UNILAG saga: Wizkid tells his STORY + More...

 Recently, an impostor, impersonated the Star boy and defrauded his UNILAG fans, prompting the police to invite him(Wizkid) for questioning. In this interview with a national newspaper,the artiste talks about his UNILAG saga, fame, new record label and more. Enjoy!


What really happened between you and the UNILAG students. You were accused of duping them?

By now, I think all is clear that there are some people parading themselves as either Wizkid or his managers. The unfortunate incident regarding the UNILAG students is a case of mistaken identity where people fell victim to some unscrupulous elements who impersonated me or my representatives. The same people, as we have come to know, went as far as creating fake accounts in my name to dupe people.
I just don’t really want to talk much  about it. There are processes involved in booking Wizkid for shows.  If you want to book Wizkid for a show or anything of the sort, you go to Empire Mates Entertainment, EME, which is my label or you talk to my manager, Godwin Tom. Those  are the main channels to reach me if you want to book me for a show. So,if you’ve been chatting with the Wizkid on the social media and he has  promised to do something or charges you money, I want you to know that Wizkid never charges anybody or does his business directly. I don’t discuss price, I don’t talk about anything like that. I allow my management and my label to handle my business. So, nobody talks directly to me concerning payments...We are not fighting with anybody. We sympathise with the students who have been duped, but for you to do it properly, for you to get the best information that you need, it is important  to provide the necessary information.

What was your first reaction when you heard the news?

I felt so bad. I just went to my Twitter account and tweeted the normal people to contact if you want to book a show with Wizkid. Let’s be realistic. Everybody saw my hustle and watched me grow. When I dropped   “Holla Your Boy”, I was much younger and wasn’t charging up to N5 million  for shows. This is just playing out and it is simple.

So, how much do you charge now?

N5 million is okay for my show. But let’s just put things right. It is so bad to my company’s name and my name as well. That is why I  decided to open up on this issue.


What is your relationship with EME at the moment?
 
We are doing great, we have been having meetings. Going back and forth, evolving new plans to make EME one of the best record labels, not just in Nigeria but also, in Africa. Everyone is in the studio. Banky W. shot a couple of videos recently. We were at the video shoot last week; we are still working.

There is this rumour making the rounds  that you have replaced your accidented Porsche car. Is it true?
Yes, that is absolutely true. We thank God for that. We thank Him for sparing my life. This is not the first time I’ve had such an encounter. That doesn’t mean I am a freak, but I needed to be mobile. I was moving around with a taxi all through the duration of the accident which is not proper.

A whole lot of people have been blowing the accident out of proportion. But how bad was it?

Well, I don’t really like talking about the bad side of things. I believe that at some point in life, we all have to learn something good about life, something that would help our life in the future. When I had that accident I was like, I had to check myself and know the things I am not doing right. My mind told me that anything I am doing, I have to do it faster. I was like, if the world had ended that day, what would I have done. I thanked God for keeping me alive to testify his goodness. I made a promise to myself to never get down because of the accident. So, life must go on, no matter what it takes.

How has your evolution in the musical world been?

It has been massive. I have learnt so much and I have worked with so many legends. It is really mind- blowing. For me, I feel so excited. I am still learning and striving to get to the top. When I look back to where I started, I see a lot of accomplishments.That’s what normally comes to my mind. I also feel blessed, but it goes with a lot of responsibilities. You know, everything is for a while. It is the legacy that you built while you were there that lasts. So, I try as much as possible to leave a legacy so that even when I am not here, people will not forget my name easily.

What really prompted you to do a ‘collabo’ with Femi Kuti?

Yes, a lot of people never expected that. People think Wizkid talks only about girls, cars  and some flashy things in his music, but I don’t. All I talk about in my music is true life story. When I decided to do “Jayejaye” with Femi, I just really wanted to pass a message of  what Wizkid wants to be or  ways you can be like Wizkid. I still have not done anything, but people think I have done many things. I don’t think I have done a lot, I am still learning. The “Jayejaye” music was just to bridge the gap between the old and the young people. A big shout out to Femi Kuti for giving me the chance to do that track with him. I called him a day before we recorded the track and he allowed me. So, I am just saying a big thank you.

So, what should fans expect from your forthcoming album?

They should expect everything magical. We have put in a lot of work and we are just hoping that everyone likes the album. I have been in the studio for weeks and even months now. I can’t wait for the album to be released. I hope everybody will like the album. I have just put in a lot of hard work.

It’s like you have a passion for flashy cars?

No, I don’t think so. A lot of people drive more flashy  cars than I do, even in the entertainment industry. I really don’t think like that. After the accident , I had no other car to drive around. Believe it or not, I moving around with  a taxi and I didn’t like that.  I don’t think that amounts to having passion for flashy cars.  What about people in government that spend so much money on cars? I worked hard to make my money, so I need to use it well. If someone works hard for his money and decides to spend it for his pleasure, I don’t think it is a bad idea.

How do you feel  reading stories of some artistes who cannot fend for themselves when they grow old?

I have to learn from them and know how to make savings. If I am not learning from people that came before, then what am I  doing? It’s not that anybody is wishing anybody bad, but we must learn and plan ahead.