Vector, the Nigerian rapper, has opened up about his seemingly strained relationship with MI Abaga, his podcast, “African mind”, and the music industry.
Olanrewaju Ogunmefun, better known by his stage name Vector, is a Nigerian rapper and songwriter.
Everybody Looks Like “Migos” – Nigerian Rapper Vector Reveals Many Truths About The Music Industry
He has released four studio albums, including the State of Surprise, The Second Coming, Lafiaji, and Vibes Before Teslim: A Journey To Self-Discovery with numerous mixtapes
He hold also the title, “the longest freestyle rap in Africa” and more recently, he became a podcaster.
How have you managed to stay on top of your game for so long?
If it’s your game, it’s your game. Well, my rap is my game and I try to tailor it to the reality of my life so I would have something to say every time that is relevant because it’s tailored according to how I live my life.
I have always said that most rappers need to be more original with the content of their lyrics.
Whatever reference you have in the world there’s is an equivalent in Nigeria and I guess that will sustain you for as long as possible.
Everybody Looks Like “Migos” – Nigerian Rapper Vector Reveals Many Truths About The Music Industry
Let’s Talk about the messaging inside our music in Nigeria. What do you think?
Well, capitalism is always the problem whereby people are profit driven. I feel like in the music industry there are more businessmen than there are artists.
It’s okay to be a businessman but then as long as you’re okay to reference that you’re a businessman when the time comes.
Most people are pushed toward where they think the money is, hence I thought about an algorithm for music; music where you’re able to say, ‘if you do it like this, it will happen like this, this is what they did that made a hit so let’s do same’.
It’s now becoming a monotonous long play. The radio stations to me these days just sound like a long Galaba mixtape. Like one DJ just playing the same beat.
Everybody Looks Like “Migos” – Nigerian Rapper Vector Reveals Many Truths About The Music Industry
Speaking of beat, last year you decided to deep the temple with ‘Early Mo Mo’, Tell us about it.
I feel like in Nigeria they want you to be so much into what ‘the trend’ but they then forget that you have a life, you have a story you’re telling, and if all fingers are not equal how come all our stories are equal?
It doesn’t make sense, does it? Everybody is putting dollars to their ears, everybody is wearing bling bling you know, everybody looks like “Migos” so it’s pretty much monotonous.
Is the rap industry in need of beefs to maintain its relevance?
It’s a human thing, I know people who seem to like to watch fights even on the road. I guess it tickles people’s fancy to see an altercation or fuss but for me, it’s a normal thing in humans’ life.
You will meet people you will disagree with but, as they will always say, it’s okay to be lost as long as you will find yourself later, I don’t subscribe to that.
However, I will confront whatever issue I face or whatever issues that are in front of me. So if it’s the rapper that’s the issue, I will confront the person but it’s now necessary.
You can make music about our current state in Lagos if you live in Lagos, about the current states in Nigeria, and still have lyrical references that are still top-notch.
Faboo is pretty much Lamba, so now you can say, oh, ‘I have 100 women’, no you don’t, ‘I have 700 cars, no you don’t, ‘I am hood and hard’, no you’re not.
Just be you, it’s okay whether you can speak English or not just be you. YOU DON’T NECESSARILY NEED BEEF TO MAKE MUSIC IN RAP.
Want to know what inspires Vector to write music? Watch the below!!!
