Future of music lies in Nigeria –Teeswag

Abdulrahman Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known in the entertainment industry as Teeswag, is a musician making waves and also the son of late Nigerian actor, Usman Baba Pategi, known for his role in the popular series, Samanja. In this interview, the young musician talks about his chosen career, challenges among others.

Tell us about Teeswag.

My name is Abdulrahman Usman Baba Pategi. I am a musician who is into a blend of Hausa and English songs known as ‘Ingausa’. I was born and brought up in Kaduna State; I had my education in Kaduna State. I attended the Kaduna State University, where I studied Computer Science.

I was inspired by my late father, Samanja. In fact I was born into a family of entertainment practitioners. We grew up to the realisation that entertainment means a lot to many people.  I have learnt to do and appreciate what others are doing in the entertainment industry.

I grew up listening to good music and I believe the future of music lies in Nigeria. Nigeria is directly or indirectly in control of the music industry, especially in Africa. We have the talents and gradually, we are dominating the sector.

Why didn’t you follow in your father’s footsteps by joining the movie industry?

My father has indeed contributed his quota to the movie part of the entertainment world. He became a household name and was regarded as one of the greatest contributors to the sector. However, as I stated earlier, I grew up listening to good music and that inspired my choice of a career as a singer.

I want to make a name for myself in my chosen career. I believe that I have a lot to contribute to the nation’s entertainment industry.

Nevertheless, I have featured in a couple of films and also I have the intention of producing films of my own. In a nutshell, people will soon begin to see my face in movies.

What was life like growing up as Samanja’s son?

We had freedom while growing up, but with strict supervision from our late dad.  Being Samanja’s children came with a lot of challenges, but we were able to scale through.  I am happy I had him as a father. He gave us the chance to be what we want to be in life.

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Do you have a role model in the music industry?

Actually, I don’t. Good music is what inspires me. My father didn’t get to know that I was into music until when I clinched my first award. Meaning that, I had gone far in my pursuit before he got to know about it. He was impressed when I presented my award to him. He encouraged me and gave me his blessings. My father of blessed memories was indeed very supportive. He gave us the needed push we required to succeed in our chosen careers.

Do you believe the north has what it takes to make a mark in the music industry?

Sure it does. The only issue is that the north lacks support from private and the public sector when it comes to music. With the right support, I believe that the region will control the music scene in Nigeria. Moreover, we have had some big names from the region in the industry.

Are you among those who believe that a musician can only make it when he or she relocates to Lagos?

No I don’t. I believe that with patience we will also attain that level. It will take some time and support, but we will get there. If multinational firms and well-to-do individuals begin to invest in the sector, we will do well.  However, I will love to either feature or be featured in albums by Lagos based artists because I strongly believe in a symbiotic relationship in entertainment. To me, success is all about assisting each other to attain the desired level.

How many albums do you have so far?

I have dropped one album and two EPs. I am currently working on several tracks that will be released soon. I have songs like ‘One Man Army (OMA), Wai Na Yi Shiru, Baba Tee among others.’

What do you do besides music?

I am in the business of currency exchange. I am also into websites design and graphics design among other things. Don’t forget, I am a computer science graduate. When I am not in the studio, I will be busy doing my business and when I am not doing my business I will be in the studio doing my music.

What do you think needs to be done to uplift the northern music industry?

What should be done is to unify practitioners to make them understand that, that is the way to go. Moreover, there should be collaborative efforts in sourcing funds to drive the sector forward. We have to blow our trumpet ourselves, because if we don’t prove to the world that we have what it takes to be where we want to be, no one will do that for us.

We have to create awareness and improve in making good music, by doing that the northern music industry will grow.

How many awards have you received so far?

I have received 14 awards. In fact I have been receiving awards since my days as an undergraduate. I have received awards from groups in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and many other places.