Read excerpts of his interview below:
Why choice of YAGI as the label name??
I picked the name because YAGI is the name of my debut album which means ‘Young and getting it’ (YAGI), and it is like me because everybody knows that is my new logo. I am 22 and I am doing well for myself. Even with the name the album talks basically about me; I am just starting off and I am learning at the same time, I am getting it. I stand for YAGI and YAGI stands for me.
You left YBNL at the time when your career is growing, don’t you think that will affect your career and stand in the industry??
I am still very much around in the industry and good stuff is still going to come out from my stable and YBNL; the fact that I am floating my own label does not matter and does equally means I am no longer under YBNL because that is where a lot of people are getting it wrong. Olamide and YBNL movement is still managing me as an artiste and the fact that I have my own label simply means that YAGI records is been managed by YBNL. We are still together; I and Olamide still record in the same studio and work with same set of producers. As you all know that YBNL is a family thing and we all support each other.
How is the new label doing?
Like we all know that with YBNL, I had a two year contract which ended some few weeks back and the rightful thoughts of Olamide from time is that his prayer stands firm on all his label artistes that after two years, all artistes he signed will not consider signing into another record label but rather they should be able to stand on their own and try and help other people just like he believed in me as well.
Was Olamide in the known that you were going to float your own label?
Of course he was aware because we have discussed about it before my contract ended that I was going to float my own label which he is in total support of as I know I got his back always.
According to speculations, is Adekunle Gold also on your YAGI label?
(Ah) My brother Gold is still under YBNL but most people got it wrong because he designed the label logo and my album art work. Adekunle Gold has always been supportive of my label from day one as well as other people on the YBNL label. For YAGI records, I am the only artiste on it; come to think of it where do people want me to see money from to sign Adekunle Gold; my bro is expensive just like all is songs are of good qualities.
Your song ‘Life of a star’ featuring Adekunle Gold what informed it and the lyrical contents?
My life basically from me not been famous to me been famous which include the stages and experiences that comes with life, trying to adjust to a live of walking peacefully on the street and people not disturbing you but now you are restricted to what you can do and what you can say online. For me that change was quite difficult because many don’t know how freely I do my things back then before the fame came in. Basically, my album is a reflection of my past, present and probably the future as the case maybe. Life of a star came as a reflection of all I have been through, I was actually mediating when the song vibe came in; so I called Pheelz the producer that I was ready and that Adekunle Gold will be dropping few lines too. The funniest part is that I and Adekunle went for a show together in Abeokuta and travelled down to Lagos the following morning where both lodged in a hotel due to fuel scarcity then and we had all the recording tools available and Adekunle did his verse, went back to sleep, woke and continue and at the end of the day, the song came out nice.
With your first album doing quite well, what is next for you?
I thank God for that and I am not relenting neither am I resting; next for me now is shooting videos off the YAGI album; mores singles and better work ahead, planning tours across the continent and focusing on how to make my own label stand too. What usually informs your choice of words? like I said, I get my words from whatever I hear and what comes out of my thoughtful thinking; I equally use my instinct to record.
With several hit singles and an album to your career; will say you are at the peak of your career now?
(Laughs) Arrive ke, no I have not my career will start maybe from next year because I had a nice year from two years back and this is another year, I can only hope for God’s favour and showers of blessing over me. I still remain positive that this year and other coming years will be better. I am just at the starting point of the career as I still have a long way to go. I am still hustling.
What is your plan with YAGI; are you considering signing in new acts too?
I will definitely sign in new artists because it is the legacy Olamide taught us knowing that at some point I have to look back at when I had record label and I won’t be nice if I have nothing to show for it. When I get to that stage when I think I am capable enough financially, intellectually; I will also want to discover someone’s talent in the industry. For now, my strength basically is for me and makes the brand big.
Will you say Olamide is a great leader?
Honestly, if there is another percentage after 100, I think Olamide deserves that and more. He did not make us see ourselves as an artiste or a celebrity not to talk of letting the fame get into our heads, instead he made us believe so much in our potentials and always advice emphatically that when fame comes tread softly and always remember where you are coming from. Out of curiosity, before I was officially signed on YBNL record, I had moved and studied Olamide as a person to know what made him successful in the industry and within a short while, I learnt a lot from him. One fact people don’t know is that Olamide does not see himself as been big in the industry yet, he hustles like he is an upcoming artistes.
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