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Nothing wrong with adjusting your music to suit audience

Vector

Vector

Olanrewaju Ogunmefun, aka Vector tha Viper, speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS about his childhood, transition from a rapper to a singer, among other issues

Why do you sing more now, instead of rapping?

While I was growing up, the experience I had was helpful because I didn’t listen to rap music alone. I was a proper choir boy. And at a point, I thought it was high time I exhibited that other part of me. When I wanted to make tribute music for the people and place where I grew up, I knew I needed to do what they would understand and relate to better. The truth is that most people living in Lafiaji, Lagos Island, are more interested in highlife, fuji and juju music. So, it was only right for me to make music they would understand since the album was dedicated to them.

But certain people said you left rap music because it wasn’t lucrative for you?

I need to be honest with you. I have responsibilities to meet, so if I want to get money from someone, I may have to do what the person likes. As an intelligent musician, if you need to adjust your music to reach out to your target audience, I don’t think anyone will blame you for doing so. However, I still don’t put out materials that are short of quality or depth. All I did with my last album was to combine what people were already used to with my own style. The messages are still original to me and they represent who I am. I didn’t try to abandon who I am by doing the Lafiaji album; I just wanted to relate to people who stood by me all through my trying times. The dynamism I experienced last year was great. From being a rapper, I became a proper musician. I started playing instruments and I also featured in two major movies in 2017.

What do you still wish to achieve with your music?

People are yet to see my best because I improve every day. I just left the gym now. When you see me next year, you will see a new look. Though I am known as a rapper, I believe I am actually a better singer than a lot of the known singers in Nigeria. I was part of the Celestial Church of Christ choir for years and I went through all the rudiments of music.

Don’t you think you deserve more credit than you get in showbiz?

The fact that you think I deserve more credit is satisfactory for me and I am excited about that. People hardly tell artistes the truth; they tell them what they want to hear. When the reality hits these artistes and they know they’ve been told lies, it may be too late. I am contented with what God has given me. At least, I am certain I don’t need to introduce myself before people recognise me.

Why did you stop rapping like Jay-Z?

I didn’t stop sounding like him. People need to understand that I was very young when I started music. At a time, that was the highest pitch my voice could attain. I couldn’t sing in a certain way because I was very young. If you remember well, everyone rapping when I came into the industry was older than me. For people to hear me clearly, I had to rap in high pitch. But I as grew older, my voice became mature. I didn’t intentionally try to sound like Jay-Z like many people thought. My next album, Teslim, will be a huge revelation. Teslim is my father’s name and I plan to drop it next year. For me, Teslim means The Energy Still Lives In Me. I will release a lot of energy on that album.

What was your experience growing up in the barracks as a policeman’s son?

My late father remains the most disciplined person I have ever met. There were times he threw punches at me. Despite being a no-nonsense man, he was surprisingly quiet. I still cannot explain why they named him the king of boys in my area. You could hardly see him talking in public. I had fun growing up, but living in the barracks is totally different from the regular streets. In the barracks, you must be disciplined to survive. We like peace, but we don’t run away from war when it comes. I don’t think there is a perfect place in Lagos, but while I was growing up, you could hardly see us fighting in a dirty way, killing each other. There were rules and people kept to them.

Didn’t you nurse the fear that your father could be killed on duty?

Yes, we were aware that our father could go to work in the morning and it would be the last we would hear of him. But there was little we could do than being hopeful that he would not clash with armed robbers that had military backgrounds. There are some armed robbers that are well trained. If a policeman meets people like that, it may be his end. For us living in the barracks, it was even better for our father to come back home with injuries than dying on duty.

Did you ever express your fear to him?

There was no time to tell him that. How do you talk to a man who just came back from a dangerous assignment? All my mother did then was pray. My father’s men would send in messages, explaining the total danger of a situation and he would just reply with ‘I am on my way.’ My mother would remind him that he was not a superman, but it didn’t stop him from doing his job. Ask about Tubosun Teslim Ogunmefun from anyone who knew him when he was alive, and I am certain they would say he was a good police officer. When a celebrity friend was apprehended by the police after a robbery attack in Ajah, Lagos, it was my father that came to the rescue. He called and informed them that if he (the celebrity) was detained and anything bad happened to him, God would not forgive them and he would make sure they didn’t go unpunished. They quickly released him; that was the kind of policeman he was.

Did you ever think of becoming a policeman?

Being in the police force has never been my dream, but I have always thought of how to make things better for them. Unlike me, my elder brother was interested in joining the police force. When we were younger, he would challenge police officers on the road for wearing wrong uniforms or misbehaving. We got into trouble many times and there was no time my father found this funny. He used to bail us whenever we were detained. My father didn’t like us disrespecting policemen and he always told us that it was not in our position to correct them until we joined the force someday. I witnessed many good things he did before he passed on last year. He didn’t take missing church services lightly. You can ask anyone who worked directly with my father. Before they did anything on Sundays, they must attend church together.

How do you feel when you sight a policeman taking a bribe?

Since I once lived in the barracks, I know what they go through. It takes a lot to swear an oath to lay your life down for your people, so I believe they should be well appreciated. It is said that, ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.’ Since you are expecting much from them, do you give them a lot? I am not saying that what they are doing is right, but the government needs to do the right thing as well. For instance, look at the Libya slave trade issue. Those Nigerians left home because life was hard for them. We thank God that some of them were brought back. But, what do we plan to do to ensure they don’t run away from home again? Policemen live like rats. Have you ever visited any police barracks before? We shouldn’t forget that these people protect us. If you condemn the police every time, how would you see the good in them? I don’t just criticise the Nigerian police, I also look at the good things they do. If you give them what they deserve and they still do things wrongly, then you can penalise them. As bad as you think the police are, we will all pay the price if they go on strike. Thieves rob every day, so imagine what would happen if the police are on strike. We have good policemen, and I can say it anywhere that my father was a good cop.

Why didn’t you talk about the death and burial of your father on social media?

Why do I need to make noise about it? We owed him a befitting burial and we buried him well. I didn’t owe him a lousy ceremony. You shouldn’t expect me to put my father’s death or burial on social media. He was not a social media person. People who respected him honoured him. I am thankful to everyone who wished me well and sympathised with me. I also sympathise with people who have lost someone dear to them.

Do you think the future of rap music is bright in Nigeria?

I am not in a position to tell you the future of rap music in Nigeria, but I think it is very bright. Many years ago, nobody thought we would be getting endorsements as we are getting now. In the past, they used artistes from the western world to sell Nigerian products and services. Right now, I am working with Hennessy and other brands. They are confident that a Nigerian can sell their products, even beyond the country.

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