Celebrity Interview:My wife encourages me to kiss well on set —Yemi Blaq

 

WHAT have you been up to lately?

I’ve been up to a lot of good works because I have said to myself that the benchmark of my person is quality.

So, at this time and at this point in my career, what I’m basically doing are jobs that are qualitative and definitive of the future of Nollywood. I’ve been trying to establish my own production company. My wife and I are starting a production company known as Applause Entertainment. We promise that we won’t fail in the standards of high quality that people expect from us.

Who is your wife?

My wife is Remi Ibinola Olatunji Blaq. To me, she’s the best writer in Nollywood. I’m not saying this with any sense of exaggeration. In prose, poetry, script – she’s amazing. We’re coming together to make sure we take Nollywood by storm.

What is the basis of your assertion that your wife is a good writer?

My wife wrote ‘The Distance Between’. You can look it up in the archives and it was directed by Izu Ojukwu. It starred myself, Rita Dominic, Mercy Johnson and Kalu Ikeagwu. It was shot in 2007, amazing piece of work.

She’s written works like ‘The Hunting’ for which I won an award in Ireland in 2009 or thereabout. She also has a blogspot. It’s not a statement founded on conjecture or emotional attachment. It’s a statement of fact based on antecedents.

How did you meet her?

We met sometime ago when she was about to shoot a movie entitled ‘Growing Up’. I went with a friend of mine to meet her, we spoke about the movie, I got the role and subsequently, we kept communicating. One thing led to another and here we are, many years after that and we’re still together.

How long have you been married to her?

We’ve been together for approximately eight years.

How has married life been?

It’s been interesting. I’m someone who gets easily bored and same goes for my wife. We’re both very engaging and creative people and in the core of our persons is the ability to be bored. Everyday is an adventure, we see something new and different in each other. It’s like a never-ending onion, there’s always one layer after the next.

You have a very close relationship with Juliet Ibrahim, how does your wife react to that?

She’s okay with it. My wife is a professional through and through. When we were shooting ‘The Distance Between’, my wife wrote the script. She wrote my character to have a romantic relationship with both Rita Dominic and Mercy Johnson. She was on set while we were shooting and after doing a kissing scene with Mercy Johnson, my wife called me aside and said “That kiss is not real. You need to make it real”.

She knows that as long as I’m on set, it’s my job and I’m doing the kissing not because I’m enjoying a kiss from a woman, but because it’s the character doing the kissing, not me. If I kiss a girl outside the set, I’ll have a lot of questions to answer. She knows about me and Juliet.

Was it movies that brought Juliet Ibrahim and you together?

Yes. The funny thing is I’ve heard about her, seen her and the first time we really had time to relate was when we shot the movie ‘ Corporate Operations’ with Alex Mouth in Abuja, but there was no time to bond. Shortly after that, she called me while she was in Ghana and there was this movie we were shooting ‘Number One Fan’, starring myself and her.

I went over to Ghana for the movie and that was where we really had the chance to bond. I knew her real person behind the screen, she’s nice, hardworking, dedicated and focused and those are the qualities I appreciate in a human being. We are still friends till today. I was at her birthday party sometime ago in Lagos and we had a great time partying all night long. Once again, my wife knows about it.

If you weren’t already married, would you have married Juliet; is she your kind of person?

Yes, she’s my kind of person. She’s smart, dedicated, but it’s a pity I’m not single. It’s a great thing I met my wife first and if you ask me, ‘If I had to do it all over again, would I change anything?’. I’d tell you it’s nice to be with someone with whom everyday is a new day with its own challenges, rewards and beauty. My wife is creative, crazy, lovable and she’s my love.

Your job sometimes create room for adventures which can sometimes be dangerous….?

(Cuts in) Adventure with another person is dangerous to a relationship, but when you have adventures with your wife, it’s just beautiful. Most men marry and they tend to treat their wives as their mothers, but unfortunately, that’s wrong. She’s someone you can have fun and crazy adventure with, party, talk and everything.

When you’re married, you’re not supposed to cross the Rubicon to the other side, you’re supposed to stay there and make it interesting, because marriage is a bit more challenging than relationships. It’s different day in, day out – there are challenges, there’s work, family and kids to worry about and so on. At the end of the day, when you have a good relationship with your life partner, it’s just the way to go. Everyday is a new day. (Sings – New every morning…… Laughs)

Are you saying you can never cheat on your wife?

