AYODEJI IBRAHIM BALOGUN A.K.A. WIZKID IS
NO DOUBT ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN THE
NIGERIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY. OF LATE, HE HAS
BEEN IN THE NEWS FOR SOME NEGATIVE
THINGS: OBSESSION WITH CARS AND WOMEN,
FRAUD PERPETRATED WITH HIS NAME,
TROUBLE WITH HIS RECORD LABEL AND SOME
OTHERS. IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH LANRE
ODUKOYA, WIZKID CLEARS THE AIR ON THESE
CONTROVERSIES. HE ALSO SPEAKS ON HIS
RECENT AUTO CRASH AND COLLABORATION
WITH FEMI KUTI
MY CAR ACCIDENT…
I really don't like to talk about bad experiences
because I believe that it's like a lesson and stepping
stone for everybody in life to learn something at some
point. When I had that accident, it was the second
time it would happen to me, so it was a reality check
on me. What if one's life ended that day? God forbid!
I'm grateful for life and I made a promise never to
slow down on what I'm good at.
WHY I WAS INVITED BY THE POLICE…
Some unsuspecting guys have been chatting with
some fake Wizkid and we can't readily give full
details. We were invited by the Police which we
granted. We gave our statements, the other party
made their statements as well, but I cannot really say
anything about that until the Police go further with
their investigations. Though, we know that with the
details that have been given, they must have been
talking to a fake Wizkid or fake Wizkid management.
So, this is really not from me, my management or
label. If you have contacted anybody regarding
Wizkid and you have paid, provide the bank details
and email correspondences. If there was a contract,
provide it and it's as simple as that. We're not
fighting anyone. In fact, we sympathize with anyone
who has been duped. For a while now, we've been
having cases of people reporting that they've been
chatting or planning business with a fake Wizkid's
manager or they booked Wizkid for shows. Some even
go to the extent of creating fake accounts in my name
and collecting money from people. I just want to re-
emphasize that there's a process of booking Wizkid
for shows which is just like the normal standard most
of us are familiar with. Everybody knows that if you
want to book Wizkid, it's either you go to Empire
Music Entertainment (EME) which is my label or you
connect with my manager, Godwin Tom. These are
the main ways to book me for a show or whatever
form of service you need me to handle. Chatting with
a Wizkid that has promised to do something for you
or charging you some money are fake and I never
charge anything with anybody directly. I don't discuss
fees. I allow my management and label handle my
business. So, nobody talks directly to me concerning
business.
WHAT I'VE DONE TO CURTAIL FRAUD
PERPETRATED IN MY NAME…
I've tried as much as possible to create more
awareness about this on the social media and shared
it with as much people as I can access and I'm just
sharing this with the press. My management is
coming up with details and phone numbers to reach
if you want to do a business with Wizkid. It's either
you contact my manager of EME directly, but even
when you contact me, it's the normal procedure that I
direct you to the booking office as well. The process is
simple. You'd send us your request via email, the
booking office will contact you from the email
address you provided with a booking questionnaire.
The questionnaire will have information about your
event as well as your publicity plans and other special
requests you need.
EME/STARBOI EVOLUTION…
We're doing very well, it's been fantastic and we've
been have meetings and going back and forth
devising new plans for making EME one of the best
record labels in Africa, not just Nigeria. We're
putting in works, everyone is currently in the studio
and Banky W has shot a couple of videos. We were at
the video shoot two days ago and we're still working
to be the best we can. I've set the record straight not
just from this medium, but everything I've released
like in JayeJaye song. That record was put out by
Starboi, my new company in collaboration with EME.
EME is definitely still Wizkid's record label, Starboi is
a record label that I run and I have a couple of
producers that I'm working with. So, we're expanding
the business. When Banky W and I started, the dream
has always been to build an empire to help more
people and give them that platform to excel too. And
it cannot just happen through one person, we had to
branch out. The industry is very big with about five
million talented kids out there looking for channel to
hone their skills and become stars. And now that
there's Starboi, everyone can start something like
that to help somebody become who he or she wants to
be. It's been a great evolution because I've worked
with legends and it's still a learning process.
