My family can’t compete with my music

Beautiful Nubia isn’t ever going to be a cut and dry personality. Not by a long shot. The Artiste, whose real name is Segun Akinlolu, begins to romance one’s imagination even from his stage name ‘Beautiful Nubia’ and his brand of music is something that has attracted many characterisations from different quarters without any one nearing the mark, at least, so say the poet, songwriter and producer.
The veterinary doctor turned musician walked into the corporate office of Vanguard corporate office  recently in the company of highlife legend, Pa. Chris Ajilo and as usual he was a live-wire of interest to behold.
What has Beautiful Nubia been that trend.
Another thing we have been doing is producing albums for other people. EniObanke, started out producing my own work. Now, we are producing for other artistes. Even the talents  we discovered during the talent show, their albums will be produced under EniObanke’s label.

Nubia

Now, we have several people on that label we are producing and one of the people we can be proud of is  Pa. Ajilo, who has produced a new album after over 50 years he’s been  off the stage.
What informed your coming up with the concept of an annual Music Festival?
I think there is a need to have a platform to showcase original African music. Music that actually reflects our basic philosophies and values. Music being played today, either played using our traditional dialects or not, are not deeply rooted in our traditional songs and I have found out that there are people like me who sing songs rooted in our traditions.
The idea of the festival is to  showcase our traditional values. We have veteran musicians  like Pa. Chris Ajilo, Funmi Davies, Jimi Solanke, Orlando Julius Ekemode and so many others are on the bill.
And you think this generation of hip-hop music lovers will love your kind of music?
You will be shocked and embarrassed by the number of young people who turn out for this music Festival, dancing, screaming and singing hardcore traditional music. This perception you have is the same you hear everywhere but the situation out there is quite different.
The human brain is not wired to like just one kind of music. The media as a whole deceives people by promoting one kind of music, creating the mindset that people do not like other kinds of music. The average normal human being does not like just one kind of music, he likes a wide range of music.
You have produced 9 albums till date. Which of them would you say has been most rewarding financially?
I will say it’s ‘Jangbalajugbu’, released in 2002. But before then, there was a song ‘Baba Eledumare’ which got me a KORA nomination back in 2000. I was the only Nigerian artiste nominated. In essence, I will say it was ‘Baba Eledumare’ who set me up to be known and ‘Jangbalajugbu’ came two years after to create the explosion. In 2002-2003, if you check the bags of most women in Lagos, you will find ‘Jangbalajugbu’. We sold millions and millions of that album. After that, the rest was easy.
Where do you really stay?
I don’t really stay anywhere. I am always on the road. I don’t like staying in one place for too long and I go whereever I’m called.