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?
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