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GT ‘D’ Guitarman is a notable young Nigerian artiste that was nominated along with the likes of Wande Coal, Kel, Niki Laoye and others for the Next Rated category of the Hip-hop World Awards for 2008. The award eventually went to Wande Coal but GT has easily become very popular owing to his prodigious talent. In this interview with Adedayo Odulaja, he revealed The salient Truth about himself.
I am Olaolu Olugbemiro Akingbogun aka ‘D’ Guitarman, a Storm Records’ artiste. It has been four years in the industry. It has been filled with fun, sadness, and a whole lot of other feelings and emotions. But of course, it is not how far but how well. I grew up right in Amuwo Odofin and I attended Community Primary School somewhere around and later moved to Ogun State for my secondary education at Mayflower Secondary School in Ikenne, but I did not finish there; I concluded my secondary education at Amuwo Odofin High School and I am currently in 400 level in Lagos State University (LASU), studying economics.
What feelings does growing up in Amuwo Odofin give you?
It is like being home and having no need to form for anybody. This is home and I can take an okada anywhere because I am still in the neighbourhood.
How about your album?
I have an album that was released just on December 11. It is being marketed by T Joe on the label of Storm Records.
What can you say was responsible for your fame even as you didn’t have an album all this while?
What feelings does growing up in Amuwo Odofin give you?
It is like being home and having no need to form for anybody. This is home and I can take an okada anywhere because I am still in the neighbourhood.
How about your album?
I have an album that was released just on December 11. It is being marketed by T Joe on the label of Storm Records.
What can you say was responsible for your fame even as you didn’t have an album all this while?
All that while I had only singles but for real, it .jpg)
is God and hard work too. I also didn’t have the feeling that I have gotten there. I am always looking for ways to get better and asking myself what else would music lovers and my fans want from me, and I always try on that scale to do the best to improve myself.
Does your fame put you on your toes or make you feel otherwise?
It definitely presents more challenges. It makes me more challenged and aware that the fans’ expectation is high. Through that, I get to know that there is work to be done and also aware that anything I do is what I would be judged by. However, I am so proud of this album, which I have been working on in the last four years. It entertains me (myself) when I listen to it and I am so eager for people to hear me.
What would you call edge?
I don’t know actually but I can only point to probably the fact that I play with my guitar, I have good voice and continue to be humble; which is a good point in Nigeria because it takes you very far. If I am not humble, for instance, how would I have this opportunity and many more? Humility is a strong point and I have seen people, some of whom are those who introduced me into the industry, being nowhere today because of lack of humility and I have learnt a lot of things from such instances.
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is God and hard work too. I also didn’t have the feeling that I have gotten there. I am always looking for ways to get better and asking myself what else would music lovers and my fans want from me, and I always try on that scale to do the best to improve myself.Does your fame put you on your toes or make you feel otherwise?
It definitely presents more challenges. It makes me more challenged and aware that the fans’ expectation is high. Through that, I get to know that there is work to be done and also aware that anything I do is what I would be judged by. However, I am so proud of this album, which I have been working on in the last four years. It entertains me (myself) when I listen to it and I am so eager for people to hear me.
What would you call edge?
I don’t know actually but I can only point to probably the fact that I play with my guitar, I have good voice and continue to be humble; which is a good point in Nigeria because it takes you very far. If I am not humble, for instance, how would I have this opportunity and many more? Humility is a strong point and I have seen people, some of whom are those who introduced me into the industry, being nowhere today because of lack of humility and I have learnt a lot of things from such instances.
How did you get into the industry?
There are a lot of groups in this (Amuwo Odofin) estate that I have been involved with. Tears of Love, 4 Generation, Tempo & Excel and some other groups that I joined at one time or the other. About how I got into the industry, I was just pasting posters for a particular Valentine Day’s show in the estate for my friend’s brother called Yakoboh; who is a lecturer in LASU and a comedian. Deep down in me I was nursing the dream of performing at that show, but somewhere along the line it was not going to come through until I had to walk up to the guy and told him I can sing, and when he saw me play my guitar he gave me the opportunity on the day of the show. I did very well and that was where I met Omo Baba No 1, who started managing me before later that same year I met Darey Art Alade that introduced me to Storm Records and the rest, as they say, is history.
Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, under which we have Festac, and as a whole has been a hotbed of Nigerian music with the likes of 2face, Faze, Blackface, Def ‘O’ Clan, Blacktribe, Natives and others. Do you think you guys are still representing?
Yes, we still do. 2face is still representing. When I was coming up, sincerely I never had the opportunity of meeting these guys because they were in Festac town and I was in Amuwo Odofin, and here we didn’t really have anyone among the musicians to look up to. I only met Faze maybe like two years ago and by then, I even doubt if he recognised me. The rise of people like me, Soul E and Black Solo is a good thing for Amuwo Odofin; but Festac Town has always got many people up there.
