The creatives who last are the ones who shape narratives, not just participate in them. They don’t just ride trends; they define them.
By: Winn Arinze
There’s a hard truth that most African creatives aren’t ready to hear: talent is not enough. In fact, talent is the baseline, the ticket to entry. The real game, the one that determines whether your name echoes beyond your Instagram followers or fizzles out after a moment of hype, is about capacities.
You see it all the time – an artist goes viral, a writer trends, a fashion designer gets a lucky break. Everyone screams, “Africa to the world” but then, six months later? Crickets. Why? Because influence without capacities is a castle built on sand.
If you’re serious about leaving a significant mark, not just being a one-hit wonder, then keep reading. This is the blueprint for African creatives who want sustainable influence; the kind that outlives algorithms, market trends, and even their own lifetime.
The Difference Between Visibility and Influence
There’s a reason we don’t say “visibility is power”. Influence, not just visibility, is the real currency of the global stage. You can have 500,000 followers and still struggle to sell out a 100-person event. You can go viral and still be broke because visibility is people seeing you; influence is people acting because of you.
And the difference? Capacities.
When Burna Boy, Trevor Noah, or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speak, the world listens. They don’t just have followers; they have global leverage. Their words, actions, and creative output shift culture, shape conversations, and command premium opportunities.
How? They built influence, assets, relationships, and social grandeur — four core elements in the capacities framework that every African creative needs. Let’s break them down.
Influence: Owning Your Narrative and Authority
Influence isn’t about being loud; it’s about being irreplaceable. If people can swap you out for the next trending name, you’re not influential, you’re a placeholder.
The creatives who last are the ones who shape narratives, not just participate in them. They don’t just ride trends; they define them.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want to be known for beyond my craft?
- Am I speaking, creating, and moving in ways that reinforce my authority?
- Do I control my image or am I at the mercy of the internet’s short attention span?
Until you intentionally craft your legacy, you’re just renting influence, and landlords can evict you at any time.
Assets: The Power of Ownership
If you don’t own anything, you don’t control anything. If all your work is on platforms you don’t own, your career is an illusion of stability.
Think of Rihanna. Music gave her visibility, but Fenty gave her billionaire status. Jay-Z said it best: “I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man.”
Ownership is your insurance policy against irrelevance. This is why African creatives must shift from talent-based influence to asset-based influence.
Start asking:
- Do I own my content, or does an algorithm?
- Can I monetise my work in multiple ways, beyond just sponsorships?
- Is my brand an ecosystem, or am I just an entertainer?
Because when the industry gatekeepers change, owners stay, tenants leave.
Relationships: Proximity Is Leverage
You can be the most talented person in the room, but if you’re in the wrong room, it doesn’t matter. Your network isn’t just your net worth, it’s your trajectory.
Look at the biggest African success stories. They didn’t just “grind hard”, they built the right alliances.
Burna Boy and Diddy.
Tems and Future.
Davido and Chris Brown.
It’s not luck; it’s strategy. Relationships open doors that hard work alone cannot.
So, ask yourself:
- Am I intentionally building a global network, or just staying local?
- Do the people in my circle elevate me or keep me stagnant?
- If I disappeared today, who would fight to keep me relevant?
Because opportunity doesn’t just find you, you position yourself for it.
Social Grandeur: The Art of Perception
African creatives underestimate this one. Social Grandeur is not clout, it’s controlled perception. It’s the difference between being seen as an artist and being seen as an icon.
Beyoncé rarely gives interviews. That’s intentional. Burna Boy moves with a calculated mystery. That’s branding. When Pharrell stepped into the Louis Vuitton role, he wasn’t the “best designer” — he was the best-positioned cultural architect.
Perception determines value. If you don’t curate how the world sees you, the world will decide for you. And trust me, you won’t like the version they choose.
To build Social Grandeur:
- Be selective about your appearance. Exclusivity increases value.
- Craft a signature style that makes you recognisable beyond just your work.
- Learn the power of mystique. Not everything needs to be shared online.
Because the world doesn’t just reward talent, it rewards the illusion of greatness.
Final Thoughts: The Creatives Who Will Win
If you want to be part of the African creatives who make global impact, not just local noise, then understand this:
capasities separate legends from fads.
- Influence makes your voice matter.
- Assets make your power sustainable.
- Relationships make your growth inevitable.
- Social Grandeur makes your presence unforgettable.
Most creatives will wait for opportunity. The smart ones will build capasities so opportunity chases them. Which one will you be?
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Feature Image by OG Productionz for Pexels
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