Two years ago, something happened to the Nigerian entertainment industry, a young man emerged as a rapper, with a distinct voice, likened to that of the world’s acclaimed Lord of Rap, Jay Z. While so many commended him, others felt he was a copycat without a staying power. However, less than a year down the line, Olanrewaju, Ogunmefun, whom we all know as Vector, developed a large followership, with strong lyrical content, as infectious as the venom of a viper. Little wonder he is better addressed as Vector The Viper. In this mind blowing interview with YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine, he took him into the his world as a rapper, the real deal in rap music, what it takes to be a successful rapper, and more, much more. Come with them.
What are you working on at the moment?
Emmm, well, the album is almost finally set for release and we are looking at doing that sometime this year. So, all the hype and everything is what we are working on. After winning the best rap artist of the year at the NEA Awards, I can only but make sure everything goes well. But as soon as the album is done, we are ready to go.
Tell us about your trip to the Unites States.
It was wonderful. Of course when you go out, and you are appreciated like away from your home it just makes you feel accomplished. I was a little overwhelmed with the responses I got from people over there in the United States and how much support they showed, so, I can only thank God for the love and oneness that we share in Nigeria.
We understand you did collaboration with a foreign act, who was it, the title of the song, and why you chose him?
Well, the title of the song is Born Leader; we worked with Movado because we wanted somebody that was from the dance hall area yes, that was YSG wanted. They wanted somebody who commands street respect. They wanted a real leader, not just a commercial singer. A real leader who has a story to tell. So with me coming from here with my storyline, and own story merged together we killed the song.
What does it take to be a good rapper?
Self knowledge, like knowing yourself. Environmental awareness know your environment, knowing what is obtainable as at what moment. What’s hot, and what is not. Everything is just basically knowing your environment, and things that happens around you, how to use them re-interpret whatever you have in your head to suit the audience, or the person listening. What makes you a good rapper or artiste is mastering yourself, mastering your environment, so as to know how to use your content to touch their minds of those listening to you.
Can one be a successful, become a good rapper without being educated?
Well there are a whole lot of rappers, in the world who well it depends on what you call education. (Cuts in) I mean formal education. Like going to school, getting a degree, right? Its not necessarily.
So what level of education is perhaps needed for one to excel as a rapper?
Well, in school I did a study of traditional philosophy. There are scholars in ancient African cities or township and communities who are known as the sage, the wise people, they never went to school but they share the same school of thought. The likes of Socrates and Plato, a lot of people who were schooled, shared the same thought with this people who are apparently ‘illiterate’ in quote, and on quote. If I studied that and I know for sure or for a certainty that you don’t necessarily need to have a PhD to be a good rapper as long as you have a story to tell, and you know how to convey your message to the people. Let’s think about it how many musicians are actually educated as well. Somebody who is not educated might be a felt by a larger number of people, while someone who is educated and will have a few, so everything eventually is God’s plan for us. You don’t have to be formally educated to be a good rapper. It is necessary to have your basic education for yourself, but not because you think it will make you excel as a rapper.
How did you come about your stage name Vector?
Minus all the pre-watching one or two things and learning about Vectors. I was in Physics class actually where they try to let you know what you encounter when you went to do science, and you know the moment my teacher, I think his name was Mr. Eniola, mentioned Vectors it just stock to my head. As quantity erection and magnitude I just thought the magnitude that has got to be the force. Erection, you’re heading somewhere. I just wanted my life to be defined that way, laughs.
We understand you started music at a very tender age, did you ever think you are going to grow this big doing music?
I don’t mean to sound in anyway cocky, but I don’t think this is it at all. Judging by what I think I want to go to, or where I think I should be, I don’t think, this is the big. I have always hoped to grow and grow real big and like past interviews that I have had, I can remember someone asking me a question and I said, I would rather grow, than blow. And I think that statement has stocked to me. I have been growing and I think the growth never stops so I have always hoped to be this and more over just being this. May be it was not a knowledge; it was a hope, and a prayer that is coming through right now.
Tell us about your educational background.
Minus the regular primary school, which I had at Command Children School I attended, I attended Ijebu Ode Grammar School, Government College, Victoria Island where I had my secondary education. I Did a diploma programme in Philosophy at UNILAG, then to direct entry and finished another Bachelor Degree in Philosophy still at UNILAG.
Would you say your educational background has affected your career?
Well, if you have to do a chain link to everything then you can say yes, because whatever thing I have learnt in school, I must have learnt something new that has thought me stuffs that I have done in music that would have made me do my music in different ways from the people who learnt other things. I would just say education has helped with what I have become so far and who I am right now. It has really helped I won’t lie.
Did you family support your dream?
Of course. They call me Vector the viper in the house.
Apart from your album, what should be expected from you soon?
I just dropped a mixed tape recently titled BARRIE that received a warm welcoming from the people. Rated as one of the best mix-tapes ever dropped in Nigeria. After that is the album, and after the album of course we are definitely going to be doing a whole lot of tours, gists, shows, just to make sure everything is on point. I look forward to a huge rap concert when we just have rappers. And no over-inflated-ticket prices. Just for people to come in and get entertained by rappers.
Rap has not been generally accepted in Nigeria, how have you been able to break even?
Well bros, the truth in itself, has not been generally acceptable by everybody. As a matter of fact, the truth in itself is generally ignored by a whole lot of people, including us. So if rap is going through that space, I think it is just a natural thing that we shouldn’t really be too dramatic about. Of course the people need to grow. Rap is not something that has always really existed in Nigeria. If you want to go by the whole definition of what rap is, rhymes, the kings had their own ewi in Yoruba and that’s how they use rap to themselves to make them feel good. Yes, that was rap, but that was apparently what it was. It was not on this level of so much intelligence, and so much global acceptability. So with Nigeria it is growing. I mean the follower of rap right now is most impressive compared to previous years. So it can only keep getting better.
Would you say that was how you broke even, I mean the growth of rap acceptance?
Me, I don’t believe in personal view as the only way. If I am doing what I want to do, I want to listen to what’s going on I want to listen to what people are saying and what people feel about what am doing, to help me not necessarily dilute but improve and transform into something that would be suitable for me and every other party that is involved. At the end of the day, I place everything in equilibrium.
NB: First published May 2013