It's all about writing a good song

Ade Bantu does not feel bad despite not winning the Best Dance Hall Reggae Video Award his ‘Where Di Water', was nominated for at the Channel O Music Video Award held last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. "I'm happy because it is good to be nominated for awards that you feel deeply about, especially Channel O."

He adds, "It's one of the few stations where you get to see other African artists and get to appreciate African music. Being nominated for a video that was very experimental and daring is really a good feeling because I didn't expect it to ever happen. I went out of my way to do a video that I didn't want to have women shake their body [to] or celebrate commercialism. And there it goes; it gets nominated."

Influences

Bantu whose ‘Fuji Satisfaction' produced with fuji musician, Adewale Ayuba won two Kora Awards in 2005 recalls growing "up in a household where all cultures were represented. In terms of choice of authors, my parents' library was very eclectic; it was the same with the art and music that we were exposed to. I grew up with James Last, Sunny Ade, Lijadu Sisters, Miriam Makeba, Sonny Okosun, Fela and a lot of reggae. My dad loved reggae music; Mighty Diamonds, Peter Tosh and the like. These are people that rubbed off me in a certain way."

Fufu and WAFUNK

The originator of Fufu says his blending of different music genres to produce the sound does not mean he lacks ideas. "I know what I want to sing. If you listen to my albums, they are well thought out. I know where I'm going to. I haven't heard anyone say ‘your music sounds confusing or you don't know where you are going to'. I'm always open to new experiences. For me, it's all about writing a good song. If you can write a good song, compose a good song, it doesn't matter if it is a reggae, highlife or fuji song. I remember the snobbish attitude I got from friends when I told them I was working with Adewale Ayuba. We did the album, everyone was still sceptical. We released the album, got good reviews, people were like, okay. Then the album won two Kora, everybody became silent. I don't pay heed to any anyone. People that I really look up to, genuine friends that can always look me in the face and say ‘Ade we think you've lost it, why don't you try another approach? They are the ones I will listen to."

The musician and activist has progressed from Fufu. "Now I call my music WAFUNK; West African Funk. WAFUNK is Afro hip hop mixed with Afrobeat and bits of highlife. That's what my new album is going to be about. It is called ‘Soundclash in Lagos' and it's about me composing every single song on it with a featured artist. I just recorded with Fatai Rolling Dollar, I did a track with African Chyna, Azadus, Sound Sultan. I recorded with an incredible Mushin vocalist, Seinde Joe-he sounds just like Orlando Owoh. I did a tribute for Orlando Owoh, I did a rock song with Debiana, one of the rock musicians here in Lagos.

"My idea of being creative is pushing myself and trying to explore new frontiers. It's about learning and taking the best of both cultures that I have in me and creating something that genuinely represents where I am spiritually and mentally. I'm not a follower, I'm a leader because I have a vision with my music and I'm not apologetic about it. It's all about knowing where you are going to."

On Okosun and Makeba

Bantu posted tributes to the late protest musician, Sonny Okosun and South African singer, Miriam Makeba on his blog because he is "acknowledging their iconic status from the perspective of a fellow artist and somebody that looks up to these musicians. They were great personalities and I think they embodied everything that is somehow missing in today's musical culture and a spirit that I hope can be invoked once again."

Destroying creativity

Apart from his musical and political concerns, the artist is worried that "We are losing our cultural and linguistic identity. And people without an identity have nothing to offer humanity. We are in a state of despair, we are not accommodating of other cultures and thoughts. People are not communicating with each other. The African spirit of brotherhood is deteriorating; it's being lost to the lust for money, quick gains. Everyone is trying to cut ends to make it as fast as possible. When I go outside; I travel to Jamaica, Haiti, Germany and Denmark. Once they hear Lagos, they are like ‘wow, that's where Afrobeat was invented'. I tell them: people know Fela in Nigeria but they are not upholding that Afrobeat culture. They are always shocked because if you go to Jamaica and you see the way they worship Bob Marley; how the government has understood that he is a national treasure. Here we destroy everything. We destroy our writers, musicians and their legacies. It's pathetic."

A spiritual being

What exactly is the self-styled artistic explorer in the spirit realm exploring?

"I'm very open. I'm curious and that curiosity is what feeds my spirit, my art, my whole being. I'm like a little kid; I want to rediscover sounds, arts, poetry, books and life. That's the driving factor behind who I am."

You must have rhythm

Bantu became involved with music fortuitously. "I lost my dad, I had to go to Germany to further my education and that [music] was the only avenue to make friends in an environment where I couldn't communicate. My mum is German but we never spoke German at home, we only spoke English. So, I learnt German at 17, 18. I had just completed secondary school at Federal Government College, Minna, Niger State. I come to Germany, I can't speak a word of German, I have to re do my A-levels because they didn't accept my Nigerian A-levels. I had to make friends fast and they said the typical cliché thing ‘you are Black, you must have rhythm, you must be into music'. I said if that's what it takes to make friends, hell yeah, I have rhythm.

"Fortunately I could rap one or two songs. I was just very fortunate but ultimately it was meant to be. It's like we Yoruba, we believe you choose your destiny and I chose my ‘ori'. That's what it is and I'm very conscious of it."

Self doubt

In spite of his fame, the artist who performed with his band during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany confesses "You have what I call those moments of doubt as a creative person. Am I really doing the right thing? Musical culture has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. Everything is fast, people don't want music with content; people are afraid when you are talking about certain topics and issues. When you are dealing with them, people feel he is getting too deep. So, I have those moments of doubt but whenever they come, something always happens. In 2005, I asked myself do I really want to continue with this music? I won two Kora. Maybe this year, I wasn't really too sure. You just had those moments of artistic depression and in comes a nomination for a Channel O Award, in comes other offers."