Not at all. I never say never, but in this situation, I’m going to say ‘Never’, because one of the biggest things that destroys the joy in marriage is cheating and distrust. Once you break someone’s trust, you can never get it back. The person can tolerate you and live with you, but never trust you again and that’s something I’ll never play with.

You’ve not really been doing much movies lately?

Some actors play every role that comes their way. Sometime ago, I played a certain role that was beneath my talent as a person. Since then, I told myself that anything I’m going to be involved in will have a certain amount of quality. Quality and quantity are not synonyms, as a result I’ve not been churning out works like others.

I’ve been doing very qualitative work like Sinking Sand, A Place in the Stars, Corporate Operations and many others. I’m working on some at the moment. For me, it’s about quality, I’m saying this with all sense of modesty. My work will outlive me. When I’m gone, I want my son to say with all sense of pride “That’s my father in that movie”.

You’ve done a few Yoruba movies, how many are they compared to the English movies you’ve done?

I’ve done a couple, about three Yoruba movies. That’s no comparison at all, because I’ve done almost 300 movies. It’s a minor percentage.

To you, which is more challenging?

Every role I play is challenging because when you are acting, you’re making a departure from your person. It’s not about me playing me, but about me playing someone else. There are no small roles, only small actors. You try as much as possible to bring all of yourself into every role you play.

How much do you charge per role?

Trust me, every time I charge, I’m making enough to be able to cater for an average family in Nigeria for a year. No artiste has a specific amount, you are always flexible.

What influences your sense of style?

I’m very individual and stubborn. I’m from Ondo town in Ondo State. My people are very stubborn and by Zodiac, I’m taurian. That makes me double-stubborn. I do not go with the crowd. If I like it, I wear it. I’m not a fashionista by virtue of fashion of the moment. I wear what I like and what I feel comfortable in.

What else do you do besides acting?

I’m a voice-over artiste. I’m starting my own production house at the moment. I’m a content developer and a songwriter. I’m going to come out with my first single soon.

DNA result: Two of Femi Kuti’s five children are not his

 Afrobeat King, Femi Kuti has painfully revealed that two of his five children – Dupe and Tosin – are not his and has had them returned to their biological fathers.
The  singer  in a chat with Encomium, claimed he found out after a DNA test was carried out on them and confessed to being disappointed that a woman could deceive with him for that long. 

“I did a DNA test and was told two of the children are not mine. The first two (after Made), a boy and a girl.  It is very serious.  I never knew somebody could give you what is not yours.  I’ve three boys now. I can’t father children I was tricked to believe I am their father,” he lamented.
Funke, his ex-wife, gave birth to his first child and son, Made, who Femi treasures so much while his current wife, Bisi Ajala gave birth to Ayomide and one other child that the DNA test recently proved not to be Femi’s.  Not much details about the third wife is known.

I was blind for 15 nights after birth — Chidinma

Chidinma Ekile, one of Nigeria’s most talented pop stars took music to another level when she featured her mum, Mrs Martha Ekile, in a new song dedicated to her. The song ‘Martha’ had the mum doing the intro while Chidinma picked it up from there.

However the petite singer couldn’t hide her excitement over the whole thing as she took to her Instagram page to express her feelings: “The song ‘Martha’ is dedicated to my mother, Mrs Martha Ekile. I decided to show my fans  a different side to Chidinma, a side never revealed to so many, a side I will forever remain grateful and indebted to Father Lord  for his miraculous interventions and guidance in my life,” she wrote.

“I was conceived and certified totally blind at birth. For fifteen nights this woman held me in her hands and wept uncontrollably, with my father calling on God to bless the newly born, Chidinma with sight. On the sixteenth day I opened my eyes and they have been opened ever since.

I was born a very fragile baby with some health conditions. Her prayers took it all away. Life is such a wonderful and colourful piece of art and it must feel like hell not to envision God’s creation” she added.

Source: Vanguardngr

Golden Jubilee: Adebayo Salami 'Oga Bello' celebrates 50 years on stage

Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello, is a veteran in the movie industry in Nigeria having spent over two decades as an actor.

As such, the renowned actor is going the extra mile to celebrate his 50 years on stage later in the year.

