• John Blaq revealed he lost access to his YouTube channel and social media accounts while working with former management at Black Market Records.
  • The singer admitted he focused on music and ignored the business side, allowing his management to register accounts using their own credentials.
  • He now advises upcoming artists to always own their digital platforms, emails, and financial accounts to avoid exploitation.

Ugandan singer John Blaq has shared a candid account of the tough lessons he learned early in his music career, including how he lost access to all his social media accounts and YouTube channel while working with his former management, Black Market Records.

In an interview with Allan Cruz on YouTube, John Blaq looked back on a time when his only priority was music. He was focused on recording songs, building his name, and performing for fans—nothing else really mattered. Like many upcoming artists, he paid little attention to the business side of the industry, especially his digital presence.

“All I wanted was to make hits, be known out there, and perform for my fans,” he said.

That mindset, however, came at a cost. Trusting his management completely, John Blaq asked them to handle uploading his music to YouTube and other streaming platforms. At the time, he didn’t understand how online revenue worked or the importance of account ownership. Unbeknownst to him, everything was set up using his management’s emails and credentials.

Problems started when disagreements emerged. Suddenly, he found himself locked out of all his pages. “I didn’t have access to my social media pages. Every time I wanted to log in, I had to give them the phone,” he recalled.

The situation became even more frustrating when money came into the picture. John Blaq revealed that he had been convinced to sign bank documents under the impression that he was being added as a signatory to the account where his earnings were deposited. Later, while he was in South Africa, he asked the bank to halt any transactions until he returned—only to be told that he wasn’t recognized as a signatory at all.

“They used someone they knew at the bank. I signed the papers, but when I followed up later, the bank told me they didn’t know me,” he said.

Looking back, John Blaq says the experience taught him hard but valuable lessons. He now urges upcoming artists not to let excitement or desperation rush them into contracts they don’t fully understand. His advice is clear: always make sure your social media pages, streaming accounts, and digital platforms are registered using your own email addresses and phone numbers.

“That way,” he emphasized, “you stay in control of your music, your brand, and your money.”