MY FATHER MOTIVATED ME TO DO MUSIC - XPZEE

He is made from the streets, started from the ghetto on Zamba, Gasper and Lawanson axis, famous in the hood, a graduate of University of Lagos and a creative yoruba rapper. Xpzee aka Feyinfogo aka Alase Ikeji Orisa talk about his music hustle, background, family, education and his current projects in this interview with Light aka Quadoo,  on QuadoowearTV .

Can we meet you?

My name is Oyewole Babajide Adetoye, aka Xpzee Feyinfogo Alase Ikeji Orisa, I am a rap artiste from Surulere.i am the last and only son of a family of six, a Student of Unilag.

How did you get your name Xpzee, how did you start music and why music?

I got my name Xpzee from a former girlfriend of mine back then, everybody know me as Jide and they call me Jidee. But that day me and my girlfriend were in a swimming pool and she just came up with the name Xpzee , she gave me that name. I wondered how Xpzee could be formed from Jidee, I wanted to use the two names together like; Jidee-Xpzee but I realized it was too long so I just stuck to Xpzee and everybody liked it and started calling me Xpzee. Right now people also call me Feyinfogo but I still choose Xpzee over all the other names.

Why do people call you Feyinfogo?

I got the name Feyinfogo because of my broken teeth which is not as a result of being violent but I broke my teeth while diving and learning how to swim, I cannot forget the fact that swimming has done this to me, but that is the picture people see on my face; my broken teeth.

So do you know how to swim now?

Ah, eja nimi, ma lo try me, I am ejanla like banga lee.

Why do you choose music?

I am doing music because I realize hip-hop needs a saviour, I realize so many people are doing it wrong and I believe if you play with music you die young, I See the young niggas toying with music but apology to the ogees holding it down. I want people to understand that there is a lot of thoughts to be touched, I am doing music because I have a message to pass to people.

So you feel there is a vacume that you have come to fill?

Yeah, there is a vacume that has been left unfilled like a stone that is left un-turned, and right about now all the stones will be turned, so ko kin se ere rara, no be play play.

Tell us about your childhood

My childhood was tough, my father lost everything he had just about when I was given birth to, I believe I am like the saviour to the family.  My childhood is not something to write home about because I hung out with lots of people they didn't want me to hang out with and I believe my dad tried his best for me but the street actually made me because I was raised on the street, and I realize what street really means, but i'm not done learning it so I still hang with my young niggas in the hood. So I will say my childhood  was great and a life for the strong, the weak cant survive it, my childhood was actually funny and beautiful.

Tell us about your educational background

I went to Josbec International School but finished my primary school at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Itire. Then I attended Ansar-Ud-Deen Secondary School then also left there to complete my secondary education at Nigeria Premier College, then I went to Unilag. Although getting admission was not easy because I wrote the Jamb exam five times before I got into the university, but I thank God I am a survivor.

What course did you study in Unilag?

I started with mathematics but I changed to Integrated Science Education. So I am a BSc. holder in Integrated Science Education.

Do you think going to school made a difference

Yeah, the school is a plus. The school is an advantage because I believe anything you are doing with education  it will be, I wont use the word perfect because its only god that is perfect, no man is perfect, but the school has a great role to play in the life of an artiste, if you dont go to school how will you manage your logistics? You will have understanding in lots of things when you go to school. you will do a lot of things on your own instead of employing people, you take charge. The school prepares you to be an entrepreneur. I will say the school is like the foundation, the background. As for me I think every artistes have to go to school but if you dont go just make sure you are doing the right thing.

So how did you start doing music?

I started music as member of Holy Flock of Christ singing tenor, but as I grow older, I felt more comfortable with my bass vocals. Then I was listening to Jadakiss, and then Dagrin. Dagrin filled the vacume very well but nature cut him short of his glory, so I am here to continue his legacy. I started to rap to friends and family, its fourteen years now that I have been doing music.