Oga Bello, whose son, Femi Adebayo, is also a talented actor, said his style of celebration to mark this milestone, would be different from the norm.

“I want to celebrate this milestone by staging a play, Oloko Oba. We want to bring the old actors back. The play would feature the likes of Yinka Quadri, Muyiwa Ademola and others,” he said.

Salami hinted that he would use the ceremony to resuscitate the stage acting, which is almost dead in the country.

“Stage plays will be revived again. We have made plans with the National Theatre, Lagos. At least once in a month, there will always be a stage play in the theatre. We really want to bring back to life that genre of art,” he said.

Salami also said that a compilation of his 12 movies would be unveiled during the ceremony.

Source: Punchng

Celebrity Secret: Actress Niecey Nash says women should give their men BJ at least once a day!

Niecy Nash's husband of three years, Jay Tucker, must be a very happy man...that's if she practices what she preaches. The actress, comedian and former host of Style Network's Clean House says every woman should give their men oral sex at least once a day to keep the relationship going. Niecy said this when asked about the secret to a happy marriage in a recent interview with Playboy magazine, while promoting her relationship advice book. Below is what she said...

 "What I say in the book is, "A BJ a day keeps the divorce attorney away" and I say that because I feel like men are profoundly simplistic, which is the reason I wanted to call my book what I used as the title of chapter three, which is, "Stomach Full, Penis Empty: A Woman's Guide to a Happy Marriage."

Keeping him fed and drained, you have no problem. We are really more complicated than they are and I think that women are more generous with oral sex because we nurture by nature. We want to be pleasing by nature, that's in our DNA, so I think that a lot of the behavior we're looking for sexually, you might have to educate your partner. 
Sometimes, men just assume they're going to get it and you need to be like, "Give me mine. Ladies first."

Source: LIB

Celebrity Interview: Why use vibrators, when there are able men — Chika Oguine

For people who don’t know you, briefly introduce yourself?

My name is Chika Agatha Oguine even though the media somehow has decided to throw away my surname and just tag me Chika Agatha

When did you start acting?

I started acting in 2012. That was the year I left school, University of Nigeria. 2012 was also my service year too, so instead of just wasting my time doing nothing in the Federal Ministry office where I was posted for my primary assignment as a youth corper, I decided to take a step forward, come down to Lagos after to pursue my dream.

How has it been so far?

It’s been so good. I can’t even believe that within two years, I have gotten to this point where people will call in and say “I saw your movie on Dstv, I watched you on AIT” and there was even this soap Sons of Zebedee that was shown in the UK. When my cousins from the UK called me, I was like, ‘Are you serious? Am I that big now?’

So, I’m in between finding how to get a balance so my name doesn’t even grow bigger than I am, because there is going to be a big problem in my mind if my name is bigger than me. I believe I ought to be bigger than my name and not the other way round. I’m trying to stay on top of things but everything is happening so fast- it’s been God all the way

What would you say is your most successful movie so far?

For the most successful, I can’t really say because most of the movies I’ve done are not even aired in Nigeria to start with. So, the only ones they’ve seen are all those commercial movies that are not shown in the cinemas and the ones that were done for the cinemas are not yet out. So, if you ask my most successful movie, I can’t really say for now because all of them are not out.

What is your latest movie?

Sex on the Beach, starring myself, Moyo Lawal, Mercy Macjoe, Sam Sunny, Ero Josh.  It’s in the market right now. Every video vendor or film shop should have the movie Sex on the Beach and Temple of the Serpent. They’re like the latest movies in which I featured out in the market now. I’ve been getting so many comments on my facebook page and on different social platforms.

Who inspired you to go into acting?

It’s just been there since my cradle days. It’s something that I just felt I’m going to end up doing because I have always watched myself grown in front of a mirror, looking at myself and making some faces and all.

But then again, when I watched movies, I try to see why this person did this and that. What was the character? I tried to mimic those things that they did and tried to see if I could get close to what they’ve done or to see if I really did it well the way they did it. So, it’s just about me finding what I like to do. Sometimes, when I watch a movie, I get lost in it.

I’m not aware of my immediate environment. That is what makes me happy. I find happiness when it comes to art and media. I’m not talking about acting alone but entertainment as a whole. It makes me happy and I think whatever makes you happy will fetch you good money.

You recently released some bikini photos of yourself online. Where did you take those photos?

