“WHY I RELOCATED TO NIGERIA”

“WHY I RELOCATED TO NIGERIA”

- SKILLZ OF JJC AND 419 FAME

He is the man behind what could be termed the mass return of Nigerian musicians in Diaspora. He is the pillar behind the MOBO Awarding wining group, Big Brovaz; he is also the brain behind the monster hit making group, JJC and 419 Squad that rocked Nigerians all over the world. The story of Dbanj and Don Jazzy cannot be written without mentioning his name. He has worked with super stars like Jenifer Lopez, Genuwine, Lemar, Liberty X and Jemelia. He is none other than the young, multi talented Kano born, UK bred Abdul Rasheed Bello, a.k.a Skillz, a.k.a JJC, a.k.a. Dr. Octopus.  Paschal Chikero caught up with him recently. In this interview he reveals why he relocated to Nigeria, his new group, Big Boyz, life as a Kano boy and a JJC, Journey Just Come, in London. Enjoy:

Why did you relocate to Nigeria, what have you come to do?

For a long time I have been part of the Nigerian music industry but from a far away position. I feel the influences of the things I have done have actually reached out but I have not been able to feel the effect of it from my fans and even financially, I think it is my time to start to change it. That is why I am here and to contribute more and do what I have always done, provide platforms for other artistes to fly, I will explain further, a lot of people call me JJC, yes that is my name I like that but my close friends call me Skillz, the reason they do that is because I am that guy who does a lot of things well, I am Doctor Octopus. I am a video director, song writer; a producer, an artiste and I mentor a lot of people. I am a Jack of all trades not by pride but actually by deeds. A lot of the people I meet come to me to solve problems, for instance in UK, if you need to get a DJ or you need to know who to talk to for a particular thing in the entertainment circle, I was the man to meet. I did this for a long time. I did that so well that I started doing it with top record labels like Sony, EMI, and Universal. I was also doing deals with them, I created groups like Big Brovaz that signed and sold platinum for Sony. Obviously in Nigeria I created the 419 Squad which did very well. So I am here to continue doing the good works I have been doing.

The Nigerian music industry is booming right now and there are a lot of competitors, how are you going to position your brand to be the man to beat

Actually I have had my time, I think I retain a position in the Nigerian music hall of fame, so what extent I will do it again is left to my hard work and God, I am still just like before: passionate about pushing other artistes so my energy most time instead of just going on myself will also be used to push other artistes on the Big Boyz label like Lil Miss, Tipsy, Noni Zondi, King Lexi, 2Kris, Ab’ Fresh, Teebeo, I believe they are young, 19, 17 they deserve the opportunity. They have that passion I had when I was 19 and starting out. I was able to create new vibe because I was looking at life with fresh eyes and I have been here for a long time, I don’t want to see it with fresh eyes any more. It’s not so exciting any more, I don’t get excited when fans are cheering at me but they do, so I want to help them achieve what I have achieved or even do better.

That means Skillz is now in Nigeria to play the Godfather role to the younger generation

Not back to do it because I have always done that and I will always do that.

Let’s talk about how you started Universal Records’ Big Brovaz

I had a studio as I always have a studio. That time I was doing music production, I tried to get my stuff out there but I couldn’t because my accent in London was very Nigerian, so I started looking for other talented artistes and thought they deserve an opportunity to blow. We did an album which sold very well on the streets, they won the MOBO for Best Unsigned Artiste, record labels started knocking on my door.

Are we going to see a Skillz album that is separate from the Big Boyz all stars?

Definitely, I am recording songs, am always going to be recording songs; you might not see my album topping the chart. Some of the energy I am going to use to push my album will be used to push other artistes. I love music, I will always do music.

Where did the concept for the song We Are Africans come from and did you envisage from the beginning where the song has gotten to?