There is beauty in the struggle, in the ghetto there is beauty in brokeness because you always hustle. There is beauty in poverty but people don't see it.                     - Xpzee

Will you ever work with your BSc?

I told you before that I just went to school to gain knowledge, not to make money, I am a wisdom seeker so I just went to school to gain wisdom. My money is not coming from school and my family are not expecting me to make money with my BSc either.

How does it feel to do music from the ghetto?

There is beauty in the struggle, in the ghetto there is beauty in brokeness because you always hustle. There is beauty in poverty but people don't see it. I have been broke so I know how it feels, you have to just stay your ass up and hustle, but imagine you have everything you realize its the same old thing just a different day, you go shopping, you go clubbing, hang out, its the same thing you are doing. But when you are broke you keep hustling, you keep meeting  different folks with different strokes. So, singing from the ghetto is beautiful because you get exactly what is in people's mind and what they are experiencing.

What else can you do asides music?

I can make shoes and bag, I can repair computers because I remember my dad sent me to NIIT. You see, that is what I said about being broke because you will be creative with lots of things.

Which is your best and worse performance?

I will say my best performance was at National Sports Festival, the one hosted in Lagos State. I met record labels even though everything didn't work out due to their terms that I couldn't agree with. 

While my worse performance was a day I went for a show that I have prepared so much for, buying new clothes and trousers just for the event but when I reach there the bouncers didn't allow me enter, but somehow I tried to find a way to enter by giving money to the  bouncer just to let me in, the money I gave the bouncer was my transport fare believing that they will spray me money but they didn't spray me, I had to trek home that day, that was my worse performance and I cannot forget that day.

We all have people who do not believe in us when in the beginning, can you remember your first breakthrough performance that you felt made people start believing in you?

Yeah, well my first performance I could remember people appreciated me was not in Surulere, it was in Itafaji in Lagos Island. That day was the day I broke my right leg. As I was singing, I saw lots of people dancing, calling my name and making my signature sound, then i got overwhelmed that people can feel my performance that way, I never believed people can come on stage because its always been only me. I just sang a new song then, the title of the song is "Tipsy", actually I wasn't tipsy that night but with the fact that they were holding me and mobbing me , i jumped down the stage and I broke my leg. But I realized that I didn't feel the pain because the noise from the crowd and the joy I experienced made me forget about the pain in my leg,  until the next day I started feeling the pain. So from that day I know there is something up because performing to critics that were throwing stones to artistes on stage,  but when I performed, my case was different, i give glory to God.

What lesson have you learnt about life through your music hustle?

My music hustle has thought me to stay strong and dont ever believe you cannot do it. Because doing music and begging producers to give you beat to give and all the disappointments, I wont mention names but top producers who you have sacrificed a lot for but do not appreciate things. Music has thought me never to give up, and always believe you can do it. I am producing myself now, so I realize if it wasn't for what the producers did to me I wouldn't work so hard to become who I am today. 

I dont believe in church, or mosque I only believe in myself and I believe in God.        -Xpzee

Who is your  mentor in the Nigerian music scene?

My mentors are 9ice and Dagrin.

Who is your mentor in the foreign scene?

My mentor is Rick Ross, but before Rick Ross came into limelight, it was Jadakiss, and I always listened to 50 Cent.

How did you convince your parents about doing music?

That is very tough o, my father is a very godly and church person, but I have my own believe. I dont believe in church, or mosque I only believe in myself and I believe in God. My father was a threat to me, he told me that he enroll me in church to do church music but I diverted. But I have to do me and that doesn't mean I am not praising God. So my dad motivated me to believe in myself, but he stopped believing at a time, until I came up with some nice rhymes he started believing in me again, but thank God he believes in me now.

How do you get your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from listening to gang-star music, watching ghetto movies and whenever I go clubbing. I get my inspiration from different perspectives, I get inspiration from anywhere specially when I am in a sad mood and I wonder why, I hate being sad but I love been lonely.

Which is your biggest music?

I have big songs I cant choose one, but the ones I love listening to are Sheke Sheke, Tipsy, Aiye Toto, Confra Gee and Appreciation, which I sang for my mama.

