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‘Why Gallardo sounds similar to Davido’s Aye’ -Run Town

Douglas Jack Agu, otherwise known as RunTown is one of the fast rising pop stars that has shown huge potentials in the music industry in 2014, and has received a lot of media attention as well. The Enugu state artiste registered himself into the consciousness of music lovers with his smash hit single, Gallardo featuring Davido. Even though he’d done several songs before then, he never got the attention he wanted. In his first major interview since he hit limelight, he spoke with ENCOMIUM Weekly on his early beginning and challenges he had to deal with in his career.

03 (1)How did music begin for you?

It started in 2007, but professionally I’ll say 2010, because that was when I recorded my first single, Party Like It’s 1980. I remember that 2007, was the year Phyno and I moved down to Lagos from Enugu. We stayed and worked with J Martins, if you noticed we featured on J-Martins second album on the fifth track titled Tonight. We kept our craft and kept recording, I also did my own song back then called Activity Pikin. I shot a video for it got little airplay, but people didn’t know who Run Town was. I still kept at it, and along the line I met Timaya through J-Martins, I started working with Timaya. I learnt a lot of stuff from Timaya about growing in the industry.

When I recorded the song, Party Like it’s 1980, people started to show me more love the song was popular, but the artiste (Me), wasn’t popular. A lot of people knew the song, but I wasn’t known. So, I felt I needed to put a face to my music. So, we thought of doing a remix of the song and I told Timaya I wanted to feature Davido on the remix because I wasn’t close to Davido. So Timaya put a call through to Davido, but when we got to David house to do the song, we ended up changing our mind and we did a new song, Gallardo and that was how my career took a new turn, so much so that when I go to shows these days and I perform my old songs and people tend to connect with them.

Now, I have a new song called Successful and Domot, both songs are receiving massive airplay right now and it makes me feel really happy.

What were you doing in Enugu?

I’m from Enugu state, but I didn’t really stay there, I was just there between 2007 and 2008, because that was where and when I wrote my WASCE, that was when I met Phyno, it was after the exams that I moved to Lagos with Phyno.

How would you describe your growth since Gallardo was released?

To be honest, the love I’ve been receiving is amazing, the support has been very impressive and it makes me really excited and eager to do more. So in the coming months, I’ll be dropping more singles and videos, but I won’t drop an album this year, the album would drop next year. I’m still trying to carve a niche for myself in the industry.

The sound of your song, Gallardo and Davido’s Aye is very similar, why?

Yes, I’ve heard that a couple of times, but I guess it’s because the same producer made both songs. Both songs were produced by T-Spice.

You recently signed a record deal with Eric Manny Records, tell us about it?

Yes. When I released Party Like its 1980, I was in some kind of partnership with Phyno on a record label called Penthauze. We were running it together, but at some point I pulled out because I felt it’s time to take a bold step in my career. At that time, Eric Manny brought an offer to me through a friend, Bugo. I took the offer and got signed to the label.

What’s the offer?

It’s personal, but I enjoy a great working relationship with the label. It’s like working with friends and brothers, it’s really a great team.

...with Davido on Gallardo's video
…with Davido on Gallardo’s video

As a child growing, what profession fascinated you?

I wanted to be a basket player, because I was playing basketball back then, I even played professionally before music stole my heart.

So, why did you dump basketball for music?

I guess music just stole my heart. I really don’t know how it happened. I just know music came, it stole my heart, and I followed music.

Do you still play basketball at all?

Yes, I do, at my leisure, now I play it as a hobby not professionally.

Let’s talk about your childhood?

Well, I grew partly in Abuja and Lagos. Initially, we were based in Lagos because my dad was ill and he was in LUTH most of the time, we stayed at Ikeja and I had most of my primary education in Lagos. When my dad died, we moved to Abuja, because at that time my mom worked at the Ministry of Health. In 2005, my mom relocated to Enugu when she joined politics, so I moved with her and that was when I wrote my WASEC exams in Enugu.

So, what’s up with university?

I was in UNILAG (University of Lagos) for a while, but I didn’t finish. Now, I’m in a fashion school in New York.

Why didn’t you finish at UNILAG?

I didn’t finish because I was studying Computer Science but it’s not really my passion or what I wanted for myself, so I just quit to pursue my real passion.

If music hadn’t worked out for you, what else would you have done?

I would have been a professional basket ball player because one thing about me is that I always concentrate fully on anything I want in life, and I believe I would have been to the NBA.

For you, how challenging has music been?

It’s been very hard. I remember when I did the song, Party Like its 1980, it was very hard to raise funds to shoot the video and when I eventually shot the video, it was a very low budget. So, financing your career as a musician would be very difficult if you don’t have help.

What’s your greatest fear?

Going broke. I’ll rather lose my mind instead of going broke, because when you lose your mind you won’t know what’s happening anymore.

Looking at your career now, would you say you are fulfilled?

No, not at all. It’s still the starting point for me to show the world what I’m capable of, I’m just getting started.

How comfortable are you?

At least now I can eat, because feeding was difficult before.

Are you in a relationship?

I’m single.

How would you describe your ideal woman?

I just want a quiet and good character spouse. I don’t want a popular woman because I can’t date a celebrity. I can’t deal with all the drama.

-RASHEED ABUBAKAR

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