MY FORTHCOMING ALBUM…
I tweeted my track list which has Olamide, Don Jazzy,
D'Banj and Banky W. The album is ready; we are just
putting the final touches to it and right now we're
just mixing and mastering. In a few days, the album
will be out and we're going to be having a listening
party pretty soon too and we will be announcing the
venue, date and other details. The album is coming
out really good and I'm very happy with everything I
recorded on it and I believe that this will be better
than the last one I did.
RELATIONSHIP WITH MALEEK BERRY
I've known Maleek for about a year and a couple of
months now. From the first day we met, we've been
talking about business. We took our time to plan
something properly and we've been executing our
plans right now. This is what I said about branching
out and giving other people the platform. Someone
gave me that platform when I was coming up too.
COLLABORATION WITH FEMI KUTI…
Many people didn't expect that and it was to show
that sometimes people don't understand that it's all
about music. Some people think that all Wizkid talks
about is girls, flashy cars and all that. All I speak
about in my music are my true life experiences. If I'd
not been through it, I wouldn't talk about it. So, when
I decided to do JayeJaye featuring Femi Kuti, I
wanted to pass a message across to all the kids
aspiring to be like me that you'd have to continue to
learn. The song was to build the gap between the old
and the young people. And I really appreciate Uncle
Femi Kuti for doing that song with me because I
called him a day before we recorded the song and he
obliged me.
PENCHANT FOR HIGH END CARS…
I don't think I have a penchant for flashy cars. A lot of
people in Lagos drive more expensive cars than mine
in Lagos. I don't think I'm about the cars as against
what many think of me. I just like to live comfortably.
It is part of the work, I need car as tool to do my
business. How about people in government spending
so much money on automobiles? If someone works
hard for his money, I don't think anything is wrong
with what he likes to buy with the money. I work
hard, why would I not live well?
ENTERTAINERS JOSTLE FOR CITY PEOPLE
AWARDS
Plans are in top gear for one of Nigeria's most
glamorous entertainment events, City People
Entertainment Awards billed to hold on Sunday, July
14 at the Haven Events Centre, G.R.A. Ikeja, Lagos.
The coveted rendezvous of stars will be attracting
entertainers across all genres; music, movie and
comedy with some of the most enchanting features.
Some of the finest acts jostling for different
categories of awards are Genevieve Nnaji, Odunlade
Adekola, Sanyeri, Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson, Yemi
Alade, Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Sean Tizzle, Davido,
Wizkid among a host of others. Being the 4th in its
series, veterans are going to be honoured and a horde
of entertainment personalities from Ghana are
prepping to storm the show in grand style.
BETWEEN SAHEED OSUPA AND GOV.
AREGBESOLA
When you walk into the office of Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola, the Executive Governor of State of Osun,
chances are that you would meet him doing one of
the following: attending one meeting or the other
with stakeholders in the state; his head bowed
studying mountainous files jostling for his attention;
his bespectacled eyes fixed on his personal computer;
or found listening to the music of Saheed Osupa when
yearning for relaxation after a hard-day's job. While
it has been reported that Ogbeni Aregbesola has a
broad musical taste, so evident is the governor's love
for Saheed Osupa that he mostly choruses his songs
anywhere they are being played.
And indications are rife that the governor would have
much more of the talented Osupa's songs to sing in
coming days. A very reliable source close to the
award-winning musician reveals that he is in the
studio waxing an album in celebration of
Aregbesola's exploits. Reminiscent of the album he
did for Governor Babatunde Fashola in the run-up to
2011 gubernatorial election in which he eulogised his
achievements in the first term and also campaigned
for his second term. Osupa is reportedly releasing a
full album in 2014 for Aregbesola's re-election bid
while he would be dropping a promotional tape on
'Opon Imo' any time soon. 'Opon Imo' also known as
'Tablet of Knowledge' is Ogbeni Aregbesola's recent
initiative geared towards improving educational
standard of Osun State and fostering computer
literacy amongst the students and teachers of the
State.
