ONErpm, a global music company, has launched the first phase of its “Rides On Us” Independence Day campaign in partnership with mobility company Shuttlers, an artist-led initiative designed to celebrate Nigerian music fans and the communities driving the country’s music forward. The activation, built around the campaign thought, “The people move the music. This time, we move them,” brought together ONErpm artists such as Skales, Krizbeatz, Kemuel, and others to give back to their fan communities as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence anniversary.
66 Complimentary Rides and Shuttlers Pod Experience
Playing on Nigeria at 66, ONErpm and Shuttlers offered 66 complimentary rides, allowing selected fans to be among the first to experience Shuttlers Pod, the mobility company’s new door-to-door ride experience. The Independence Day activation brought together some ONErpm artists and Shuttlers to celebrate the people behind the music, giving 66 fans access to complimentary Shuttlers Pod experiences.
Osagie Osarenkhoe, Director, ONErpm Africa, said: “Nigeria has never lacked talent, ideas or culture. What continues to evolve is the infrastructure around that talent and our ability to turn local momentum into sustainable global careers. Over the last six years, our focus has been to build with the ecosystem, not simply operate within it.”
Celebrating the People Behind the Music
Rather than mark Independence Day with a traditional celebratory campaign, ONErpm used the cultural moment to recognise the people whose everyday support helps artists and their music travel. Across collaborative and individual artist content, fans were invited to nominate themselves or someone they believed deserved a ride, sharing the stories behind their nominations.
“The idea behind Rides On Us was really simple: music moves because people move it,” said Blessing Manafa, Head of Label Services, West Africa at ONErpm. “Behind every stream, share, recommendation and show are people who continue to support these artists. Independence Day gave us an opportunity to turn that appreciation into something tangible. Nigeria was celebrating 66 years, so we wanted 66 people to feel that celebration directly.”
Multi-Artist Approach and Expanding Label Services
The campaign brought together artists from different corners of ONErpm’s Nigerian roster, allowing Skales, Krizbeatz, Kemuel and more to speak directly to their respective communities while participating in one larger institutional campaign. This multi-artist approach also reflects ONErpm’s expanding label services strategy in Africa, where artist marketing increasingly extends beyond traditional release promotion into brand partnerships, cultural moments and real-world fan experiences.
For Shuttlers, the collaboration provided an opportunity to introduce selected music fans to Shuttlers Pod, connecting the launch of its door-to-door mobility experience with music and culture.
Beyond the Independence Day Activation
Rides On Us was designed as more than a one-day social media campaign. Following the Independence Day activation and fan selection, the experience continues through the fulfilment of complimentary Pod rides, with selected artist-and-fan moments extending the campaign from digital participation into real-world experiences. The initiative forms part of ONErpm Africa’s continued investment in creating new connections between its artists, audiences and brands, while demonstrating how music companies can use cultural moments to deliver tangible value to the communities surrounding their artists.
66 years. 66 rides. One big thank you. The people move the music. This time, we move them.