How Linda Ikeji got my pictures, I don’t know. To tell you the truth, those pictures were from the set of Sex on the Beach and I wasn’t the only person wearing bikini.

We had the likes of Moyo Lawal wearing bikini, most of us were all wearing bikinis but it was just me posted online by Linda Ikeji and I got calls saying ‘Chika, I saw your pictures on Lindaikeji’ . Some even said I paid Linda to put my pictures. I don’t know who Lindaikeji is. This is my phone, you can check. I don’t have her contact. I’ve not even seen her before in my life. People even have Lindaikeji app on their phone, I don’t even have it.

At first, I was shocked and I kept on calling my friends, I just kept on calling people who I know probably must have posted the pictures but all of them said they weren’t the ones.

I called my publicist and he said he wasn’t the one. It is still a mystery to me up to now, I do not know. But whoever did that sure has done so much good for me because at a point, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is bad press but someone told me, my dear, there’s nothing like bad press in Nollywood’. So, I’m now beginning to adjust to it and its okay, its fine.

Your boobs are very big, are they natural?

I’ve never ever dreamt of going under the knife, whether for my boobs or for my body. I think God has created me perfectly. I am beautiful and I know that. I don’t need to go under the knife to enhance anything on my body. I just need to stay in shape, keep fit and that’s it. I’m good to go.

What’s your bra size?

The last I checked, it was a 44DD.

Do you think your boobs assist you in getting movie roles?

I’ve never heard in Nollywood where your boobs or your physical features get you a role. There are so many people out there who have bigger boobs but that’s not the key. This acting thing is a craft that you always have to keep improving on.

You always have to keep in trend and keep up with new challenges. In this business, if you have nothing to offer, nobody would call you. It does not matter whether you have big boobs or big bumbum, it doesn’t really matter but then again, it is just an added advantage. But the most important thing is to know your craft, then every other physical value can follow.

Can you go nude in a movie?

I’m not going to go nude in our Nigerian movies because it’s not in our culture.

I mean who wants to see you in a nude movie here and still say you’re a good person? People would have to make criticisms. Have you watched Twelve Years a Slave? Did you see the part where Lupita Nyong’o had to go naked when she had to receive some lashes of the whip on her back? That is technical directing.

She was nude but there was no clear view she was actually nude. It was professional. If I have someone like that who is ready to direct me in that kind of movie and I have a team of people that are very professional in the acting thing, Why not? I would take a shot. I would take all my shots to be on that set but you can’t expect me to act nude in Nigerian movies. I will not go nude, totally nude like, no pant or bra, for any movie in Nigeria.

In a recent interview you said don’t believe in love, why?

I have come to understand that love means different things in Nigeria. Different things make people fall in love. It could be money, it could be sex, it could be for companionship, it could be for whatever reasons of which some are not really acceptable to me. The only people who have really shown me what love is, are my parents especially, my dad. If it’s the way Nigerians have reduced love to buying chocolate and ice cream, I guess everybody is in love then.

How do you deal with your male admirers?

You all know how I handle them. Since they are in love, there are always bills there to pay so they would have to run away.

It’s not like I tell them to pay my bills though, but I have seen that in Nigeria, the only way you can actually chase a man out of your life is to tell him, ‘I need this, I need that’.

For some who can actually give that, I don’t tell them to pay my bills, I don’t give them that option because I know they are ready to pay and all that, but I try to let them know I am not the kind of girl you can buy off with a gift or money. If that is the way to have a relationship, I should have about five now, but I am looking for something out of the ordinary. I’m sorry if I’m asking for too much but who am I not to.

Do you believe in vibrators?

Why do I have to get a vibrator when there are so many able men out there? It could be helpful for some people who do not have relationships but seriously, Nigerian guys are very able bodied men.

Personally, I don’t believe that. If you want to have a good sex, you should have one of your friends that you have feelings for, even if you guys are not really dating. Believe it or not, some men don’t like to be committed to a woman and don’t believe in dating.

Instead of jumping around from one place to the other with loads of people you don’t really know, it’s safer to do it with someone you know, someone close to you, someone you can actually give yourself to. Not for payment of any kind or for exchange of money.

I don’t believe in that kind of thing. I mean, if a guy walks up to me and tells me I’m going to pay you this for doing this, it might actually even turn me off. That’s why I’m me. I don’t know how other girls do that, but sex for me shouldn’t depend on how much you can give me because I may probably have sex with you but never come. I mean who wants to have sex and not come? It’s really annoying.

