After four children from three different women, reported fights with Ruggedman, ex-wife, Toni Payne and his producer, ID Cabasa, Abolore Akande, also known as 9ice, remains a controversial figure in the public eye. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, the ‘Gongo Aso’ and ‘Street Credibility’ crooner speaks on his new album, love life and controversies trailing him and his career. Excerpts:
Don’t you feel diverting all the proceeds from your new album to Cabasa’s is too much?
Sometimes, it is not about the money, but your intention. So, it is not about the money it would bring in for Cabasa but my intention for him. The album, ‘Cabasa,’ was released on Tuesday, November 29, and we plan to hold a listening party this December. The next thing for us is to promote all the songs on the album between now and next year. Before any other project, we want to promote the album very well. We already have about seven videos and we still intend to shoot seven more videos.
Is Cabasa in trouble or in need of money badly?
Cabasa is not broke, nothing is wrong with him. I understand that in Nigeria, we only support people when they are down or dead. I am just doing my own; the idea has been there for a while and I felt this is the right time to make it a reality.
Do you still keep in touch with the likes of 2Pat, Olamide, Reminisce, Lord of Ajasa, among others?
Everyone is fine. Jah Bless, Ajasa, Olamide and Reminisce have their record labels, just like me too. 2Phat is now the President of Coded Tunes. We intended to hold Coded Tunes’ concert last year, but due to many factors, we suspended it. We still have that in our plans, however. Bringing all Coded Tunes’ artistes together, as big as we are now, is a huge project that requires lot of time and funds.
Do you agree that since you and Olamide left Coded Tunes, it has practically died?
What people do not understand is that Coded Tunes is not a group like PSquare. We were a clique of friends; we came together for our talents and music. While Ajasa was in Coded Tunes, he had a record label and I had one too. Also, Reminisce was working with someone, when he was at Coded Tunes. There was Edge Records as well, and I was one of its founding members.
What are your roles as the Special Assistant to the governor of Oyo State?
As the Special Assistant to the governor on Youth Matters, my duty entails taking the youth off the streets. The truth is that majority of the people you see on the streets are talented, one way or the other. Right now, I am focusing more on music. But my highest dream is to become the governor of Oyo State one day. I do not see myself becoming the President of Nigeria, because it is too stressful. If I want to be the president, many things must be rearranged.
Do you think the people would vote in a musician as their governor?
Nobody wanted to entrust Lagos State to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, as serious as he is. At a time too, everyone wanted Funsho Williams, but death took him away. It is our country, so everyone deserves to vote and be voted for. All you need to do is to present your ideas and see who buys them. Rotimi Akeredolu was not Tinubu’s preferred candidate, but he won.
What has worked against you in politics?
Nothing worked against me. For me, people see entertainers as unserious people. But if you have met me one-on-one, you would know that I am a serious person. If you listen to my music too, you would know that I do serious music.
Your career started on a high, but it seems you have not been able to maintain the standard of the days of ‘Gongo Aso’ anymore. What went wrong?
‘Gongo Aso’ was not even my first album; it was my second. For every album, I have an idea of what I want. I make albums for myself; if you like it, then it is fine. I do not make music to sound like Olamide or Reminisce. All my albums represent different things.
What happens to your dream of becoming the first Nigerian to win the Grammy?
I just released an album, I am still working. Abraham Lincoln tried to be American President 10 times, before he succeeded. Our own President Muhammadu Buhari too attempted to lead Nigeria four times, before he finally made it in 2015. So, provided I am still doing music, I can still bring on the Grammy.
But do you think you still have what it takes to win the Grammy?
Do you think I do not have it? ‘Gongo Aso’ is not even my best album. The most successful album remains the third one, ‘Tradition.’ Even in terms of content and lyrics, it is not my best. But that is the spiritual aspect of music. What you think would sell might not sell, but it does not mean it is bad.
So, you did not really believe in ‘Gongo Aso’ at the time it was released?
I did not believe it would be a success; it was not even the tittle of the album. The title was ‘My Dictionary’. But since the song became famous, Cabasa said we should name the album after it and I said okay. The song was not even supposed to be part of the album, because I had finished recording.
Most people had said you started to struggle to make hit music when you stopped working with Cabasa. How would you react to that?
My first album was like 14 tracks and Cabasa made eight of them. On that album, I used like four producers. For my second and third albums too, I used almost four producers too, including Puffy Tee. There was never a time I used Cabasa alone on my album, though he would always produce most of my songs. I believe all this is the perception of people. He did not produce ‘Party Rider, ‘Angeli, ‘Loke Loke,’ among others.
Why do you find it hard to stick to one woman?
I think people can never understand me, because it is my life, not theirs. Everyone has a way he or she wants to live his or her life and factors that work for them. I know the factors that work for me, and I am enjoying my life. My love life should not interest anyone; it is nobody’s business. I think they should just listen and enjoy my music.
Does this mean you cannot stay true to a woman?
You are staying that. I have tactics that work for me and I intend to stick to them. The world understanding my love life should not even come in at all, and I do not need to explain to them. From people’s criticism, I pick one or two things. Without all these experiences, I might not be doing music again. What do you expect me to sing about? I love the controversies around my love life.
Do you regret having children for many women?
I cannot regret my life, because it has been ordained; we are just complaining.
How do you relate with Ruggedman at shows, when it was largely reported that he caused the separation between you and your ex-wife, Toni Payne?
Most times, we did not find ourselves in the same place. If I knew he was coming, I would stay away and I guess he did the same too, until things were resolved. But the truth is that there were no issues between Ruggedman and I. People just created enmity between us. If you ask him too, I am sure he would tell you there was nothing.
Do you still relate with Payne like before?
We are doing fine. She is fine, I am fine. We have a child, Zion, to raise and he is doing well.
