choices to the wider currents of youth culture and social change. The podcast operates from a simple, powerful idea: to examine music not as a passive soundtrack, but as an active, living commentary. This means peeling back the layers of a hit record to find the personal and political stories underneath, or understanding how a specific creative scene reflects broader shifts in society. The analysis is thoughtful and the atmosphere is more like a candid backstage chat than a formal Q&A. It’s for anyone who listens to a track and wonders about the world that made it, who sees the artist as a citizen and their work as a cultural artifact. Tune in for a perspective that treats the creative landscape with the seriousness it deserves, making each episode a hangout that challenges how you hear everything.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Artiste Hangout with Femi Makx
Podcast Episodes
The Creator who Became a Spectator [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:51
In March 2021, I started The Artiste Hangout Podcast with Femi Makx with one goal — to give artistes and creatives a platform to be heard. My first episode barely got plays, but I kept going. Today, the podcast streams i…
EMPTY CHAIRS BY BURNA BOY FT MICK JAGGER podcast prediction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:51
I predicted it and it’s here. In this episode, I spotlight “Empty Chairs” by Burna Boy featuring Mick Jagger, the thrilling 11th track on his eighth studio album No Sign of Weakness, set to drop July 11, 2025. I break do…
CAPTAIN by BNXN – Album Podcast Prediction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:48
Aye aye captain. BNXN is gearing up to take full control with his sophomore album CAPTAIN and in this episode of Artiste Hangout with Femi Makx we unpack everything you should expect. From the sound direction and standou…
Dear Skales…… [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:52
Dear Skales is a spoken letter straight from the heartOn this episode of The Artiste Hangout Podcast, I reflect on the journey of Skales, not just as an artist but as a man who kept moving even when the world grew quietF…
Pause If You Must, But Please Don’t Give Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:44
Sometimes the work feels heavy. The ideas stop flowing. The passion starts feeling like pressure. And the silence in front of your laptop or mic gets louder than anything else.This episode is just me talking from a place…
Speed Darlington Didn’t Just Say That for Music… Did He? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:13
When Speed Darlington went online and said he had been with a 15-year-old, then later claimed it was just promo for his music, it shook a lot of people. And honestly, it should.In this episode of The Artiste Hangout with…
Who’s Your Music Really For? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:08
From The Artiste Hangout with Femi MakxThis is one of the most critical conversations in music today, especially now that a lot of artistes are starting to sound the same. With charts, trends, and algorithms shaping the…
5ive by Davido podcast prediction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:25
what’s good? It’s Femi Makx on Artiste Hangout, and I’m hyped about Davido’s 5ive, dropping April 18, 2025. This album’s got 17 tracks, and it feels like Davido’s pouring his soul into it. I’m sitting here wondering….. c…
Is Odumodublvck Nigeria’s Rap Messiah? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:19
what’s the deal with Odumodublvck? On this episode of The Artiste Hangout with Femi Makx, we’re tackling the big question: Is this guy really Nigeria’s Rap Messiah, or is it all just noise? From his bangers dominating th…