I had a very clear vision while recording the song and what I wanted to achieve with the song, I am only scraping the surface now, like I said the song is not a song it’s a movement. It started with trying to stop people thinking so individual in London, back in the days people just wanted to be Jamaicans and I did a song, Nigeria is the best land,  gba o! And people became proud of being Nigerians. Before you knew it there was this argument, no Ghana is the best land and the other says, no South Africa is the best place. I thought, you know what, let me do a song that we all can be proud of, a United African song that we can have different countries having its own version. Now we have a Nigerian remix, a Zimbabwean remix, a Sierra-Leone remix, we have a UK remix, and right now I am recording a Ghanaian remix and South African remix as well. The good works continue and who knows in the next  50 years there could be like 50 versions everywhere you have blacks. I am hoping that it will be something that will inspire the next generation to be proud of Africa.

As a young Nigerian who left Nigeria at the young age of 14, you have lived there over a decade now, how easy is it to go there and become a millionaire

I have been in England for 20 years, in the beginning it was not easy at all, I did all those JJC thing, doing cleaning job, security job but when you find your feet, if you are hard working. Nigerians are determined people and that helped me to rise up and I did live the good life. But what I have learnt is, no matter what there is no place like home. Back then while I was growing up, all I was doing was screaming with my music about my country to those who didn’t believe and how we should take care of home.

Now you came back at the time when Nigeria is struggling economically, the subsidy issues, how do you see the Nigeria you left England for?

I was part of the subsidy protest, for me I think the people and the government need to work together, we need to help the government so that they can give us the country we deserve because at the end of the day, the country belongs to us. The new generation needs to get into politics, the more we understand what is happening the better for us. You pay for light and you don’t see light and because there is no light, you can’t have water that means I can’t function properly. I think there is no proper communication link between the government and the people.

What is the idea behind Big Boyz Entertainment and where are you taking it?

Big Boyz Entertainment is a collection of creative people who provide services to the industry, it provides services to anyone who works with Video Directors, Managers, DJs, Music Producers, Editors.  It’s of people working together, it’s the whole concept of united we stand, divided we fall. In a couple of months we will release the Big Boyz All Stars album which is going to be a collection of all the Big Boyz artistes’ songs; I will also be in it.

People believe that in Nigeria there is no proper record label, you have done this in the UK, are you bringing the real thing into Nigeria with Big Boyz Entertainment?

There are a couple of things that will be done well but again you have to remember you are in Nigeria, the reason why the labels here don’t function like the ones abroad is because they are in Nigeria, you have to deal with the terrain as you find the terrain, what works in London might not work here. Over there the government supports the industry unlike its done here. In UK when your song is played on Radio, you get paid but over here, you pay for your song to be played. I will do my best to sort out things that artistes need like publishing, using organizations like COSSON to improve the life of the artistes etc.

You lived in the North but you are actually from Kwara State, a lot of people don’t know that. Let’s talk about who you are

My name is Abdul Raheed Bello, my dad is from Kwara State, and my mum is from Urhobo, Delta State. I was born in Kano State but regardless, I am African, Awoooo! I speak Hausa fluently, I mean I spent 14 years of my life in Kano but in my house what we speak is Yoruba that is why in my songs I use Yoruba language.

Let’s talk about marriage

I am not married but I am blessed with three lovely children. For me that is a blessing, they are my inspiration to work hard for them to have a good life.

Any plans of getting married soon

Common with every relationship that resulted to child bearing, I had marriage in mind but unfortunately for people like us who are into music who is a very jealous girl friend they didn’t work out that way.

How do you relax?

I love watching movies and I love travelling. Watching good scenes inspire me as a music video director.

Where is the best place you have ever been?

I love Cyprus, it reminds me of Nigeria. Malaysia, I love Norway as well.

What is the best movie you watched in 2011?

The Rum Diary, I watched the movie before subsidy was removed and the whole thing that happened during the subsidy protest happened in the movie. I love intelligent movies.

Which Nigerian outside the music circle inspires you

That is actually one thing I need to discover, Nigerian history. I am one of those lost Nigerians, I love Nigerian culture but I don’t know much about Nigerian history apart from what I have read on the internet, I don’t even see Nigerian TV contents about Nigeria. The only Nigerian I know well is Fela because there is much documentation on him; he was a man who stood for the people.