My plan is to be the best DJ in Africa —DJ Gavpop

Looking at how far you have come in the entertainment industry, do you really think this industry has grown?

I think I would be unfair to those who have done a lot for this industry to say that the industry has not grown. We may have had some setbacks over the years because of the lack of structure that ought to have been put in place, but the industry has truly developed and you can see that in the quality of sounds and songs coming from Nigeria that are dominating the rest of Africa. We can’t rule out the fact that some songs are not worth to be aired on radio and other music platforms, but the music industry is expanding. The musicians are growing and are conquering territories.

How about offensive songs that also seem to be promoting internet fraud?

As a DJ, you have to be careful of what you play and when you play. Not all songs can be played but you can manage them very well. There are events where you don’t play certain songs and there are places where you throw caution to the wind. But above all, I can’t say I am proud of some of these songs. But I won’t condemn anyone for doing what they feel is right for them. Those who buy and download the songs should be educated. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) should also wake up to its responsibilities to tackle the anomaly.

You have been a DJ for almost a decade and you have equally been one of the leading lights in Ibadan. What comes to your mind when you look back at how far you have come?

I feel blessed to be part of leading DJs in Nigeria. This is not even about being number one in Ibadan because that has never been my focus in life. I just love the job and I have been giving my very best since the day I started. While I know it has not been easy staying on top of one’s game for over about 20 years, I should be gracious enough to say thank you to those who never gave up on the brand.

For 20 years, you have been a DJ, how did you manage to stay relevant?

The work of a DJ might look easy to some people but when you see the stress we go through to get to this level, you would know why it is not easy. I worked my way up to this level and I have never stopped believing in my ability to stay on top of my game. I don’t look down on anybody and I don’t believe anybody is better than me. The goal has always been to become the number one DJ in Africa.

How close are you that dream?

I am very close to it. You don’t just wake up and say I want to be the number one in a place. You must have proven yourself and work hard. I believe in myself. I am a very focused man. I am blessed to have come this far. For me, this is just the beginning.

How did you find your passion for this job?

Disc jockeying is a passion for me and that settles it. I just love this job and I follow my passion so much. When I was growing up, my brothers were so much in love with music, and I listened to them when they were grooving to all kinds of music. Growing up with my brothers shaped my life and put me on this track. I found myself not just liking music, but also feeling music in my soul.

You are bringing popular DJs to Ibadan today for what you described as Party Invasion. What brought about this idea?

The Party Invasion with DJ Gavpop is just another way of giving back to the people in a different way. Over the years, I realised that people have not really been entertained in Ibadan as much as they should do their support. So, I thought about doing something that would unite everybody and bring them under one roof. How would you feel if you have top Nigerian DJs under one roof dishing out different songs to their fans? That is just the idea and we have been working round the clock for about six months to make sure that this dream is fulfilled. This is like a movement of the old school and new school music; the blend of apala, juju, fuji, highlife and lots more.

• Nigerian music is growing, but… —Kadiri, Boomplay General Manager

Why did you wait till now before you have an event of this magnitude?

Before you stage an event like this, you have a lot to put into consideration. You don’t just wake from one side of your bed and say you want to have an event. In 2015, I was going to stage the event, but certain factors were put into consideration and we called it off. Before now, I was having a music and comedy show for three years which I tagged Laff and Dance. This event was in every Sunday for over three years and the turnout was massive.

How are you sure this is the best time for this?

The reason I am doing this for the community is that I want the people to come and see the first ever concept with hype gang. I am not trying to blow my trumpet but I can assure you that no one has ever witnessed what they would see at my event on Sunday. This is a game-changer for me. People need to come and see different genres of music that would be played by different DJs. People have missed some of these songs and we are bringing everything back to them in style.

It is believed that people don’t appreciate events like this in Ibadan, how are you going to change that narrative?

If you do your home work very well and you pay attention to details, you will break the jinx. I have heard people say Ibadan people don’t do this or that, but mine is going to be different. Don’t forget that I told you we have been working on this party for almost a year. Then this is a free party for music lovers from every part of the country. Ibadan people are not the only ones expected to be at the event. It was supposed to be a concert but we decided to test the ground with party invasion first. By this time next year, we would be talking about having the biggest concert of DJs in Africa.

Who are the DJs expected to be at the gathering?

Some of biggest DJs in the industry are coming to grace the event. I can confirm DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ SECXY, DJ Ay, DJ Tito, DJ Banky, Dj Larihoz, DJ Moxie and lots more. We have female DJs too, they will be showing their talents to the world.