Do you have a video?

Yeah, I have two videos, I have a short video on Instagram which I featured Lex titled "Tackle", and also another video on Youtube which I titled "Hate On Me" 

Which artiste will you like to work with in Nigeria?

I will love to work with Fals, 9ice and Asa.

Who will you like to work with on the foreign scene?

I will like to work with Rick Ross, Logic and Nas.

Why would you like to work with nas?  

Nas is deep lyrically, he is the definition of rap music and I get inspiration from his lyrics, working with Nas is something that I will not be able to sleep a night for.

Which producers would you like to work with?

On the foreign scene, I will like to work with Mike Will and Dr Dre. On the Nigerian music scene I will like to work with Legendury Beats, T Sleek, Sean Beats, Lex Beats and Blaq Jerzy.

You have been silent for a while, do you agree and why?

I agree that I have been silent for a while, like the yoruba adage said; the masquerade that dances first will watch at the end of the day. I became silent because I realized that the common thing is in vogue now and I want to wait for the time that the common thing will fade and give chance for the uncommon thing like mine, if I am doing my thing anyway people wouldn't listen.

Do you think you are controversial?

Yeah I think I am very controversial. Anything I do or talk the whole world will hear and I dont know why, I just see that whatever I do or say is always used against me by my critiques.

What music project are you working on presently?

I have more than 70 music presently, I am working on 3 albums, 2 rap mixtape albums and regular Nigerian afro style. Shout out to baba Fela for inspiring us with afro.

Quadoowear has been the creator of fashion in my neighborhood, the name just blew up, its a name that the people are talking about, its a name that brings beauty to the young faces. -Xpzee

When are you dropping an album?

My albums are ready, just watch out. I will not give you the date, just watch out.

Why do you rap in yoruba?

Yoruba is the language that I find myself comfortable rapping with, I can express myself better in yoruba.

What do you think about Quadoowear?

Quadoowear has been the creator of fashion in my neighborhood, the name just blew up, its a name that the people are talking about, its a name that brings beauty to the young faces, you see people wearing the products and its beautiful, he is my hommie, we just have to support him (CEO Quadoowear), weather we like it or not. Quadoowear sticker is even in my car.

Tell us about your love life

I have just one beautiful lady, I am not a flirty guy, my father is not a womanizer, our mother is the only woman he has. I am the type that loves who ever that falls in love with me but I have deep love for my wife. Let me just call her my wife, her name is Faith Kanisuuru, she is the one that gives me joy and tells me to keep calm the storm is about to be over. She told me to be hopeful and have patience, I see she is different from all and that is why I choose her.

Dont hang around critiques that will downgrade your beautiful works and dont hang around people that are not appreciative. - Xpzee

So when are you getting married?

I will get  married when I am ready, and its very soon, am sure the whole Nigeria will hear about it when the time comes. 

Whats your social media contact?

My social media contacts are @iamxpzee on instagram, @iamxpzee on twitter, @xpzee on facebook.

Message to your fans and your loved ones

To my fans, let me tell you something, if you dont listen you wont act right. You have to listen to those that the message has been given to. I told you I can express myself better in yoruba and yoruba is a beautiful language I prepare for you my fans to listen to, I want you guys to expect the best from me. I want you to believe that there are some real rap artistes in this yoruba land that will make the whole world listen to our language and learn it, just like 

We learn english, so i am among the people that wants to put yoruba on the map. 

What do you think about Nigeria?

To say the truth, I am not happy with the situation of Nigeria, every one is complaining. We have been pushed to the extreme. But Nigeria is a beautiful country with people with beautiful minds.

Advice to young artistes our there

My advice to younger artistes is that they should have it at the back of their mind that its not a do or die affair, but put in your best. If one way no pure, you have to try another way oo. Dont hang around critiques that will downgrade your beautiful works and dont hang around people that are not appreciative. So my advice is also that you should listen and learn from people above you.