What would make you climax during sex?

For me, it’s really something out of the physical. It’s more of psychological than sex itself because I could have sex and not come but what makes me come is who the person is, what feelings I have for the person. That is why I can never have sex with someone I don’t have feelings for because I might not come.

If you have feelings for the person, how many times can you come in a session?

It depends on how good he is, but it’s not like it’s a must for me to come during sex. It depends on how good the guy is and I just have to like you very much for me to go down there. Most people won’t talk about this but I have to talk about it because it’s a real life situation.

I have actually started seeing someone but we’re not that serious at the moment because I’m trying not to rush things. Here in Nigeria, people feel that when you have sex with someone, the next thing is to have relationship with them but it doesn’t work that way with me. If you feel like doing it, it’s better to be safe than to just go about doing it with just anybody. When you have someone you like, I think it’s better to be safe.

What is your philosophy of life?

My philosophy of life has always been ‘Live and let live’. If I live and you live and everybody is happy, everybody goes on smiling. Another one I can’t forget is never to regret anything. I never regret anything that I do because I would have done better if I knew wiser. So, I have resolved not to regret anything I do in life. I just try to get better in anyway I can.

What more should people expect from you?

Let them expect a lot of mind-blowing movies from me. For those who have not gotten a view of my full cup size, they should sit back and relax because much of that will be coming.

There’s this thing they say that sex sells. So, even if you’re not doing anything relating to sex, it’s okay to show some few romance scenes in the movies so it can sell the movie.

You mustn’t necessarily show all your body parts but you have to wear something sensual and that’s what movie is all about. I’m not talking about porn here because I can never ever do porn but sometimes you need to constructively do your acting thing and bring it out so people can say ‘Oh wow’ and things like that.

Celebrity Interview: I can’t have a party without alcohol — Eniola Badmus

Eniola Badmus became a major hit in the blockbuster movie ‘’Jenifa’ as the ‘Gbogbo Big Girls’, where she played the role of a madame who rented out girls on campus to big men. Then she kept with the same stereotype in ‘`Omo Ghetto’ where she was a leader of bad ghetto girls 

Ever since, the coast has been all yummy for Eniola who has become a hotcake with movie producers. She recently celebrated her birthday in New York and had the elite of the movie industry in attendance. As Potpourri star this week, Eniola lets us into her world:

What movies have you done this year?

There’s Uchechi The Blind Cripple, A Child In Me, and many others. We shoot movies every other day, so I can’t even remember, I’ve lost count

Which one is your biggest movie so far?

Basically, I’ve done series of films that I feel are successful. At least I was able to prove a point, that’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Whichever one that my fans feel they like best, I’m with them

Which Actor/Actress do you like working with on set?

I like working with everybody; I don’t discriminate. In as much as you’re good then we’re good to go. I can work with anybody that goes with my flow and can give me what I want; I’m cool with everybody

Have you won any awards?

I’ve won many awards. This year I won ‘The Best Actress 2014 in City People Awards’. Then I had three other nominations; I had nominations in GIAMA, I got nominated in NMA as ‘Most Popular Actor’, that’s one of the biggest nominations I had. Then series of nominations and other awards too.

What has been your biggest challenge since you got into Nollywood?

I’ve been in this industry for a long time; I don’t even look at challenges anymore. When you stay too long in a particular stuff, it doesn’t look challenging anymore because my life is all about this that I do. I’ve been doing this for over a decade so I can’t just say one thing is challenging. I try my best in all that I do

You mostly play bad girl roles in movies, why?

I don’t remember the ones that I played bad girl recently, maybe before, but I know I’ve changed a lot of stuffs. I’ve been playing other roles too and the fact that I play bad girl role doesn’t mean I am bad, maybe, I’m good at it though.

Have you ever played as someone else’s wife in a movie?

More than enough times.

You and Davido were seen together recently, what were you guys doing?

Shout-out to my brother, Davido! That’s a movie shoot, that’s my movie coming out sometime next year. I shot some in Yankee and I’m shooting part of it again in Nigeria

Have you ever thought of losing weight?

