Talented
musician and producer Jesse Garba Abaga a.k.a Jesse Jagz has debunked claims
that his exit from Chocolate City was rancorous. The ex Chocolate City signee
now has a lot to prove especially now that he has chosen to take his future into
his own hands by exiting his former employers. He opens up about his craft and
his future plans in this interview with AHMED BOULOR.Continue reading....
How
have you been able to remain relevant on the scene despite that fact that
digital age has brought laziness and lack of discipline among most music
producers?
It’s just hard work and understanding the
principles that govern the universe. What you pay attention to makes you. It’s
a lot of mental, emotional and physical work. The digital age has got people
thinking production is just banging on a keyboard now. I really don't like
being referred to as a producer or artiste; musician is fine.
Is
it true that you produced the hit single “Oleku” in 30 minutes?
Yeah, it’s true. But that doesn't make me
superman. Less time doesn't mean it is better. The success was tied to so many
things not just the 30 minutes production. It was a moment that three of us
created in the studio. It’s so much more than just 30 minutes.
How
did M.I feel when he got wind about your intention to leave Chocolate City?
Well he just called and asked what was up. He's
my brother so it’s just like me getting up when we were younger to say I'm going
to see a friend of mine instead of school. He knows me as his brother so it
wasn't really anything. I don't like that people want to make it to look like a
personal war between brothers. It’s not. I just left a record company …that's
all.
Did
you feel your works were not promoted as much as that of Iceprince and M.I?
No I don't feel so. I just have a different
taste for music. I'm not of the opinion that an artiste's first album must be
the rave of the moment. I have always built momentum, so for me it’s not about
the beginning but the destination. I held my music back deliberately because I
wanted it to grow naturally. Of course more can always be done but for me promotion
hasn't been the problem. I guess for me its people always thinking everything needs
promo. Sometimes it just needs to grow naturally. You can't make plants grow
faster than they should. Music is spiritual so it should always be organic and
natural.
What
really made you leave Chocolate City aside the fact that your contract with the
label had elapsed?
Me and the fact that my music has grown; I
have a clearer direction of what I want to do. The older I get, the clearer the
direction for me. Inside of me it was just time to move on. Sometimes a man
believes in something that’s more than silver and gold. I just wanted to do my
own thing outside of business and opinions. I just wan to take the music back
to when it was just me and my music. Nothing more …
Do
you still maintain a cordial relationship with the rest of the pack at
Chocolate City?
I definitely still do; I and my brothers are
always cool. And it’s not like I have beef with anyone. I'm not denying any
friction but let’s not blow it out of proportion. Adults grow and relationships
evolve. So we are just in another phase now.
Were
you surprised when Brymo announced that he had left Chocolate City?
That’s a touchy question, but no. I wasn't. But
I’d rather you asked him. Whether I knew or not doesn't change why he left
Chocolate City; so ask him and then we can find out from his own point of view.
You
have produced songs for heavyweights such as Banky W, Majek Fashek, Mode 9,
Iceprince, Silver Saddih, Faze, Djinee, Kel, Shank and Sasha to mention a few;
how has that experience helped to shape your career?
It helped me to step my own game up. Here I
am sitting with all these artistes I'm watching on TV in the studio. So it was
more like I needed to prove to myself I was ready. It was never about any other
artiste but me. Yeah they shaped my career but that didn't change that I had to
work twice as hard.
Did
your passion for music overwhelm your quest for education?
Definitely it did but not my quest for
knowledge. Education and knowledge are two mutually exclusive things. Education
is made by men; knowledge is made by the cosmos. So my quest for knowledge
overwhelmed the quest for education. Education is a box, knowledge can't be
boxed. There’s no certificate for that.
Are
you an introvert; word has it that you hardly club yet alone go out?
Yeah I'm an introvert. Every man is an
introvert. We all came alone and will die alone. We all think alone and act
alone. Every man knows what is in his
heart by himself. So everyman is an introvert. I don't go clubbing. I haven't
been to a club in 2 years. I'm already in the public, so doing anything else
but being at home and working on better music isn't part of my job description.
Why
has it taken you so long to release another album since 2010?
It is all because it’s work. Good work is
never done in a short period of time. Plus I took time out to produce on Ice
Prince's and Brymo’s albums. An album should be a journey, a collection of
songs; not a single and 17 party songs to go along. Music comes from
experiences; happiness is what every man is searching for. A good album should
take time; it’s like putting your soul on a record for people to hear.
Is
it true that Chaka Khan is your favourite celebrity?
Well she inspired me a lot with that 80's
sound. I'm an 80's baby. So much soul and funk, yes! Plus she's a beautiful
woman. Her sound was just crazy. She isn’t my favourite celebrity though. No
man or woman holds on to that celebrity tag for too long for death robs all
humans of everything. I like her for her music and personality, not just for
being a celebrity.
What
explains your flirtatious experimentation with different genres of music from
R&B to roots reggae, pop and hip hop?
That has to do with my background. I listened
to everything on the radio back in Jos. Music isn't genre bound so to fully
understand it you have to pay attention
to the different components or genres that make music. It’s like a car, there
are so many components that make it move
How
instrumental were your parents to your foray into the world of music?
My parents were very instrumental. My mom
sang to us every night before we slept while we were young. Subconsciously it
imprinted in my mind. She's my every thing and we owe a whole lot to her.
Tell
us about your first group Gospel Insanity?
Well that was made up of E Kelly, Charlie X
and I. We are all in Lagos now. E Kelly produced back then and Charlie X and I performed. That was the real foundation for me.
Learning to write and produce ourselves. It made all the difference. Although
it was hard, I remember we never got paid for anything.
What
about your other group 11:30?
I met them like two years later when GI.
Khali Abdul was in that group too. We still are best friends till today. A lot
of people just know Loopy and Choc Boys but Gospel Insanity and 11:30 were my
real roots.
Is
it okay to sum up that your career started professionally when you hooked up
with M.I in 2004 when you both opened up the Inner Hub Studios?
Nope. My career started professionally with
Gospel Insanity and 11:30. That was long before Inner Hub.
Is
your single “Murder Dem” dedicated Chocolate City?
Absolutely not at all! It was not directed at
Chocolate City but if you thought about it in that way; then it maybe,
subconsciously.
No comments:
Post a Comment