Nigerian rapper, Olamide recently sat with Nadeska on Apple Music 1 to discuss the release of his album, ‘UY Scuti.’ He talked about how he always wanted to do a ‘full-on pop project’, his first days in the studio recording, on his evolution as an artiste, and how the dream is to be able to sign artistes from around the world with his label/brand. FRIDAY TREAT brings you excerpts of that interaction.
On the title being the perfect fit for his project:
From way back, the regular thing I used to do is basically just rap music and street music. This time around, I’m just switching the gears and moving it up a notch a little bit, because I’ve always wanted to, you know, tap into different elements of humor, everything I feel on the inside and just live my life to the fullest so I might as well just try something new entirely. So, I’m really happy for having the courage to be able to, you know, tap into something entirely new that I’ve never done before. This is, like, a full-time pop project, and I’m happy I’m doing it because I’ve always wanted to.”
On why he decided to drop this project now:
“Man, I don’t know. Sometimes you just get carried away by the madness and the fame, you know? Everything was just- was crazy and too much, like, I get carried away sometimes. Like, every time I’m working on a project, I always tell myself, “Oh, this time around I’m going to do something fresh, I want to do a pop album,” and before you know it, I’m rapping. Before you know it I’m dropping rap songs and all that so this time around I just had to, like, try my possible best. But one night I started shutting out every energy and everyone around me that I know very well that no matter what if they heard the idea in my head or they heard my new sound, they would be, like, “No, no, let’s not do that, let’s stick to the old ways.
I had to shut them out first, take all those people out of my life for a while, you know while I’m in the process of making a project just so I could focus, you know? I prayed, I did a lot of studying online and I learned some new stuff, and I brought new guys around me, guys, you know, that could see the same vision in my head and the things I really want to achieve in music and how farther I want to go. And yes, I think these are the things that I did that made it work this time around and I’m grateful to them.”
On the first days in the studio recording:
“Just like every other normal day, you know, because I’ve been doing this from way back, you know, so basically, I just start, say, in life, you just have to decide what’s good for you. It is not about what works for your guys sometimes. And my own thing is once my mindset is off something, no matter how much energy I put into it, it’s never going work for me. You know, I already knew that, man, I’m sick of rap music, just want to do something newer.
I just want to do something, so yes I have to make sure I do all the necessary sacrifices to make that happen and actualise that dream, you know? So it was- it was like every other normal day in my life. I’m used to this. If you want to be at the top or be on top of your game, you have to know that there’s no time to make excuses or be sentimental or, you know, care about your loved ones and all that. You have to do what you need to do, you know?”
On the reception he was expecting from fans:
Honestly speaking, I mean, if you know what you’re doing and you know what you stand for, you should know that anybody that’s, you know, work for you for something. So, for me particularly, I feel like most of my day-one fans didn’t work with me because I rap, it’s not because of anything else but the fact that I stay original. Like, you know, I’m very authenticity. I, you know, say things the way I do what I need to do, you know, like, that’s what people like me for. It’s not really about the music in most cases. The music is just, like, you know, like an extra thing. It’s really all about the authenticity and originality.
On continuing to evolve as an artiste:
I’ve always known from day one, you know, like, when I blew up, I blew up like a ball. 2010, you know? I want to remain in the market place, there’s no way I’m going to keep serving my audience the same thing I’ve been serving for the past 10 years.
On continuing to improve his label/brand:
The big dream is to you know, be able to sign different artists from, you know, all around the world, not just artistes from Nigeria and go into partnership with, you know, big distributing markets like, you know, ‘Empire’. We have a deal with ‘Empire’ already, you know, so it’s been a smooth ride and I’m enjoying every moment.
On the fun he’s having:
Right now, I think I’m having more fun. Way back it used to just be grind for me, no time for fun, no time for relaxing, no holidays, no vacations, nothing. But right now I’ve been able to, you know, sit back, relax and, you know, COVID taught me a lesson that I need to take care of myself anyway, you know? And how COVID taught me I need to, you know, spend more time with my family now, spending more time studying more about my business, spending more time and taking care of my health and, you know, watching my weight and all that, you know? So, I’ve been working on that.
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