Why is this my being big an issue to people? Okay, everybody has to be very very slim, right? In the US they don’t discriminate like this o, it’s only in Nigeria people get worked up about being overweight. I understand it is not healthy to be overweight at all, but should it be an issue as a lifestyle?

Has your weight affected your career in any way?

How now? That is what has been working for me. It is not easy to be big and famous. Instead of my weight being a drawback, it has actually been a blessing.

Are you currently in any relationship?

Yes, obviously, I would have someone I’m dating; I’ll have somebody I’m planning marriage with, even if I’m not planning marriage, at least I have somebody I’m seeing.

How is it like working with Wazobia FM?

It’s cool. I’m not working with Wazobia FM; I only have my show on Naija FM

When does your show air on radio?

It’s Monday and Tuesday on Naija FM by 6:00PM

Have you gotten any endorsements before?

Yes- many times. I used to be on Vmobile billboard, then on iROKOTv. I did an advert for CBN, even Royco.

What do you find attractive in a man?

I just like a regular guy that has talent, even if he does not have talent, he has to be intelligent. A regular man, an average man; but please no body odour and no mouth odour, such are very important to me.

At your last birthday party, you were seen with bottles of alcohol…

(Cuts) When you have a party, you don’t give alcohol? See, I am a kind of person that doesn’t see a thing like that as anything special. How can any normal person have a party without alcohol? I’m not an SU o, let them know. I’m a born-again Christian but I’m not an SU. When we have parties, we serve alcohol, it is normal. Party without alcohol is nothing, its zero.

What is your advice to upcoming Yoruba actresses?

They should do what they believe, but they should just do the right thing

Who inspired you to become an actress?

Nobody inspired me; I just felt okay I wanted to do it. I did Theater Arts at University of Ibadan and that’s it

  What has been the high point of your career?

I’m still not at the top of my game, I’m not there yet, we’re still moving. We’ve not reached but we’re on the way, we’re not where we used to be but we’re still climbing

Are you planning on getting married?

Yes now, every girl wants to get married at some point in her life. Even if I’m getting married, nobody would know though.

Why?

Because I just want to keep it like that. I am not the kind of person that wants her private life in the open. Any relationship I have, I just want to keep it off the news so it can last. If it’s in the news, they’ll frustrate the relationship and before you know it, the relationship ends, basically because the man may be scared off by the noise.

How would you describe yourself off camera?

I like to chill a lot, I like to just be in my house watching TV, reading novels and watching my other jobs I’ve done that came out and try to correct my mistakes. I’m always in my friend’s house when I’m not working; I like to chill with my friends and family because that’s the only time I have with my people.

What more should people expect from you?

They should expect good things. They should expect my movie featuring the one and only OBO and other artists like Bukky Wright, Bukki Ajayi, Funke Akindele, Patience Ozokwor. I’m shooting my movie this year but it’s coming out next year.

Source; Vanguardngr

Celebrity Interview: The mistake I made about Fela —Weird MC

Weird MC, born Adesola Adesimbo Idowu, is one female rapper in Nigeria who dazzles on stage.

She was one of the artistes who closed this year’s edition of the annual musical concert, tagged “Felabration” which held penultimate Sunday at the New African Shrine. Showtime Celebrity cornered her. She shares the story of how she dumped basketball for music.

From where do you derive the strength you exhibit on stage?

Every human being has a unique gift from God. At the beginning, it was a gift I didn’t understand. My mother told me that as a little girl, I was restless, energetic and active. My father, at a point, was worried about me.

But after awhile, some of my aunties intervened and allayed his fears as they got him to understand that I would be energetic and active when I grew up.

Not knowing that later in my life, I would go into music. It’s one special thing that has really made my brand stand out.

Any time I hit the international stage or perform anywhere in Nigeria, the first thing people always talk about is the energy I display on stage. They always wonder where I derive my energy from. I thank God for the gift.

At what age did you realize you had that gift?

I started appreciating the gift when I was 14-15years. I was playing football as well as basket ball. I was also into athletics. In fact, I realized that each time, we were running on the pitch, I would run faster than my opponents.

I did hundred meters, two hundred meters, high jump and long jump. That was when I realized that the gift was something special that I should pay more attention to.

Were you doing music by the side?

Then, I wanted to be a rapper. I like rap music but I was not certain whether I would do music professionally. My main focus was actually basketball. I wanted to play basketball.