ERIC EGHIMIEN'S A MILE FROM HOME
PREMIERES IN LAGOS
Lovers of good acting, sounds and cinematography
graced the much talked about premier of A Mile
From Home, Eric Eghimien's first shot at movie
production and directing. The event held last Sunday
at the Silverbird Galleria, Lagos. Hills Pictures in
Association with Brooks+Blake presented the premier
with the most refreshing features Nollywood has seen
recently as the cinema was filled to capacity. The
storyline which rests on the quest for revenge and
ultimately culminated in loss of life essence is a tale of
many morals. Unique in its cinematography, casting
and sounds, A Mile From Home, though a light
budget movie, cannot compare with the plethora of
half-baked theatrics we see lately. According to the
director, Aghimien, "this is just a lesson that a good
film doesn't necessarily require huge capital as often
misconceived. This work is a proof. We had to work
with a cast of budding actors throughout the shoot
which had all its locations in different parts of Lagos,
but we hope to feature A-list stars in our subsequent
works when our budget can accommodate that. One
thing I'd never relent from doing is to employ the
medium of filmmaking to spotlight fresh talents as
we churn out more fascinating films"
IK OGBONNA, YVONNE NELSON PREACH
CHARITY WORK
When Williams Shakespeare made the quote; "there
is flattery in friendship", he definitely wasn't referring
to the kind of relationship that exists between the trio
of fair-complexioned Nigerian actor and model, IK
Ogbonna, sensational and one of Nigeria's sexiest
singer Adokiye and sassy Ghanaian actress, Yvonne
Nelson.
Though all entertainers, their relationship seems far
from anything that can be likened to flattery and this
was what saw them defying all challenges when they
recently visited pupils of Courage Primary School,
Ikota Village, Lekki, Lagos for a charity work.
Defying torrential rains and muddy roads, the group
sauntered in gutters as they made to reach the pupils
of the school. The day turned out to be one of mixed
feelings as the guests encouraged the children with
their charity work giving out stationeries such as
Eraser, Pencil, Biros, Rulers and many more.
One of the high points of the day was a photo session
involving the pupils, their guests IK, Adokiye and
Yvonne followed by handsome cash donation. Over
the years, the trio have excelled in their individual
careers with IK emerging one of the most sought after
and revered models in the Nigeria with a large
clientele base and Adokiye rising above every musical
target she has set for herself.
As an artiste, Adokiye wields tremendous influence
and one of her credits is for recognizing the talent of
wave making rapper, Olamide. She subsequently
featured him in her song titled, Baby Baby which
became widely acclaimed and rubbed off positively on
her towering career. The song was accompanied by
an exciting video which equally enjoyed massive
airplay.
Currently, Adokiye is in the studio blending sounds as
she gets set to release a new single in preparation for
her forthcoming album.
WAP DEBUTS WITH KID/YOUTH TALENT HUNT
Wale Adenuga Productions is earnestly staging a
unique Talent Hunt dubbed, the Nnenna & Friends
and wapTV Talent Hunt for kids and adults in four
specific categories; singing, dancing, playing musical
instruments and stand-up comedy.
The talent hunt gives participants an opportunity to
win up to N200,000 cash prize and nationwide fame
while exhibiting their talents to a discerning public.
For the Nnena & Friends talent hunt, participants are
expected to be between ages 6 and 15 while the talent
hunt takes place by 8am on Saturday, 20th July. On
the other hand, the wapTV Talent Hunt for
participants between ages of 16 and 30 comes up July
27.
No comments:
Post a Comment