He started out as a music producer. But when it was time to
kick off his career as a rapper, Abudulrasheed Bello chose to be called
Johnny Just Come (JJC). From his days as the founder of the group, JJC
and the 419 Squad, which had D’banj and Don Jazzy as members, till now
when he is a solo artiste, this musician who is also known as Skillz has
remained relevant in the scheme of things.
While most
artistes who started out in 1999 like he did are panting for breath, JJC
just scored another hit with African Skank. His earlier single, We Are
Africans still draws music lovers to the dance floor. In this interview
with TS Weekend, the KORA award winning rapper talks about almost
everything from his love life, religion, career and to why it makes
sense trying catching up with those he once taught how to play music.
TODAY IS SUNDAY, DID YOU GO TO CHURCH?
No,
I didn’t. I went clubbing yesterday. So I slept late. I couldn’t go to
church and this question kind of makes me feel guilty.
DOES THIS MEAN YOU ARE THE CHURCH GOING TYPE?
I
actually have a colourful background. We are 13 in my family. I am in
the middle. I am a born-again in the sense that I was born a Muslim but I
do go to church. I believe in God and I pray in the Muslim way. But I
haven’t made up my mind (which religion to adhere to).
SO, IT WON’T BE WRONG TO SAY YOU AREN’T STRICT WHEN IT COMES TO RELIGION?
I
am not strict about religion. My mum is Christian while my father is
Muslim. Every Sunday, I learn about both Christianity and Islam. My
brothers and sisters argue back and forth about both religions. The
atheists in the family do chip in on the arguments. So you could say
that we are a family of free thinkers. We were raised not being extreme
about religion.
THE LAST 13 YEARS HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR
NIGERIAN MUSIC. AS ONE OF THE EARLY STARTERS, DID YOU ENVISAGE THAT THE
INDUSTRY WOULD GET THIS BIG?
I started doing music
for Nigeria in 1998/1999. But I had my breakthrough in 2000 with the
winning of the MOBO award. At that time when I started, I felt that the
Nigerian music industry was amateurish. I did the best I could to
contribute to the growth of the industry from London. And I also came
home to promote the industry through different ways, including training
artistes. But I knew that the music industry would grow. There is
nothing that you work on diligently that doesn’t get better with time. I
guess that’s why I did songs to inspire people, songs like Nigeria Is
The Best Land. I remember people looking at me like I was crazy singing a
song like that. They used to tell me that I could sing a song like that
because I lived in England. But I used to tell them that if they could
only look into the future, they would see that Nigeria is indeed the
best land especially when it comes to the music industry. Fortunately
for us, we own the industry, unlike in England where big international
companies are in control.
YOU AND SOME OTHER GUYS ARE
FORERUNNERS OF HIP HOP IN NIGERIA. BUT MOST OF YOU AREN’T IN THE FRONT
NOW. HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL AND DO YOU THINK YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE
APPRECIATED?
One I thing I know is that one has to
work hard and leave the rest to God. He is the one that determines what
happens. Like you said, there are some of us who led the way and are
still in the game with the rave acts. Judging by what you said, I
shouldn’t complain. If someone like you could mention my name and other
pioneers like Eldee, Kennis Music and DJ Jimmy Jatt as the guys who laid
the foundation, then, I cannot complain. Even if you look at the
hip-hop scene in America, it is not the forefathers of the genre that
are reaping from it today. I am like those guys in America. Just like
me, that they aren’t the rave act doesn’t mean that they have resigned
to fate. They still re-organise themselves to be relevant in the
industry that they helped to build. The music industry is all about
rejuvenating oneself.
DO YOU EVER GET TIRED OF REPACKAGING YOURSELF TO FIT WITH NEW TRENDS?
I
actually had a similar conversation with some younger colleagues
recently. They expressed surprise over how I still have vigour for the
industry. They told me I promote my music like an upcoming artiste. They
asked if I didn’t know I was JJC. I don’t see things that way. Rather, I
am grateful that I am still around kicking things with the younger
artistes. I am happy that I can still do all I need to do to be
relevant. It is really not hard to understand because I am doing the
same things all artistes need to do. I perform at shows. I go on radio; I
am in the print media and social media to talk about my music.
Just
like in the beginning, I want to create a fan-base that will support me
in the next 20 years. I want to be like the Rolling Stones and The
Beatles who have fans cutting across four generations. It is only in
Nigeria that people will expect that after releasing certain number of
albums, you retire or start doing something else. I am not for that
ideology because music is all I know. I loved doing music, I love doing
music and I will continue to love doing music.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU LOVE THE MUSIC BUSINESS. BUT HAS IT BEEN FINANCIALLY REWARDING?
I
have been fortunate in the sense that aside from succeeding in making a
career from music, I have made money. I have been able to build houses
from music. I am fortunate to have been brought up in the UK. I feel for
majority of Nigerian artistes, because over here it is hard to make
money from music. Here, you have to spend a lot to get noticed. In
Nigeria when your song is aired on radio or TV, you don’t get paid
royalty. In some cases, the artiste has to pay for his/her song to be
played. So, in most cases, Nigerian artistes work so hard when they
should be enjoying what they do. For me, I have had my good and bad
times in Nigeria. I am at the verge of going to the next stage of my
career, the stage where Tuface, P-Square and D’banj are. These guys
enjoy corporate branding. They have gotten to the level where powerful
people are willing to collaborate with them because they know that these
guys have a large fan base.