But along the line, some of my friends advised me against the choice. They criticized the way basketball players are treated in the country. They suggested, however, that I should travel to America, if I must pursue a career in basket ball. I wanted to embrace the idea as I have a British Passport. I was born in London, I could easily travel to America from London.

Again, I caught the music bug. It was the case of me choosing between music and basketball. Later, I went for music because I was more attracted to it than playing basket ball.

I love the idea of going on stage, performing to people and influencing them with my lyrics on stage. I started to enjoy it, and later, concluded I wanted to do music professionally.

What was the experience like the first time you stormed the studio to record your songs?

It was frustrating as well as limiting. I’m somebody who like space, I am very energetic. Standing in a vocal butt to do my vocal, I felt restless. But I had to put the music out for the people to consume it.

So, I did some songs like “Allen Avenue” and later went on stage. I saw how the song was massively received by my fans.

Was your debut album, Allen Avenue, appreciated beyond your imagination?

It was shocking. I got the sign that Allen Avenue was going to be a special album after I finished recording the album. I took it to the Afro beat King, Fela to listen to.

The reason I took it to him was because I sampled one of his evergreen songs, Look and Laugh as part of the music I put together for the single.

I wanted to obtain permission from him, but when he heard the song, he was impressed that I have done something different. According to him, no woman in Africa has ever used Afro beat music to do rap, such that it sounded so marketable.

He gave me his blessing and said that he was in support of my career in music. But the mistake I made was that we had shot the music video before I went to see him.

I wished that we hadn’t done that otherwise, I would have begged him to feature in the video. That was the beginning of a journey for me to know that Allen Avenue was going to be a special single. The single was a bang.

They said that before I came out with Allen Avenue, Nigerians were not receptive to Hip-hop music. But immediately I hit the market, I won the very first Hip-hop music award in this country. I remember, it was EME Awards. That was how we started opening the doors for Hip-hop music to grow and flourish in Nigeria.

After the release of your first single, and it was a hit, were you encouraged to do more hit songs?

I had the courage that my songs would to places. This was because the scene had started to grow. After my emergence, The Remedies surfaced, followed by Tony Totula and 2face. At this point, I decided to change my style again. And this saw me infusing carriage music with talking drum.

I remember playing it to somebody in London, and the person was amazed. Many people were already saying that my second album would be bigger than “Allen Avenue.”

It’s very rare for a musician’s second album to beat his first album. I shot the music video, and the moment I took the video to the MTV Base, they were excited. I have major hits on my hand. And when I released it, it was like an explosion.

How do you define your kind of music?

I don’t even define my music. What I can say is that it’s fusion. It’s like a coat of many colours. You can hear a bit of highlife, brass, pop. It’s a combination of everything. I am a hip-hop fusionist.

When the new generation of Nigerians musicians started emerging, you were about the only female voice in the industry. How do you react to what is happening today where more female singers are taking the centre stage?

I think it is a wonderful thing that more women are now in the game. For awhile, I was worried that women were not forthcoming in the industry. Gradually, they started emerging in the scene. First was Tiwa savage, followed by Waje and later Omawunmi. It’s a blessing to the industry. More female rappers are also emerging

on the scene; Shasha has been there for a while just as myself. It can only get better and bigger with time.

Nothing much has been heard from you in recent times?

I am actually in the studio recording my latest songs. We have actually shot a video for one of the new songs. We are editing right now. We are also recording more songs, in fact, I just want to round off by doing a few collabos. I have already done some collabos but I want to do more .By the grace of God we are good to go. Yes, I know that my fans are missing me. This evening(at grand finale of Felaberation 2014), when I mounted the stage, I was almost in tears. The kind of reception given to me on stage was overwhelming.

In less than two years, the female singers in Nigeria lost two of their colleagues, Goldie and Kefee, to the cold hands of death. Do you think they left a vacuum in the industry following their sudden exit?

I don’t know. You know they just started growing in the industry. Kefee was around for a while and to come to term with the fact that she’s no more is still a shock to me. May God continue to protect and preserve us. And we will continue to do things to make them proud wherever they may be.

What would you say was the greatest mistake you have made as a singer?

I think as a musician, the moment you stepped into the spotlight, you have lost your right to privacy. That’s the only thing I can say on this matter. I am a very, very private person, but now, I have lost it to the public.

Why are you always described as a controversial singer?

