Ayo Animashaun may be young, but he has been around for a long time. Constantly re-inventing himself and his business, he started out publishing Hip Hop World magazine. And along the line added Hip Hop World Awards (now re-christened The Headies). Then, Hip TV. Very versed and respected in the music world, YES INTERNATIONAL! Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, AZUH ARINZE, spent the afternoon of Monday, July 21, 2014 with him in his office, on Ogundana Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. And for nearly two hours, both of them examined issues pertaining to his business, family and life. Enjoy…
What are the new things happening in your life and also in the life of your business?
I heard that it’s not the number of things you do; it’s how well you do the things you are known for or that you do that matters. So, it’s to make the projects I’ve started sustainable and to make them grow bigger and better than what they are now and that way, we have to keep re-inventing, we have to keep working hard. That’s it!
You started out publishing Hip Hop World magazine, along the line you added The Headies Awards and now Hip TV. What keeps giving rise to these things?
I think when the magazine started; there was no plan for the awards. It wasn’t as if okay, I told myself, let me start a magazine first, then I will do awards, then after awards, I will do TV. It was as we went on that new things came and I found new challenges in those things and I thought we could actually contribute something. So, first, the magazine. But the awards didn’t start until 11 years after the magazine. Before it, there were other major awards organizers in the country. But we had something to contribute. We thought there was a way we could augment what they did at that time and of course, the magazine was Hip Hop World. We felt we should try to reward a new generation of artistes, urban contemporary artistes, hip hop, R and B artistes; focus on that and just narrow it down a little bit, and that was what we did. Now, when we did that for the first year and the second, by the third year, we found a need to put the content on TV. We had so much to express that there was no platform that will give us enough air time to express what we wanted to express, be doing what we wanted to do and all that. Then again, I saw what was on TV, entertainment-wise; a lot of music video programmes. Again, we felt we could do something a little bit different rather than just showing only videos, interviews. We could bring a lot of behind the scene stuff that wasn’t on TV that time. So, we decided to bring the magazine on TV and it was a break from the norm. We brought in a lot of columns in the magazine and transformed them to television segments. There was I Thought You Knew in the magazine, Lyrics To Know in the magazine, Next Rated in the magazine; that actually also became a category at the awards. So, we just brought the magazine into motion on TV and then it was an experiment, because I remember a couple of friends I told. People bought into it. That was June 2007. So, it’s been a very, very interesting journey, full of adventures. But some of those products at that time, there was no any indication or logic that told us it was going to work.
So, what gave you the confidence to forge ahead all the same?
Sheer belief and guts. Hard work, focus and of course, I always tell people about learning the craft. You don’t dabble into what you don’t know and if it is what you wanna do, the first thing is that you’ve got to have a lot of passion; passion is what makes you want to read when others are sleeping and you are feeling sleepy. But you just want to read. And you will enjoy it. So, sleep will not even come. Passion is what will take you out when you are already tired. When you are broke and would rather stay at home, passion is what will make you trek to an event. So, it was just sheer guts. There was no money, there was no contract, there was nothing. I remember when we started the awards and we got our billboards and we said get ready for a revolution. We didn’t have an idea about how we were going to do that awards; we didn’t have a dime. Not even N50,000! But we were able to later raise a lot of money; millions. Because some people just saw through us and they thought okay, these guys could do it because of what they’ve said and the knowledge they’ve displayed in this field. We think they can do it.
What distinguishes the things you do from what other people who are also in your line of business do?
Well, I think for me, I can tell you a million differences in what we do. But the ones out there that people are noticing, that they are seeing will probably be different. TV, for example: if you check the bouquet, from 320 to 329 or so, on that platform, DSTV, we are the only one you will find the news every day. We are the only one you will find lyrics, like four times a day. We are the only one you will find exclusive interviews regularly. We have 30 different programmes that are all produced in-house. I don’t think the closest person has 5 programmes produced in-house. So, we work ten times more to deliver contents of Nigerian and African artistes here. Also, we’ve been to events around the world that out of 76 journalists from across Africa, and 40 on TV, we were the only one from Africa. Not once, not twice. January, we were at The Grammys. We got all the accreditations to be at The Grammys. We were at the carpet, we were everywhere. Also, we were at the World Cup. We got the accreditation to be at the World Cup to cover life styles, apart from the World Cup. So, we have access to everything and anything we want to do. I think I will actually lay emphasis to the channel catching on so quickly – it’s only 8 months old and by the 3rd month, we’ve defined our content. We did a lot of timeless events for celebrities. Events that you don’t always find on TV; like weddings and all that of superstars. One of the weddings was even live. Then, we’ve done a couple of other live events. Right now, we can produce any live show.
What made Hip Hop World magazine, your first baby, irregular?
