Adam Abdullahi Emir, known in the entertainment industry as Fresh Emir, is a Hausa music artist, songwriter and actor who announced his presence with his unique mode of singing. Known for his lines against injustice and social vices, in this interview Fresh Emir talks about his hit song against drug abuse, his short contact with politics among other issues.
It seems you are more interested in your singing career than acting?
Even though I started with music, as an entertainer both are equally important to me. However, because people know me as a singer, they tend to follow my singing career more than the others. Moreover, I see myself more of an awareness campaigner than a musician. In my song ‘Wasika I tried to address the issue of Nigeria’s insecurity and unfulfilled political promises to Nigerians. I tried to sensitize the public to the need to ask questions and not to go violent, to vote for credibility and not money. The good thing is many people listened to the lyrics and have watched the videos. The feedback we received was very encouraging.
I am still acting, and you can find my acting works everywhere but singing has been what takes the stage for now.
You were not known as a political singer but your political song was like a particular party’s anthem. How come?
Indeed people didn’t know me to be a political singer, but I wrote and sang a song for an individual who happens to be a gubernatorial candidate in Kano state. No doubt, the song has gained huge popularity and up till this moment, people still play the song. Let me tell you something, I did that song not because I belong to a particular political party, I know people will find it very hard to believe what I am saying, but it is the fact. I sang that song because I believe in the credibility of that candidate and I believe in his ability to drive the state to the Promised Land; that was what made me do that song.
Moreover, if you listen to the lyrics of the song, it is more or less a form of prayer for victory and that’s all. Nobody paid me to do the song; I did it because I feel it is the only way I can give my contribution to the success of his candidature.
Does that mean you have ventured into political music?
No, after that song, I was contacted on several occasions by different politicians to do a song for them which I declined. As I have said earlier, the one I did wasn’t commissioned by anyone and I have told you my reasons behind the song making.
Therefore, it is wrong to believe or feel that I have finally joined the political singers lineage. I want to continue with what I have started. As I have once said, I was inspired to do the kind of music I am doing because I have come to realize that, for one to be recognized and respected in the entertainment industry, one has to be very innovative and creative. I have created my kind of Hip-pop music which makes me different from others despite the fact that I do some other forms of music too. Some see me as a preacher while others see me as a freedom fighter, but the actual truth is that I love to be part of every positive change that has to do with my people and I want to remain that way.
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Your recent song ‘Kwaba’ set the Hausa entertainment industry agog with admiration. Can you tell us more about the song?
It is a song that I did to stage a campaign against drug abuse. It is a song I took time to write and composed and when I released it, it definitely served the purpose it was meant for. Because hours after the release of the song, it became the street anthem and people have adopted the song as one of the weapons they can use in fighting the menace of drug abuse.
Why drug abuse?
Don’t forget that I am from Kano and it is no longer a hidden secret that the state has been facing a lot of serious social vices such as phone snatching, thugs, petty thieves among others. It was discovered that the root to all these vices is connected to drug abuse. However, the youths are more involved in it than any other group.
The song was dramatized to show that drug abuse does nothing but destroy an individual’s life and that it is not too late for one to stop as there is a life after stopping drug abuse. I portrayed myself in the song as a repentant drug abuser who excelled in life after he had stopped the act of drug abuse.
What was the public feedback on the song?
The feedback was very encouraging; many people have called to thank me for putting up such a song that changes many youth’s lives. Individuals visit me to thank me for taking the centre stage in the fight against drug abuse. Ironically and sadly government authorities failed to appreciate what I did even though the initial intent wasn’t for authorities to appreciate, but at least we had expected some form of encouragement.
Are you working on any project for now?
I am currently working on many songs, but soon, I will be releasing a single titled ‘Nawa’ which literally means my own. I don’t want to preempt the song, but I am sure people will surely like it as always.
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