You are arguably the biggest DJ in Ibadan, how did the journey begin?
I have always had passion for music. I always tell people, if you don’t have passion for music, don’t go near the job of a DJ because one may fail. The love for music and the passion to entertain people with different sounds got me here. You need to know what music is all about, before becoming a disk jockey. You must know the lyrics of music and all that has to do with music. I have been into music for 18 years now. My brothers made me love music as a young boy because they were always entertaining us with music from all sides of the world. I grew up to love music. At a point, I felt that being a music DJ was not a bad idea.
How would you rate the level of your success so far?
Nothing in life comes easy. I like striving hard to achieve what I need. I push myself hard to achieve success. At first, I was using my brawn; I would follow my friend around carrying speakers. Later, I thought about being a professional DJ since it won’t affect my education at that time. When I started, I didn’t see disc jockeying job as a means to survive, I just wanted to pass the time. After two years, I discovered that this was something I wanted to do. At that time, I was closely observing some DJs in the United States (US), especially their success stories as disc jockeys. It wasn’t easy then, as there was no software as against what we have today. Those days, it used to be turntable wiki. If I will rate myself on the scale of 100 per cent, I will give myself 80 per cent because I still have lot of grounds to cover. There are many aspects of the job to learn.
How challenging has the job been for you?
One of the challenges is that people don’t appreciate your job because your brand is not popular. People hardly give one the benefit of a doubt. One other thing is the environment we operate. Ibadan cannot be compared to Lagos State, but I believe we are getting there. I have one the the best DJ equipment not just in Nigeria but in the world. I have the best controller in turn table in the industry. I don’t have any challenges as regards equipment, because I believe you have to invest heavily in your business to attract the best deals. Some people have remained backward because they fail to invest in their business.
How difficult has it been taking DJ Gavpop brand to the world?
The world is now a global village. Many people rely so much on the internet to get their jobs going. The high influx of social media has also been of great importance. While Lagos DJs can easily spend millions on PR, it is hard to do that here in Ibadan. I have been trying to promote my brand through the social media platforms for some years now and it has been yielding results. I put my job out a lot on social media and it has reached a great number of audiences around the world.
How did you feel winning the best DJ at the Nigerian Entertainment Award (NEA) 2016?
I was surprised, when I first saw the nomination on Instagram. I didn’t know how it happened. I was tagged on Instagram about my nomination as the best DJ. For me, the nomination alone was a dream come true for me. I don’t even know how they came about my nomination because I don’t know the organisers. The only thing I could remember is that I attended their gala night in 2014 as I was one of the DJs that performed.
How has that helped your career?
All the past winners were DJs based in Lagos. I was the first DJ in Ibadan to win the award. It has made me more famous.
How did you come about the name Gavpop?
My name is Gafaru Popoola. When I was in primary school, my nickname was Video DJ, I wasn’t into DJ. I used to play mixed records, so a friend of mine said to me ‘your name is Gafaru Popoola, why can’t you bear the name Gavpop?’ That was how I adopted the name.
Who inspires you on this job?
That will be DJ Jimmy Jatt, because he is on top of his game.
How close you are to other DJs and what is your relationship with them?
I am a very free person and I am close to everyone. The only thing is that most DJs are based in Lagos and it is quite difficult to meet regularly. In Ibadan, I have a very good rapport with other DJs.
Having dominated Ibadan, do you have any thought of relocating to Lagos in the nearest future?
I am one of the successful DJs in Ibadan. I don’t see myself relocating to Lagos to fight for space or recognition. I don’t know why I am so passionate about growing my brand in Ibadan, even though I still push for jobs in Lagos. For me, Ibadan is my home and I am very comfortable here. I love Ibadan.
How do you cope with job delivery, when you have more than one job in a day?
My job is well structured that my time as a DJ on Splash FM does not clash with other engagements. I have a very solid team that keeps me on my toes and attends to my engagements professionally.
How fulfilled are you that you have an academy?
I am not there yet. I am not a selfish person. I just want to extend a hand of fellowship to those who think they want to become a DJ. I have been running the DJ training academy for the past seven years. I have been able to train 12 DJs, who are now doing well on the field. The training spans six months, and I have been receiving a lot of commendations from people. It is a professional class; I have the handouts and classes for them.
How do you study the mood of your audience to know the kind of songs they want?
There are some songs that I like personally, so whenever I am playing at a club, I place the need of those I play for at heart and not myself. It is all about public demand. Though you don’t expect everyone to like what you play, if 60-70 per cent of my audience is okay with what I am playing, I am okay.
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