MC Smoke: I pioneered Hip-hop music in Nigeria

…without foundation, the roof cannot stand

Edward Nosa Omegui, popularly known as MC Smoke, arguably one of Nigeria’s hip-hop music pioneers. The dude is now the new music sensation on social media blocs, with his new single titled: ‘You Can’t Separate Us Forever.’
The music star left Nigeria in 1990 when things were tough during the Gulag regime of the late General Sani Abacha. According to the hip-hop star; “When the late General took over from the late Ernest Shonekan, I had written my songs earlier, but I released them in 1995.”
“In the Nigerian music industry artists are reaping in what we planted.
Our efforts have germinated, and has made lots of them billionaires; I am disturbed that they do not talk about us, they have forgotten that without the building foundation the roof can’t stand alone.”
Speaking from his Netherlands base, he took a few questions from CREEKVIBES OLUWADAMILARE DANIELS. Excerpts;

Can you tell us about your educational background?

I am a Structural Engineer/Marine Engineer.

Which school did you attend?

Naropa (Rocon) Technical School in the Netherlands.

At What age did you start your music career?

I started my career at the age of 23.

One of my songs titled: ‘State of the Nation’ was bound by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, it wasn’t allowed to fly.

Why was it bound?

I think the authority thought it was educative, not as if I sang badly, but because I was passing a message to the government to stop mismanaging the resources of Nigeria.

Radio stations and TV stations initially started to give it air-play, so the problem was that the authorities read a revolutionary meaning to it.

What do you have to say about Daddy Fresh and Showkey?

The two big music duos were playing a different kind of music identified as ‘Galala’, and a bit of Afrobeat then, but they never played Hip hop, I was playing Hip hop and Afrobeat.

So, were they in the same game with you?

What happened was that there was nobody on that terrain with me, while I was on the TV stations, people were awed because as at then, such music was obtainable in the US.

Let me be frank with you, Nigerians never played Hip-hop. I came to remove the veil from their eyes, but I was so happy with what I did.

About two years after my songs, young guys started to imitate what I started; I am ahead of 2Baba, Baba Fryo, and the likes of Idris Abdulkareem. My contemporaries were Daddy Fresh and Showkey. Olygy and Candy Sea.

Can you tell us your plans for Nigerian teaming youths?

I am of the opinion that, the young artists should be given limbs to fly; the majority of them are from poor backgrounds. Being one of the 1st Hip-hop artists, I am building a  rendezvous for the youths, a place where they can come and have free sessions to record their music with free auditioning; we can also help them to perfect their lyrics.

Financial assistance will be made accessible without hesitations.

There will be a live band for those who want to perform or perfect the handling of some musical instruments.

Will you want them to be under your record label?

I don’t have a record label probably, I might register a record label, but it won’t operate like one.

Some of them might want to have a record label that will be like an umbrella for them.

The idea of what I am putting up in Ikorodu is basically for entertainment,  also a digital studio; masseurs will given outlets to display their trades. It is a multi-million Naira project that include a big hall.

During the planning of the edifice, did you source loans from multinationals or any banks?

As a structural engineer, it was easy for me to get the architectural work up and start to finance it. I am the soul financier; I want the youths to enjoy me as a pioneer member of the genre of the musicians who started to sing with pidgin English before it snowballed into what it is today.

Guys are now singing lovely and acceptable songs with different dialects. When I came out, I debuted with ‘Without Poverty’, followed by ‘State of The Nation, and ‘Hip-hop from Africa.’

How many tracks do you have on your first album?

I debuted with an 8-Tracker album, followed by a 7-Tracker.

Presently, I have 28-tracks I am about to release but, I will want to release them when I round up my Ikorodu project.

With the 28-track album you have now, do you, or will you want to do a re-mix with notable Nigerian music stars?

Nigerian big artists are just like my children, when I released my 1st song Davido, and Wizkid were probably toddlers then.

I think if you collaborate with either of them, it will give your music a momentum.

If that happens it will be fine. I have been popular before, and I don’t want to die in popularity like some of our Nigerian politicians.

What do you think the government can do to assist the youths?

A lot of people have been expecting the government to do something reasonable for the youths long ago.

The government needs to spend money to build the streets, get a functioning dome up, where youths can go and display their talents on stagecraft with the microphone, a place like a theatre, not everyone will be a doctor or an engineer, what they need to realize is that entertainment business is one of the biggest business in the World today.

How many instruments can you handle perfectly?

I can handle the Guitar and the flute, and I can also drum very well.

Do you speak the Jamaican patua?

I don’t want to learn or speak a Rastafarian language because I am a Nigerian and I don’t play Reggae.

When would you want to launch the Ikorodu rendezvous project?

I told some stalwarts of the Nigerian Musical Association about the project, but surprisingly they were not interested.

I think it boils down to the structure of what I am putting up there.

It is noted that the music body can’t put such edifice together perhaps, some of them might be thinking that I want to take over from them.

Will you want to be PMAN president?

I don’t want to be PMAN president, can I tell you why I wouldn’t want to be PMAN president?

Please do.

My standard is above that of PMAN’s president. Those struggling for that position, are doing so for personal reasons not to assist or help anyone.

Whatever the government allocates for them yearly is enough to build a musical theatre for youth development.

Do you have any political ambition?

No, I do not, I don’t want to be anything.

As I am leaving the Netherlands, I have already secured my pension for the rest of my life; I just pray for God to make me live longer.

I don’t want more popularity or more money.

Is there anything you want Nigerians to know about you?

I am free and easygoing person who likes to see people growing in their chosen careers.

A message for the youths?

I want the youths to stay out of drugs, I heard nauseating news of drugs changing hands and damaging lives on the Nigerian streets.

When I come to Nigeria, I want a lot of youths to come close for mentorship, have one-on-one discussions with them, and show them the way forward.