Indigenous
rap, no doubt, is one of the most preferred music genres in Nigeria
today and Remilekun Shafaru, better known as Reminisce, is one of the
poster boys, alongside the likes of Olamide and Phyno, leading a
thriving campaign to spread it across the globe.
Famous for his
versatility and the street appeal of his songs, Reminisce was the only
rapper from Africa mentioned in TIME Magazine’s recent ‘One of the seven
world rappers you should meet’ list. He earned this recognition a few
months after he had dropped his second album titled, Alaga Ibile. Many
music fans, who had always known him as a very reserved and
under-celebrated rap artiste in the country, were practically speechless
with surprise when the news was broken.
Even Reminisce himself learnt of this single honour while travelling to neighbouring Ghana by air.
He
tells E-Punch, “I got to know about the listing by TIME magazine on my
way to Ghana. I didn’t influence it. I only saw a statement posted on
Twitter by the chief executive of Chocolate City, Audu Maikori. I didn’t
pay much attention to it and all the while, I wondered what business I
had with the magazine. By the time my plane landed in Ghana, the
congratulatory messages began to pour in. I don’t even follow those who
sent them on Twitter. But, being the only African listed by Time
Magazine is something else.”
For the light-skinned rapper, the
road to stardom was fraught with challenges. At one point, he was forced
to leave home because his father wanted him to become a medical doctor.
Recounting
his humble beginning and how frustration almost drove him to quit
music, the 31-year-old Samsung brand Ambassador says, “It’s true that I
almost quit music four months before my fortune improved. I became a
star around late 2011, after I released Kako Bi Chicken. The video of
that song was released around the period that Nigerians were protesting
against the removal of fuel subsidy. I had just become a father at that
time and I realized that I couldn’t continue the same way.
“I
almost quit music because I wasn’t making any money. You know, money
controls the industry today, unlike the past when talent did.”
Reminisce
owes his versatility in Yoruba to his father’s insistence that he must
learn to speak the language. Often pitched against Olamide, the artiste,
who studied Purchasing and Supply at the Kwara State Polytechnic,
simply regards the latter as his ‘partner in progress.’
“Olamide
and I have always complemented and supported each other’s career. We
don’t see each other as rivals. We have been able to change the image of
indigenous rappers and as sensible people, the only thing to do is to
support each other and improve the genre. Only the fans can tell who is a
better rapper. At the end of the day, the issue is not about who is
better, but who is successful.”
The artiste, who once hawked
second-hand clothes and shoes at the popular Yaba Market, adds, “I wrote
the hit song, Don’t Touch my Body for late Goldie and was never
credited. But, it is okay. There are many songs you write and don’t get
credited for. I don’t really care about such things, neither do I like
to complain or bear grudges. I don’t really want to reveal or speak
about others.”
Reacting to the display of wealth by some of his
colleagues on social media, he says, “I am a very reserved artiste. I am
able to differentiate between Reminisce the artiste and Remi the family
man. That is why I don’t promote luxury. There is nothing I need that I
can’t afford, but I am not going to show off on social media. When
artistes do such a thing, they appear superficial and unapproachable to
their fans. Instead, I simply invest in people.”
Reminisce notes
that loyalty is one virtue that is absent in the global entertainment
scene. “One reason why I don’t have friends is because nobody is willing
to see you take their spot. The moment you become a star, a lot of
people will be unhappy. But they will smile with you,” he says.
Although
the rapper, who was discovered alongside Jahbless, 9ice, Lord Of Ajasa
and Olamide by ID Cabasa, was blessed with a second child early in the
week, he appears to be in no hurry to walk down the aisle.
“Yes,
we live together. But we have issues with commitment. I think we are not
ready for marriage yet. We will formalize things when the right time
comes. I am still planning my future because I am not going to be a
musician forever. I will quit music, maybe after a decade. I hope to
also study Political Science overseas because I want to go into politics
(House of Representatives) at some point as well,” he notes.
