Pepenazi – I’m principled

[Crown Mix]

Though he studied Estate Management, he delved into music in 2012, SINGING Afro-Urban. Pepenazi who recently released a new single, ASE, spoke of his aspirations in this interview with Oreoluwa Filani

With many artists in the industry, how do you standout?

For you to standout you have to be super-versatile. When you listen to my sound, they are not similar, there is always a difference and that what makes an artist relevant as well, you have to be versatile, so I think for me to stay different I just based on my versatility.

A saying goes music is politics how do you cope?

It’s everywhere in every business, in everywhere in life or every stage of you trying to be successful there is what you all know as politics. It’s not just music alone.

Do you find yourself playing politics in music?

I’m just an artist in my own lane. There are a lot of people that will be like: where did you come from? What platform did you come from? Who is your god-father?  And I told them that I’m just doing my thing everything you see I push back to be, all my intellectual property, funds, finance, no one will come out of the sky to say: I contributed to your property. Those are the necessaries but when it comes to playing politics, I don’t do that. I maintain my own lane. You won’t find me where I’m not called, I always go to where I feel my presence is needed, where is worth it.

What are your inspirations?

Looking at where I started from, the people, my background, I’m that boy that was giving birth to in Surulere-Aguda, it was a mixed up because we had standard, the low standard, the middle belt [giggles]  and we were in between the low and middle belt, one thing our parent always tell us is: you are different ,you standout ,your state might not be too rosy but you are different  And that what it’s been, you know I look at people situation and there is this down casting feelings that, I can get better, I can do something better, It’s just me improvising and working on myself.

Are you married or in a relationship?

Not yet but I’m working on one and in the main time focusing on business.

Have you had weird experience with female fans?

Definitely! It’s part of the craft, I was at Unilag and that was when I dropped Illegal I was on stage performing and I noticed the girl she held on my boot, the timberland I was wearing, it was normal to me, very normal until she went up below the groin and I was like…[giggles] but you know you just have to be very professional you don’t have to react harshly. People slide into your DM and say nasty things: I just want to be the mother of your child. Some people even say unrealistic things like: I don’t mind to be your second wife or your third wife.

What inspired ASE  lyrics featuring Tiwa Savage and Masterkraft?

For everything we do, we pray and say a prayer to it, we lay our hand on stuff and we want that thing to prosper, we have to pray and when we pray, we lay an amen to it and as you work you want to eat or what the reason you work when it’s not bringing what you want that fair seed, that source of income that we see. So ASE is something everyone can relate too :IKAN TI BA DA OWO LE ASE,KI AYE MA GBOGUN TI MI ASE.

Which of the featured artist would you like to work again?

Definitely Olamide, we have a synergy. I was on two of Olamide’s album – The Baddest Guy Ever Liveth and Street OT. And yes Tiwa savage. She is very talented, an amazing song-writer.

How is the relationship between you and Ecletic entertainment been?

It’s been awesome, working since 2011 to 2017. There was always downside, we had to break-up to make-up. if you are in a business and there are no set-backs, then something is wrong, you guys are not been truthful to yourself but for me I have kept it super professional.