Afrobeats singer Daniel Benson, popularly known as BNXN, has weighed in on the long-running debate over whether musicians or professional athletes earn more, arguing that top basketball players, particularly those in the NBA, are significantly wealthier than most Nigerian music stars.
The 'Finesse' hitmaker shared his views during a recent livestream with streamer Ojo, where he spoke about his interactions with professional basketball players and the vast difference in earnings between the two industries.
According to BNXN, his friendship with several NBA players has given him firsthand insight into the level of wealth enjoyed by athletes competing in the American basketball league.
“I am friends with a few NBA players. These guys have so much money. Nigerian artists don’t even have as much money as them,” he said.
The singer noted that while Afrobeats has grown into a globally recognised genre, with many Nigerian artists earning substantial incomes from music sales, streaming, concerts and endorsements, their earnings still fall short of those of elite athletes in major international sports leagues.
Emphasising the financial gap, BNXN pointed to some of the NBA's biggest stars as examples of the league's enormous earning power.
“NBA players are insanely rich. A player of Jaylen Brown’s calibre have so much money. Afrobeats are not close to athletes in terms of earnings.”
BNXN's remarks have added to the broader conversation surrounding the financial success of entertainers and athletes, with many observers noting that leading NBA players benefit from massive player contracts, sponsorship deals and commercial endorsements that often surpass the earnings of even the biggest names in the global music industry.