Behind the Scenes with Magixx — And a Big Month for Afrobeats Intelligence
May has been a full circle kind of month.
We had the honor of working on a short documentary following Magixx, Afrobeats artist, as he returned to his hometown of Oke-Ira, Lagos. The short film is raw, grounded, and deeply human — a true love letter to where he comes from. The film has since reached over 140k viewers around the world.
Through Úrú Collective, I supported this project with storyline development plus behind-the-scenes coverage, capturing the trip with Joey Akan as he followed Magixx home to meet the people, places, and energy that shaped his story. It was more than content. It was memory-keeping.
For me, this was the kind of work I started Úrú to do: stories rooted in purpose and context, delivered with care.
A Big Month for Afrobeats Intelligence
This BTS release also comes in the middle of a huge month for our partners at Afrobeats Intelligence. The podcast has dropped back-to-back episodes with Afrobeat artists like Joeboy and Gyakie to fireside conversations with the legendary Timaya. With the Muyiwa ‘Donawon’ Awoniyi (music exec and manager to Tems & Omah Lay) episode landing this Friday, each interview has added something rich to the culture. It’s been a joy helping shape the storytelling behind the scenes.
And the impact is real — in just one month, Afrobeats Intelligence has brought in over 400,000 views on OkayAfrica’s YouTube channel alone. Numbers aside, that’s a sign that the work is resonating. The stories are landing. The audience is showing up.
We also hosted the first-ever Afrobeats Intelligence presented by OkayAfrica Launch Party in Lagos. It was a night of community — old friends, new faces, a few surprise performances — and a reminder of how far we’ve come. Curating that night, building the right partnerships, helping Joey Akan bring his platform into real life — it’s the kind of brand work that doesn’t always get spotlighted, but makes everything else possible.
Founder Notes: Rebuilding in RealTime
This month hasn’t been about learning so much as it’s been about betting on myself — again and again. It's been about doing the work, even when it’s not glamorous. About making things happen with what’s in my hands, while keeping my eyes on the long game.
I’ve had to sit with what’s not working. Where the process feels too heavy. Where the vision gets clouded by pressure to be everything at once. And I’ve had to reorganize — not just tasks, but expectations. Priorities. Partnerships. Energy.
Building Úrú Collective in this new season feels less like starting and more like refining. Sharpening the edges. Returning to what this work was always about: creativity with integrity. Strategy with heart. Representation that’s not just loud, but intentional.
There’s still so much ahead — more stories to tell, more talent to support, more platforms to build. But this month reminded me that alignment matters more than speed. And I’m okay with that.
— Nneka Mogbo
Founder & Managing Director, Úrú Collective