I don’t know why. Sometimes, when you are different and unique, people tend to put you in a box. I don’t think I am controversial at all. I am just like everybody else. Well, that’s part of the price I have to pay as a public figure.

What’s one funny thing that has happened to you on stage?

I was performing in Lekki. Then I used to wear two rings and it happened that somebody held my hand and was dragging one of my rings from my finger. I was resisting him, but at point, I allowed him to take the ring because I didn’t want him to hurt me. It pained me because the ring was very expensive.

You have a masculine look?

I am a fit person. I hardly put on women’s clothes.

Is weird MC planning to marry some time soon?

It’s in God’s hands.

But there is a man in your life?

Yes, there’s a man in waiting. You have to be patient.

Courtesy: Vanguardngr

Celebrity Interview:Marrying more than one wife is no big deal — KWAM 1

 

Veteran Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, has shown times without number that he is a dynamic force to reckon with. Just when people are set to put lid on Fuji music as a dead genre, the king is ever in the horizon to fuse some sort of concoction with his Fuji music to produce something new, yet appealing to both the old and the new generation.

The next big thing on the table of the maestro is the K 1 Live Music concert featuring 2Face, Ali Baba, Olamide and others. In this short chat with Potpourri, KWAM 1 talks about the concert, politics, matrimony, Fuji music and his Collabo with Olamide:

You are always on the road for one show or the other; can we say this has been the reason for your inability to produce an album until recently when you came up with ‘State of the Nation’?

The opportunity to travel with my band to many countries has given me the chance to interact with international musicians and also to tap from their experiences. Music is a global phenomenon just like football that brings everyone together. I have performed and attended many world class musical concerts and seminars in Nigeria and even outside the shores of Africa in a spectacular way but this has not affected me from producing good albums. It has only opened my understanding and I also have to stress that I do not need to produce albums at this level of my music career every year to remain relevant in the Nigeria and global music industry. I am a brand to reckon with.

Your latest single ‘State of the Nation’ celebrated the Awujale of Ijebu’s 80th birthday; was this because you are from Ijebu Ode in Ogun state or does it have a political undertone?

‘State of the Nation’ is the x-ray of the situation of the country,Nigeria. Our economy is poor, many things seem to be wrong in the country and I felt it was high time I talked about it and I implored other musicians to preach it too through their music. I am not a politician, which means I am not contesting for any political position.

Why did you feature Olamide in the song?

I have a good relationship with my colleagues in the industry and Olamide would not be the first musician I have featured or done a collabo with. The reason I featured Olamide this time was just to bridge the gap between the older and younger generation. Music is meant to break barriers and that is what I have done.

Over the years, there have always been one rift or the other among the Fuji musicians. As an ambassador of Fuji music, what would you say the situation is at present?

I am not bothered about conflicts among Fuji artists because conflict is an inevitable thing among human beings. I am more concerned with how to promote Nigeria music industry, especially Fuji music globally. I have been in the industry for 43years, so things of little relevance do not bother me.

Why is it that Fuji musicians tend to prefer marrying many wives?

Marrying more than one wife in this part of the world is no big deal. And I must tell you that it is not peculiar to Fuji musicians alone. Late Fela Anikulapo Kuti was not a Fuji artist and yet he had 27 wives. It is an issue that has to do with the individual, it has nothing to do with a career or a set of people. Aren’t there Fuji musicians with one wife? Don’t judge people in generic terms, judge them on individual terms.

Can we link your relocating to Ijebu to any political ambition?

Relocating to Ijebu does not connote I have a political ambition there. I also have a house in Ibadan, does that mean if I relocate to Ibadan I also have a political ambition there ? I am at liberty to move to wherever I want at whenever I want.

How would compare the messages in today’s music to when you started?

What we have now is quite different and this is as a result of change. The world itself changes and that is what our musicians are trying to achieve. Musicians have to move with the trend but I will only implore my colleagues to work on the messages of their songs because every meaningful song must have a clear message. We should not be carried away with just making music to get people dancing alone, we should pay attention to messages we pass to the society.

Can you talk about your forthcoming concert, “K1 Live Unusual’ concert”?

(smiles) the concert will be something unusual and if we really want to achieve that, I think it has to be a surprise. I can only assure my fans that the concert will be music at its best.

Courtesy; Vanguardngr