PEOPLE WOULD WONDER IF IT
IS A GOOD THING FOR YOU TO ASPIRE TO BE LIKE D’BANJ, WHEN YOU GROOMED
DON JAZZY, WHO IN TURN CREATED THE KOKO MASTER’S SOUND?
I
don’t see anything wrong with it. Rather, it is a good story to tell
that a teacher learns from his student. I was brought up with the
mentality that there is nothing strange about teaching someone and he
progresses so much that you can pick a few things from him. It is high
time we started thinking that way in Nigeria. I applaud D’banj for what
he has been able to achieve. He is a big brand. I doubt if I ask people
walking on the street right now and they would say they don’t know who
D’banj is. We should celebrate him and the others that have made
Nigerian and African music global. Life is like a circle. I was like
them years back and I helped them get into the game. Now, there are
leading acts and I am studying their style to see what I can get from
them so that I can get back into the lead.
LAST YEAR,
YOU CAME OUT TO DEFEND YOURSELF WHEN D’BANJ SAID THAT HE WOULDN’T CHEAT
DON JAZZY LIKE YOU DID. HERE YOU ARE COMMENDING HIM. HAVE YOU GUYS
SETTLED AFTER THAT EPISODE?
I haven’t seen D’banj
after what happened. But the air has been cleared between both camps. I
have gotten several emails from common friends and I can tell you there
is no bad blood between us. I guess it is just the way people like to do
things in Nigeria. They want to know who is fighting who. For me, we
are all brothers who should work together to promote the Nigerian brand.
YOU ALWAYS DO SONGS TO PROMOTE AFRICA AND NIGERIA. IS THIS YOUR OWN WAY OF BRANDING YOUR MUSIC IN A PLACE LIKE EUROPE?
When
I started out as a producer, I did all kinds of music. I did club
music, sex music and other kinds of music. But when I decided to create
the foundation for my career and the character, which I would play,
which is Johnny Just Come (JJC), I knew my music will standout. My story
had to be about a Nigerian who hadn’t forgotten home. When I started
out, it was the time that Nigerians weren’t finding it easy with the UK
government. At that time, people were stopped and searched on the
streets. You had to have your passport on you. People didn’t want to be
identified as Nigerians but I was singing about Nigeria. But now people
aren’t afraid to identify themselves as Nigerians anymore. I am happy I
was a beacon of hope for Nigerians when things got tough in England.
YOU ARE A SINGER/PRODUCER AND YOU ALSO ARE A LABEL EXECUTIVE. WHICH ONE OF THESE THREE ROLES IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
I
love being on stage. But my best moments are when I am teaching others.
I feel great when I meet people and they tell how I taught them this or
that thing in music. I meet people on the train or at shows and they
tell me how big they have become from when I taught them a skill that
got them where they are. Look at the D’banj story. Five to six years
after we were together, he turned out to be a success story.
WHO IS THAT PROTÉGÉ THAT GOT THE BEST OF YOU?
I
will say Don Jazzy because we were more like friends. We used to hang
out a lot. We partied together. And he is the person who shares my
ideology that we need to inspire artistes. We might not be close now but
I see all the good stuff he is doing by discovering talented artistes
and producers. I hope these people he has discovered will also pass down
the knowledge to the next generation.
ARE YOU MARRIED?
At this point I am not married.
ARE THERE ANY REASONS WHY YOU’RE STILL SINGLE?
Music
is partly to blame for my not being married. You know, I got into the
industry at a young age and ours is an industry where women form a large
chunk of the fan base. I guess I made a few stupid choices because I
was young. It also is difficult balancing music with a career like mine.
But right now, though I am focused on my career, I am also looking for
the right person.
WHAT DOES YOUR MRS. RIGHT LOOK LIKE?
The
funny thing is that the girl I will marry doesn’t have to be one that
has a certain kind of look. I don’t have a model girl as such because I
have tried beauty, it didn’t work. I have tried intelligent girls, it
didn’t work also, I think what I need is a good friend. I need a girl
who will be my friend and lover. But it’s hard to find a genuine friend
and lover once you are a celebrity.
FROM WHAT YOU HAVE SAID, YOU MUST HAVE BROKEN SOME HEARTS?
(Laughs)
Well, I have been a bad boy. I have had my share of bad relationships.
But I guess its part of growing up. The only way to appreciate a good
relationship is when you have been through a bad one. I guess this is
why I am searching for that good relationship. When I find it, I won’t
let it go.
WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST THING ABOUT BEING JJC?
I
guess it is being Johnny Just Come. Like now, after spending 20 years
in England, I have returned to Nigeria fully and I am learning how
things are done here. I am getting to know simple things such as
who-is-who in society. I have to learn how to greet people correctly. I
could say a simple ‘hello, glad to meet you’ and people around would
have to correct me because I have to greet VIPs appropriately. But I am
happy that the work I have done in the UK has made it easy for people to
relate with me now that I am fully back in the country. I hardly have
to introduce myself to the people I meet.
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