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I may end up being a pastor – Kcee

Daily Trust: How did you come this far in music? Kingsley  Chinweike Okonkwo:  God has plans for everybody when you pay attention to His plans…

Daily Trust: How did you come this far in music?

Kingsley  Chinweike Okonkwo:  God has plans for everybody when you pay attention to His plans for you. From my childhood, I had been dreaming of being a music star. I saw myself in that world, though I started with football, I never expected to be a musician, it was football all the way, but I  love music, after school, I used my father’s record  store to support  the business. The love for music grew when I discovered my talent. I studied Art at UNN. I started putting my energy into music and like joke, I began to form music groups. In Ajegunle, we formed a group called Sweet Boys, just like every young boy would do. Then I dropped football because music was already putting food on my table, I started putting in my best and by the grace of God, it grew from one level to another, that has been my journey so far.

DT: What would you have loved to be apart from being a musician?

Okonkwo: I would have been a pastor, and I am watching myself, I may end up being a pastor someday. I think I have a strong relationship with God and I cannot run away from it. I strongly believe that God will use me for something, I will definitely end up in a church. I know I have the calling, and when the call eventually comes, it will be received and not missed. I was raised in a Christian home. I was a mass servant in the Catholic Church for 12 years. When I left the Catholic Church for a Pentecostal church, I was a choir member. In fact, my first song was a gospel one before moving into inspirational songs. I am saying this for the first time; we started singing secular songs because of money.  We started doing inspirational songs, moral songs till date, and I hate dirty songs. Till tomorrow, if you watch my videos, I do clean stuffs that families can view. If I was not doing entertainment, definitely, I would be a pastor.

DT: How do you compare the Nigerian music industry with those of other countries?

Okonkwo: Well, I think our music has grown so big, and I am glad to be part of it. A lot of work has been done at different levels, and we,  the younger ones, are trying to sustain the work and keep it alive. I have been around the world, and music is global. In African music, Nigerian music in particular is taking over. The problem we face in this part of the world is the government, the support matters, but I think we will get there. The international market is even extracting from our own values such as rhythm, melody, etc. I think we have done well. I   am very proud of Nigerian music, it is building our image as a country.

DT: Who is your mentor in music?

Okonkwo: I Iove R. Kelly, he is good in his delivery, I listen to Sean Paul, Shaggy, Usher. Back home, I listen to Oriental Brothers, Oliver De Coque, and I respect 2 Face Idibia or 2Baba. We were together on the same record label, he has been growing and is useful to others in the industry, he is one of those I am watching in the industry.

DT: How do describe your kind of music?

Okonkwo: We call it Afro-highlife. I love highlife because it can keep your tune for the next 30 to 40 years. I don’t like going too western. I can say that I am a 100% highlife artiste .The only thing I do with my highlife, I “funkify” it so that it flows with the time.

DT: Apart from music, what else do you do?

Okonkwo: I do music, and the other thing I do is music,  everything is music, I have another business no doubt, but I want to bring it out into music and for my fans to know. I see it as  an investment for tomorrow, I don’t want it distracting my fans, I want fans to concentrate on the music. Some people know what I am into in terms of business through my Instagram posts.

DT: How do you combine music with your family life, considering that you must have a lot of female fans?

Okonkwo: I don’t want to talk about that, all my female fans are my wives, I will marry them. I like to separate my private life from my music.

DT: Would you like your child to take after you in music?

Okonkwo: I would say no, they should not do music, but God knows best, I can’t direct their dreams, for me it is no.

DT: How do you intend giving back to the society?

Okonkwo: For those who know me, I give without announcement or publicity. I have supported more than three celebrities in Nigeria and non-celebrities alike. I have paid a lot of school fees, house rents, and I think that is also charity, not until I go visiting  orphanages with cartons of noodles and other gifts with pictures, charity begins at home, affect people around you first, although I am not against visiting orphanages or giving to the less privileged.

DT: Do you have plans for international collaboration?

Okonkwo: Of course, yes! I thought about it, the one I paid some time ago to do, I have not seen my money yet, about $70,000, to work with some artistes who I would not like to mention here, but somehow, I was duped and I hate to talk about it. Later, I found out that it was not necessary after all. Already, I am discussing with a producer, he had worked with Beyonce and Usher among others, his name is Ricky Love, he contacted me on the social media last month. He said  he liked my vibes and wanted to get into African music.

DT: How do you relax?

Okonkwo: I  relax on the job, I  am  a workaholic , I travel a lot, when relaxing  I am also  thinking about other things, I  relax inside the plane when travelling , I can stay indoors for two days. All through the month of January I was indoors, inside the studio trying to produce my next album. I did not go for any show .I do shows three times in a week.

DT: What is your message for up-coming artistes?

Okonkwo: I think they need to spot their areas of specialization, be focused and believe in God. A lot of people have said things about me, but I do not get distracted. My family loves me, but when I started music they never supported it. Then it was like; Can you keep a family of your own with this? They believed that the business was for unserious people. A lot of parents promote their kids now. I had a meeting on Sunday with a man who wants to promote his son with any amount, ready to spend N30m. Friends and family almost discouraged me. If I had listened, I won’t be here today. Take every advice and make use of only the best, and do not forget God.

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