Benin’s cultural scene is vibrant and music percolates into the everyday lives of people. Small recording studios and music clubs have been popping up around the capital of Cotonou in the last ten years.Influenced by the pulsating sounds of Ghanaian and Congolese artists, Beninese musicians fuse traditional folk with an impressive variety of music, including reggae, hip-hop, funk, jazz, brass band, choral, gospel, cabaret, and rhythm and blues, among others. 

These creative works however are exposed to widespread piracy, copyright violation and limited distribution infrastructure. People have difficulty verifying original works and are used to very low prices when the work is available. Consequently, artists, producers, promoters, and distributors do not make a fair profit from their creative expression. 

With the support of UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity, World Rhythm Productions brought to fruition its Proximus Rezo initiative. 

The Proximus Rezo project selected four musicians through a contest and promoted their original CD. It also created a sustainable sales network by hiring two distributers, and setting up 100 display units at hair salons in Cotonou’s popular areas. There, CDs were distributed and sold alongside other local recordings and films, and also promoted through radio and television spots. 

The project has enabled Benin’s cultural entrepreneurs to promote new talent and create an innovative, sustainable business model. Display units emphasized the value of original works and raised awareness of piracy issues. Bulk production and wide distribution permitted a price tag accessible to locals, which increased CD sales and generated earnings along the artistic production line. Profits are being reinvested in the industry and the approach will be extended to other cultural sectors. Local production companies are also interested in the new network while artists are keen to be associated with it.