Em…what made it irregular? When we started Hip Hop World magazine; of course, there was nothing like Hip Hop World magazine. So, it was different. Before the magazine, there were song books. I also produced song books before the magazine. I think it was the expression of my inner self. The closest magazines that you could compare at that time were the foreign ones like The Source magazine. Right On and Black Beats were more popular here. So, we took elements of Right On and Black Beats, from and Source and Vibe magazines, created our own magazine that was meant to be local. But because at that time there was so much influence of the western music; we had a lot of them. The first cover of Hip Hop World magazine was Michael Jackson that was on it. The second one was Montell Jordan. Then, the third one –MC Lyte. The fourth one, Tu Pac. It went on like that. Then, we had this small space that we put our own local artistes. Even though we had pages for Nigerian artistes and everything, the foreign artistes took the limelight and they covered the magazine. But over the years, things changed. I was under the tutorship of some people who actually were there many years before me to help us circulate the magazine. I’m talking about the people then who were at Fame magazine – Kunle Bakare and FAJ and even Bob Dee. So, even though I didn’t know anybody to see, I didn’t know how to circulate the magazine across the country, I rode on their expertise and knowledge to circulate the magazine around the country. I also learnt how to do many things. Also, I was lucky to have a lot of interviews in newspapers, in other magazines. And so that gave me a head start into the mainstream media. So, the magazine went on and on. Of course, the artistes were available for me to interview. The other artistes, I was either introduced to them by my friends at that time or by the guys who actually really helped me with contacts. The likes of Bob Dee, the likes of KB. Both of them actually helped me.
What do you like most about what you are doing?
You see, I like what I’m doing from top to bottom. But I can also tell you what I don’t like. What I like? I like the fact that I’m able to express myself and we are able to actually really influence a lot of artistes’ careers positively. I like the fact that you conceive an idea and the next day, you see it on TV, across the continent, in 44 countries. So, it doesn’t look like work to me. It looks like chore to me. I don’t feel I’m at work. I can also tell you what I don’t like…
Please, do…
The thing I don’t like is the manpower part in Nigeria. It is not all the time that they are able to perfectly interpret what is on your head, because for every one person that can do the job, there are ten other people that can’t do the job and they are claiming to be superstars. I’ve been very, very lucky and that’s because I have a team that is also really determined to make it work. But the point is, there’s a huge manpower problem in the country.
What is the greatest lesson that you have learnt about artistes in the course of dealing with them?
Hmmm! The greatest lesson is very shocking – that you do not underestimate anybody; any artiste can blow up. The least of talent. Talent is not so important; it’s over-rated. Anyone, with the right machinery behind them, can blow up and any artiste no matter how big, if things go wrong, can just come down.
Who is the best artiste that you have dealt with?
They are so many…
We know that they are so many, but we want just one person.
2 Face
Why 2 Face?
Ah! I don’t know whether he will like me to tell the story. People who probably met 2Face 7,6,5 years ago will agree that nothing has changed about 2Face. Fame has not changed him. A couple of years back, some artistes had a show. These artistes were not Lagos-based artistes. They came to Lagos for the show and they were busy with women upstairs in their rooms and they didn’t come down for the show. 2Face is just different. Even when he doesn’t wanna do it, he still shows up to tell you that bros, I don’t wanna do it because I’m very busy. The guy is very, very humble and he’s very, very focused and he’s extremely hardworking and very selfless. But it will be unfair if I mention 2Face alone. There are other artistes. It’s probably because 2Face is just exceptional. He’s full of talent, he comes correct, he takes his craft and everything seriously…
Some people go into business and they are not able to sustain to it. What has kept you going?
I think, one, the fact that I always want to learn, I’m always open to learning, I always learn from my mistakes. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Two, for you to be able to sustain a brand, you have to watch your overhead. If you make N10, don’t spend N25. There were times that it didn’t work, there were times I didn’t think I could continue. Of course, I’ve burnt bridges behind me, so there’s no turning back. It was either I did it or I just perished. And I chose to do it. I chose to try. I always try. So, I will say one, the passion; two… No! I will put God first, I will put passion next because somehow, and in some way, God has helped me to keep re-defining the business and myself and re-inventing some of the things that we’ve done or that I’ve been involved with. Early enough, when this started, I learnt that when I have N10, I don’t spend N25.
What is the costliest mistake that any businessman can make?
Costliest mistake that most business people make? To go into a field that you don’t have a clue about. So, you ride on secondary opinion for everything and that may not be genuine. To go into what you do not know anything about can cost you the entire business.
What is the toughest battle that you have fought since you started this business and how were you able to surmount it?
Manpower! A couple of weeks back, I was forced to ask a chartered accountant to resign. He couldn’t even put books together, he couldn’t even do simple book keeping. In fact, people actually said they were going to challenge his certificate, but I said there is no need. Guys come here to do interviews; graduates of English. They can’t even write letters. Manpower is just so terrible. Each day I talk about it, it’s like I’m just knowing for the first time. How do you now employ? Somebody was telling me, I’m a graduate of Ife, 2:1 student and she couldn’t even spell some words. I mean, I don’t know. It’s just manpower. As a boss, how many things do you do yourself? You train people, you’ve empowered them, they went to school, you’ve given them the things they need to do, you train them on the job, yet they still can’t deliver. And some, they just wanna get paid. They come, they have what salary they w ant to earn, but not what they want to offer. So, I think it’s a big problem for entrepreneurs and businessmen in the country.
