By: Boluwatife Akinyemi
Sensational US-based Afrobeats singer, Rhythim has described consistent connection with one’s motherland as the way to move to the Afrobeats flagship forward as a professional in the trending genre of music.
In an interview with Tribune Online, Rhythim chronicled his contributions to the Afrobeats movement in the United States and how his craft has been a tool to make it the rave of the moments in the country and beyond its shores.
According to him, “Music is spiritual and it has real energy flow within. Afrobeats is global and it is the rave of the moment. You can do it anywhere but most importantly reconnect with the fans in the motherland.”
“I make most of my records at my home studio but “oh boy” As simple and fun as Afrobeats sounds it’s not that easy to create there’s always a “miss” of that tinny flavor that makes it afrobeats. I work with a couple of dope producers and engineers both local and international but I sometimes reconnect to fill a gap by reconnecting with the motherland for a complete production,” he added.
Born Samson Edwin, the Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida graduate of Geography, hinted of how his three EPs — Naijerated EP, Play Play EP, and the recent Afrobeats and Jollof, are in tune with his passion for the movement.
On his EPs and their titles, he noted that “With Nigerian culture and my experience, my music is not just fiction but real life’s experiences and feelings. I am an “international local boy.”
Speaking on his journey to music and fame, he narrated that “My Dad is an Army veteran, so I went to lots of secondary schools. Before Rhythim was Kingfisher and before Kingfisher was a Shy and Hungry introverted taekwondo athlete for Team Nigeria but these all birthed the man RHYTHIM of today.”
The All African Games Champion and captain of the Nigerian team at the 2017 World Taekwondo Championship “Muju” in South Korea, however, cited Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Bright Chimezie, Sunny Ade Tony Allen, Hugh Maseleka, Chief Osita Osadebe as some of his musical influences while growing, hence the solid background he has in music.
Speaking of his performances and how exciting he finds them, the Lagos raised artiste described the one he had with American Superstar and Legend “Plunky” and his band as a Cameo artiste from Nigeria as his most impressive one.
He, therefore, assured to continually bring into play his strategy to promote the Afrobeats movement by releasing more singles and perhaps an Ep later in the year.
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