Bizzle Osikoya
{{Short description|Nigerian music executive}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date = October 2022}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bizzle Osikoya
| image = Bizzle Osikoya 1.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Abiodun Osikoya
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| nationality = Nigerian
| occupation = {{hlist|Talent manager|A&R|promoter|record executive|film producer|sound engineer}}
| alma_mater = {{ubl|University of Liverpool|SAE Institute Liverpool|Digital Film Academy}}
| known_for = Plug Entertainment
| years_active = 2010–present
| boards = The Plug
}}
Abiodun Osikoya, popularly known as Bizzle Osikoya, is a Nigerian record label executive, talent manager, film producer, and sound engineer.{{Cite web |last=Chidera |first=Muoka |date=2016-02-10 |title=Bizzle: The Infamous Mogul |url=https://guardian.ng/news/the-infamous-mogul/ |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=The Guardian |language=en-US}} He is the co-founder of The Plug (whose subsidiaries include The Plug Entertainment, The Plug Music, and Plug Sports) and The Block Party Series. In June 2022, Bizzle joined the Recording Academy class of 2022, as a professional member.{{cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=29 June 2022 |title=Recording Academy Issues Invitations to Over 2,000 New Voting Members |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/recording-academy-new-voting-members-invitations-1235108187/ |access-date=22 August 2022 |magazine=Billboard}}
Early life
Abiodun Osikoya was born in Nigeria and raised between Lagos, London, and Birmingham.{{cite web |last1=Porbeni |first1=Beatrice |date=18 October 2017 |title=Bizzle In London |url=https://guardian.ng/life/travel-and-places/bizzle-in-london/ |access-date=23 August 2022 |website=The Guardian}} He had his primary education in Lagos and his secondary education in Lagos and Birmingham, before proceeding to study Music Business in Liverpool for his tertiary education, where he graduated with a B.Sc. in Music Business from the University of Liverpool, and SAE Institute in Liverpool. His interest led him into studying sound engineering at SAE in Liverpool and film production at Digital Film Academy in New York.{{cite web |date=3 November 2021 |title=Five facts you didn't know about A&R, Bizzle Osikoya |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/11/five-facts-you-didnt-know-about-ar-bizzle-osikoya/ |access-date=26 September 2022 |website=Vanguard}}
Career
He began his career at Storm 360 Records as Naeto C's road manager,{{cite web |last1=Oriowo |first1=Ayomide |date=1 January 2022 |title=Asa Asika & Bizzle Are Creating a Legacy With The Plug |url=https://www.turntablecharts.com/mag/28/Asa-Asika-&-Bizzle-Are-Creating-a-Legacy-With-The-Plug |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101184127/https://www.turntablecharts.com/mag/28/Asa-Asika-&-Bizzle-Are-Creating-a-Legacy-With-The-Plug |archive-date=1 January 2022 |access-date=22 August 2022 |website=TurnTable}} and later joined Mo' Hits Records, where he worked with Wande Coal, Dr SID, Tiwa Savage, and Davido.{{cite web |last1=Bassey |first1=Rosemary |date=29 May 2021 |title=Talent is never enough – Bizzle Osikoya |url=https://dailytrust.com/talent-is-never-enough-bizzle-osikoya |access-date=23 August 2022 |website=Daily Trust |language=en}} In 2012, he joined Mavin Records as an A&R, and was responsible for Mavin's compilation album Solar Plexus and Reekado Banks studio album SPOTLIGHT,{{cite web |last1=Johnson-Omodiagbe |first1=Conrad |date=6 August 2020 |title=Interview: Bizzle Osikoya Is the A&R Shaping the Voice of a New Generation |url=https://www.okayafrica.com/bizzle-osikoya-nigerian-music-ar-the-plug/ |access-date=23 August 2022 |website=OkayAfrica |publisher= |language=}} before he resigned from the label in 2016.{{cite web |last1=Showemimo |first1=Adedayo |date=25 May 2016 |title=Popular promoter Bizzle Osikoya parts ways with Don Jazzy's Mavin |url=https://thenet.ng/popular-promoter-bizzle-osikoya-parts-ways-with-don-jazzys-mavin/ |access-date=22 August 2022 |website=Nigerian Entertainment Today}}
In 2016, he founded B Entertainment, which he later merged with Asa Asika imprint StarGaze Entertainment, to establish The Plug. On 18 December 2016, he lost the prize for New Media, at The Future Awards Africa to Tosin "OloriSuperGal" Ajibade.{{cite web |date=22 February 2022 |title=And The Nominees Are… The Future Awards Africa Unveils Those In The Running For Africa's Biggest Prize For Youth… |url=https://awards.thefutureafrica.com/nominees-future-awards-africa-unveils-running-africas-biggest-prize-youth/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222202258/https://awards.thefutureafrica.com/nominees-future-awards-africa-unveils-running-africas-biggest-prize-youth/ |archive-date=22 February 2022 |access-date=22 August 2022 |website= |publisher=The Future Awards Africa}} On 17 December 2022, he joined Nigeria recording chart company TurnTable charts, as one of its executives, alongside Oye Akideinde.{{cite web |last1=Adebiyi |first1=Adeayo |date=1 January 2022 |title=Oye Akideinde & Bizzle Osikoya Join TurnTable Charts in Executive Roles |url=https://www.turntablecharts.com/mag/18/Oye-Akideinde-&-Bizzle-Osikoya-Join-TurnTable-Charts-in-Executive-Roles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202342/https://www.turntablecharts.com/mag/18/Oye-Akideinde-&-Bizzle-Osikoya-Join-TurnTable-Charts-in-Executive-Roles |archive-date=1 January 2022 |access-date=22 August 2022 |website=TurnTable |publisher=}}
He also served as an A&R executive on Oxlade's debut ep Oxygene and Alpha P's debut EP King of the Wolves. He worked on BOJ and Ajebutter22 collaborative album Make E No Cause Fight 2. Bizzle has also helped launch the careers of many famous Nigerian Afrobeat, Afropop, R&B and alté musicians including Oxlade, Tomi Agape, Alpha P, Vict0ny, and Tems.