What’s your dream for Smooth Promotions?
I’m always quiet with the things I want to do. I like to deliver babies, not announce pregnancies. But definitely, the dream is very huge. We’ve not arrived, we have not arrived, but we want to make it big and build on the success that we already have.
Your company, Smooth Promotions, has been growing in leaps and in bounds. What is your staff strength currently?
We are 65. We have 65 staff working here.
Already, you have interviewed a lot of stars. Who do you still want to interview that has been eluding you?
Hmmm! I will like to spend a day with Will Smith.
Why Will Smith?
Because I’ve followed the guy since he was The Fresh Prince of Bell Air. I’ve followed his career from TV, to being an artiste, then back to movies. Then, being a pair, a dad. He’s been able to turn his kids – Jaden and Will – to superstars. The kids are growing and they are turning out to be controversial in not so good areas. I will like to get into his head. When he had those kids and he was talking about them, I saw his dreams and his plans for them and those things came to life. But there’s also the gray areas. He’s so massive in what he does that I just wanna get into his head.
Talking about family, how much of a family man is Ayo? Tell us about your family…
Okay, I have one wife – Bisola Animashaun and three kids – Tomiwa, Zara and Iman. Tomiwa is 12, Zara is 81/2 and Iman. This morning, I came to work a little bit late because I needed to have a meeting with my kids. I spent 2 hours having the meeting with them. I believe that kids are like an empty cup. And it’s what you fill in there that you are gonna get. So, I spend a lot of time with my kids. My kids are my friends. I’m always at work. So, they will be the ones to come when they are from school or when they are on holidays; they come to my office. Then, my wife finds time from her own business to come to my office too and we spend sometime together, especially weekends.
Away from work, what keeps you busy?
It’s still work. These days, when I’m not here, I’m just with my family. Away from work, it’s family for me. It’s family, family and family. I travel; I travel a lot. But even when I travel, 90 percent of the time, it’s work. I like to travel, I like to also read. I struggle with reading a lot because there’s no much time. Now, you struggle for 2 weeks to make sure you can finish a book. I like to read a lot.
Which book has impacted you the most, out of all the books that you have read so far?
Whaaaooh! Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. Good To Great, by Jim Collins is also good. And now, Great By Choice. It’s also by Jim Collins. I want to get the audio version now because I’ve not been able to sit down to read it.
What is the nicest thing about being the CEO of your own company?
It’s that if you are a good guy, you will be able to impact a generation positively. It’s not about how much money you make. No! The impact. That’s success to me. How you are able to impact the next generation. There were things that I saw when I was growing up with people that I was so disappointed with and I told myself that if God gives me the chance and I have the opportunity and I am in this kind of position, it’s gonna be a totally different ball game. So, seeing people that actually passed through you succeed, impacting people around you to be a success, leading by example…
Business-wise, who and who have you picked a thing or two from that has helped you?
I don’t think I’m a good businessman. I think my passion for the job and the knowledge of what I do out-weigh my performance as a businessman. I think if I had a partner that’s a businessman, a better businessman, a good businessman, I will be ten times more successful than I am. Because there are some decisions I will want to take, but the passion side of the business will say no, Ayo. No, no, no! You can’t do this for so, so and so reason. Which is the next level of my growth – to learn to be a businessman to support what I do and not just continue in my own mumu way (Laughter) to do the mumu things.
Years back when you plunged into business, what gave you the audacity to do that?
Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. Whatever a mind can conceive, a mind can achieve. That is it! And I read that book very well and I’ve read it again and I still have it. I even have a new one. I also read a couple of other books. I learnt something – everything I was doing that seemed stupid to everybody, when I went back to the book, the book told me that that was the feeling I was going to get if I was doing something right and it actually really helped to shape my courage. But something was telling me that look; you are on the right path. Two people told me they liked the spirit and everything. But when they told me, I already knew that was the right thing because one told me I was on the right path. So, it was the book that gave me like a foundation.
It’s obvious that God has been nice to you, what more do you want from Him?
Oliver Twist! But only one thing o – good health, to be able to deliver the promise of tomorrow that I carry and that I so much believe in. There are some things you are not in control of. You see people just standing and they go for check up, for headache and they tell them they have cancer. I’ve seen very good business people like that. See Steve Jobs of Apple. He wasn’t in control of his health. And there was nothing he could do about it. Somebody develops kidney or heart problem now, you can’t be in control of that. You can be in control of your shares in the market and do all the strategies and all that. What about your health? You can drive a bullet proof car, but you can have a heart attack or you can have cancer in the bullet proof car that the bullet proof car will not be able to protect. So, there are things that you just pray to God that God, look o; all these things, I give dem back to You! So, it’s sound health, long life and obviously sound health for my family. It’s just about me and the three little creatures God has given me and their mummy.
Let’s talk about your saddest and happiest days…
My saddest day was April 20, 1988. That was the day I lost my dad, Alhaji S.K. Animashaun. He was my best friend. Happiest day? I don’t know, I don’t know. So many good moments. So many!
NB: First published October 2014