Encomium
A new breed is on the rise in the Nigerian music industry. This breed is made up of the energetic, creative and the highly-gifted artistes. Only a handful can belong here. One of such is young, confident and well-refined Ben 7.
Christened Olawepo Benjamin Opeyemi at birth, he is better known by his stage name, Ben 7 a.k.a. Don Dada.
ENCOMIUM Weekly sat down with the Leave am like that crooner and he spoke on sundry issues ranging from why his outstanding 8As in the last WAEC exams is not enough reason to abandon his music and why despite his parents being pastors he is doing secular music…
Why are you into music and how did it start for you?
Music is just a blessing to me. It just started because it’s inbuilt. When you just have the talent for something, you express it and it becomes something you do over and over naturally. I have a talent for music and I love music so, I’m into it because it’s my natural talent.
I sing effortlessly. If I don’t sing a day, I won’t be ok. I won’t be myself at all and this started from church. I was around 13 when I started in the church. My dad was and is still the pastor of the church. My mum is an evangelist.
Now that you started from the choir and your parents are ministers of God, how do they take the fact that their son is doing secular music instead of gospel?
They were skeptical initially but after several attempts to convince me to do strictly gospel, they eventually allowed me to follow my passion when they realised the fact that music is really my passion and I really want to try it out in the secular way. My parents didn’t want to limit me.
I’ll still ask, you are a church boy why not just focus on gospel music instead of secular Afropop?
What I didn’t tell you is that I’ve actually done a gospel album. I dropped an 8-track album in my church. But why I’m entering the secular scene is because I want the world to know who Ben 7 is. I want them to feel the real me and feel my versatility. I’m someone who doesn’t like to be limited. I like to be dynamic with my talent.
But how do you plan to do secular music without mentioning ‘unholy words’ like ‘bumbum’, ‘boobs’ and even sex, and don’t forget your parents are heads of a church?
Like I said, I’m just trying to express my talent that’s all. I believe that if you are not stealing, doing drugs, and committing any crime as a youth, expressing your talent should be encouraged as long as it’s legal. The secular music I’m doing is legal so I have no regret doing it. It’s a talent God has given to me and I must express it.
To be honest with you, there is no way you are going to sing secular music without mentioning those things you talked about. Even if you listen to my songs, there are already traces of such things there. But my parents know how well they’ve brought me up and if I sing about women, sex and what have you, it’s just strictly business.
If I was a doctor, I’ll still mention stuffs like that, but does that mean I’m doing something bad? So, my parents support me and when they hear me sing about those stuffs, they just have to dance to it.
Why must secular artistes mention those things?
We don’t mention those things just for no reason. Secular artistes sing mostly about boy-girl relationship and life in general. However, the aim is to entertain and ladies are our number one customers. Ladies listen to music more so there is very little thing we can do about that. Like I said, we don’t sing about those things for no reason. It’s the reality.
For instance, my song Leave Am Like That was inspired by what I saw recently when I and my manager, Lanre Lawal visited a shopping mall. Two guys were arguing over the girl one of them was dating and criticising her physical features. Then the guy who was dating the girl just told his friend, ‘I don’t care what you think about my girl, just leave am like that’.
That was how the idea struck me. It’s just a story of a guy who will defend his girlfriend irrespective of the flaws the other person thinks she has. So it’s about reality. So, how will I sing such a song without mentioning the physical features, especially when it comes to the area of comparison in the song.
Although I, Ben 7 don’t sing about bum bum, boobs, sex, parties and money alone; the topic of my songs are eclectic. My church background will in fact help me to infuse some inspirational themes in my music.
When you look at the track records of artistes like Davido, Wizkid and Young 6ix who started almost at your age, are you not scared if you will be given much room to thrive in the industry?
Ok, when you asked me my stage name, what did I tell you? I told you my name is Ben 7 a.k.a The Don Dada! Do you know the meaning of the Don Dada? It means The Boss! I’m the boss of what I’m doing. I’m the boss in this music industry, and I’m in a class of my own. I only see Wizkid and Davido as my brothers.
I respect the fact that I can use them as an example of young people doing what I’m also doing, but I’m not here to copy anybody.
Music is not about competition, but more about your own uniqueness. I can’t deceive myself, what I give is what I’ll get. If what I give to people is better than what Wizkid and Davido gives, I’ll definitely outshine them.
What stands you out as an artiste?
What stands me out is my personality. I don’t copy anyone. My talent is inbuilt. Some people say I’m boisterous but I’m not. It’s just confidence because I know I’m different from other artistes. I’m in my world and my talent is inbuilt like I said earlier.
So, what are you working on now?
I’m working on my hits right now. Before I got signed to Jebon Records, I promised my fans that if I had a good backing, I’ll release 7 hits before my album drops. So I’m working on those hits now.
Could you tell us about your academic background?
I’m planning to get into the university soon. I only completed my O’level not long ago. So, right now I’m just trying to juggle between education and music.
Are you not going to abandon education by the time you come out with seven hit tracks and you become a superstar?
There is no way music can affect my education. Everyone knows that another side of me that is highly active is my academic life. A lot of people were surprised when I scored 8 distinctions in the last WAEC exams despite the fact that I was always hanging out in the studio and recording.
So, I know what I’m doing. I bless God for my parents who always watch my back and make sure I don’t derail.
Also, many of your mates started impregnating girls once they became superstars, how do you want to avoid the temptations of girls?
Like I said, I’m from a Christian background and my parents are always watching me. The upbringing you have can determine how responsible and disciplined you are with females. I’m not going to fall into such temptation with God on my side. My aim is just to entertain, that’s all.
Finally, tell us about your record label.
Jebon Records is a new label founded by Mr. Umebulue Johnpaul Ebuka as its CEO/Managing Director. The principles of Jebon Records is in grooming and encouraging young artistic talents and I believe that’s why I was signed as its first artiste and that was the happiest day of my life.
Jebon Records is here to redefine the state of Nigeria music as an art and a business.