How good is Storm Records?
Storms Records is a label, and for people like Darey Art Alade and the others to have been on the label was a good feeling, it is still a good feeling. Though I sometimes wonder why all those people left, for me I don’t have any problem with Storm Records. If I had any at all, it was about the album that took four years to be released. But it’s sorted out now and waiting for the album made me a better musician and better person.
Being on the same label with Darey has been so great an influence. He is like a brother and he keeps in touch regularly, and he is one of the persons I want to learn from. His humility is really influencing as he relates so well with everyone.
What do you call your type of music?
I don’t do hip-hop anyway. What I do is a fusion of rock, soul and African rhythms; but maybe now I am trying to mix a little of hip-hop to my thing, which can be heard in a song like O Si Ma Gbo Mi and that is strictly being done for the young ones.
Is that for the market?
Trust me, I am not going after the market in that manner; but look at Asa, a lot of people would have said she would not sell the number of copies she sold but nobody has sold the copies Asa sold in recent times.
Who are your influences in music?
That would be people like Shina Peters, I listen to all of his songs. Another would be Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey, which my dad loved while I was growing up and this rubbed off on me. Another is Onyeka Onwenu and all those legends.
How about foreign influence(s)?
That obviously would be Michael Jackson that has always been a great influence and India Arie, who in my estimation, is the best musician you can find in the world. I also like Alicia Keys though I don’t enjoy her hip-hop stuff at all, I like when she is on her keyboard. But India Arie is the best.
Do you play any other instrument apart from guitar?
I try a little bit on the keyboard and I have like a mini studio in my house where I make beats for myself, for friends and stuff; but there is nothing commercial for me in that line. It is not like I am not proud of what I make, but I believe I need time to step it up.
How did music begin for you generally?
It started like an ardent fan of music, someone that loves his radio so much.
Not the common church choir or societal rejection story?
I never joined a choir, all I did was listen to the songs and try to sing along, and most people think I sound close to them or even sing better than some of the artistes. Mayflower actually has a great influence on me.
How?
I really can’t tell why, you know Tai Solarin’s way of life. It was strange then, but right now I kind of like having to wake up at 5.15 a.m. and people are already waiting to beat you for you to run on the field. Also having to eat beans twice a day, not because there is no food but you still have to eat it and it helps you to manage your resources even when you are poor and not much is going on for you. The school also teaches self-reliance as it amazes people now when I tell them I service my generator, I do carpentry works, I do electrical works and all sort of things, and this is because of Mayflower’s influence, which makes me to be able to survive anything.
Do you know you are one of the youngest artistes in the industry?
Are you serious? I know you probably think I am 17.
How old are you really?
I am 25 years old, but I know a lot of ladies think I am as young as 17.
What do you think the future holds for you?
I think the first is the album entitled The Truth, which was released by December 11 and then we will move on from there. I also hope to set up my own company, a record label that we are working on very soon as the funds are available and we have the technical know-how. We do have record label, but maybe we don’t have record companies and I don’t think I or any other ‘new age’ Nigerian artiste has had the opportunity of being signed on to a record company. But the truth is look at our distribution channels, it is messed up. People only get CDs for N150, think about production cost, I am an economist and I know what I’m saying. Think about how much you sell it to the marketer, who will still sell to the retailers. How much do we record the songs, the printing, posters, promotion of the album, the videos? Imagine all this going for N150. It is a shame because nobody is actually thinking about the artiste, they just want you to drive big cars, live like the international artistes; but we (Nigerians) are not helping our artistes to grow. That is the truth, we so much believe in piracy and because of the computerised world we live in now anyone can easily go to a site on the Internet and download any song he wants and it’s really sad when your intellectual property is so violated. It will get to a time when music will just die totally and that’s the reason you see many people singing these jargons because they don’t take their time to think and sing anymore.
I was really pissed off when I started music and discovered that you just go into the studio and wait for the beat maker to make a beat. You just fluke anything and do anything that comes to your mind.
Have awards been coming?
I have been nominated for some and I have won some, but not the ones where you have to compete with people. They are from schools, organisations and all that. I don’t allow awards and recognition to becloud my music as the best award or recognition you can get is when people are telling you in different places that they like you and you inspire them.
There are a lot of groups in this (Amuwo Odofin) estate that I have been involved with. Tears of Love, 4 Generation, Tempo & Excel and some other groups that I joined at one time or the other. About how I got into the industry, I was just pasting posters for a particular Valentine Day’s show in the estate for my friend’s brother called Yakoboh; who is a lecturer in LASU and a comedian. Deep down in me I was nursing the dream of performing at that show, but somewhere along the line it was not going to come through until I had to walk up to the guy and told him I can sing, and when he saw me play my guitar he gave me the opportunity on the day of the show. I did very well and that was where I met Omo Baba No 1, who started managing me before later that same year I met Darey Art Alade that introduced me to Storm Records and the rest, as they say, is history.
Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, under which we have Festac, and as a whole has been a hotbed of Nigerian music with the likes of 2face, Faze, Blackface, Def ‘O’ Clan, Blacktribe, Natives and others. Do you think you guys are still representing?
Yes, we still do. 2face is still representing. When I was coming up, sincerely I never had the opportunity of meeting these guys because they were in Festac town and I was in Amuwo Odofin, and here we didn’t really have anyone among the musicians to look up to. I only met Faze maybe like two years ago and by then, I even doubt if he recognised me. The rise of people like me, Soul E and Black Solo is a good thing for Amuwo Odofin; but Festac Town has always got many people up there.
How good is Storm Records?
Storms Records is a label, and for people like Darey Art Alade and the others to have been on the label was a good feeling, it is still a good feeling. Though I sometimes wonder why all those people left, for me I don’t have any problem with Storm Records. If I had any at all, it was about the album that took four years to be released. But it’s sorted out now and waiting for the album made me a better musician and better person.
Being on the same label with Darey has been so great an influence. He is like a brother and he keeps in touch regularly, and he is one of the persons I want to learn from. His humility is really influencing as he relates so well with everyone.
What do you call your type of music?
I don’t do hip-hop anyway. What I do is a fusion of rock, soul and African rhythms; but maybe now I am trying to mix a little of hip-hop to my thing, which can be heard in a song like O Si Ma Gbo Mi and that is strictly being done for the young ones.
Is that for the market?
Trust me, I am not going after the market in that manner; but look at Asa, a lot of people would have said she would not sell the number of copies she sold but nobody has sold the copies Asa sold in recent times.
Who are your influences in music?
That would be people like Shina Peters, I listen to all of his songs. Another would be Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey, which my dad loved while I was growing up and this rubbed off on me. Another is Onyeka Onwenu and all those legends.
How about foreign influence(s)?
That obviously would be Michael Jackson that has always been a great influence and India Arie, who in my estimation, is the best musician you can find in the world. I also like Alicia Keys though I don’t enjoy her hip-hop stuff at all, I like when she is on her keyboard. But India Arie is the best.
Do you play any other instrument apart from guitar?
I try a little bit on the keyboard and I have like a mini studio in my house where I make beats for myself, for friends and stuff; but there is nothing commercial for me in that line. It is not like I am not proud of what I make, but I believe I need time to step it up.
How did music begin for you generally?
It started like an ardent fan of music, someone that loves his radio so much.
Not the common church choir or societal rejection story?
I never joined a choir, all I did was listen to the songs and try to sing along, and most people think I sound close to them or even sing better than some of the artistes. Mayflower actually has a great influence on me.
How?
I really can’t tell why, you know Tai Solarin’s way of life. It was strange then, but right now I kind of like having to wake up at 5.15 a.m. and people are already waiting to beat you for you to run on the field. Also having to eat beans twice a day, not because there is no food but you still have to eat it and it helps you to manage your resources even when you are poor and not much is going on for you. The school also teaches self-reliance as it amazes people now when I tell them I service my generator, I do carpentry works, I do electrical works and all sort of things, and this is because of Mayflower’s influence, which makes me to be able to survive anything.
Do you know you are one of the youngest artistes in the industry?
Are you serious? I know you probably think I am 17.
How old are you really?
I am 25 years old, but I know a lot of ladies think I am as young as 17.
What do you think the future holds for you?
I think the first is the album entitled The Truth, which was released by December 11 and then we will move on from there. I also hope to set up my own company, a record label that we are working on very soon as the funds are available and we have the technical know-how. We do have record label, but maybe we don’t have record companies and I don’t think I or any other ‘new age’ Nigerian artiste has had the opportunity of being signed on to a record company. But the truth is look at our distribution channels, it is messed up. People only get CDs for N150, think about production cost, I am an economist and I know what I’m saying. Think about how much you sell it to the marketer, who will still sell to the retailers. How much do we record the songs, the printing, posters, promotion of the album, the videos? Imagine all this going for N150. It is a shame because nobody is actually thinking about the artiste, they just want you to drive big cars, live like the international artistes; but we (Nigerians) are not helping our artistes to grow. That is the truth, we so much believe in piracy and because of the computerised world we live in now anyone can easily go to a site on the Internet and download any song he wants and it’s really sad when your intellectual property is so violated. It will get to a time when music will just die totally and that’s the reason you see many people singing these jargons because they don’t take their time to think and sing anymore.
I was really pissed off when I started music and discovered that you just go into the studio and wait for the beat maker to make a beat. You just fluke anything and do anything that comes to your mind.
Have awards been coming?
I have been nominated for some and I have won some, but not the ones where you have to compete with people. They are from schools, organisations and all that. I don’t allow awards and recognition to becloud my music as the best award or recognition you can get is when people are telling you in different places that they like you and you inspire them.
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