Music act, Slam will drop his highly-anticipated single, Nice and Sweet, on his birthday, Thursday, May 26, 2016. The single is coming on his label, Slam Entertainment (S’Ent) in partnership with Disrupt DNA.
Slam was one of the RnB artistes signed under Kennis Music label and was known for his exceptional vocals and amazing ballads. A gifted singer, song writer and music producer, his latest single has received a lot of accolades from some of the biggest names in the music business in the country. Music critics have described Nice and Sweet as highly intriguing. This rhythmically delivered sound pierces through the heart and soul of any music lover, leaving him or her mesmerized and in a feel-good dance mood. The Ibu Chineke act tells us more in the interview below. Excerpts…
How did you get the name Slam?
After every performance, I would always get accolades and remarks like that was slamming, you slammed it and much more. So, the name Slam evolved from there.
What inspired your genre of music?
The reaction it had on me and the people around me. A nicely delivered RnB from Joe or Jodeci would just usher you into a whole new world of full liberation, love, joy and happiness.
Who are your role models?
Everyone inspirational to my growth. Those that showed me love- they taught me tenderness; those that hated me- they taught me caution; those that were indifferent- they taught me God’s reliance.
What is your assessment of the current crop of artistes?
The new artistes are very intelligent with a yearning to be at par with their international counterparts. They have basically given the people what they want and that is good music for the soul. Whether it is good beats, melodious songs or choruses, they have managed to get diverse corporate organisations to provide them with huge funds to sell their products or brands, either through promotions or endorsements. There is nothing a brand likes than attracting a huge audience and followership.
How will you rate the music industry?
The industry is growing in numbers, but declining in development. What I mean is that the industry is growing with an influx of musicians with little or no content, therefore the staying power of produced songs is getting shorter and shorter by the year. This is easily seen in the recent releases from even our so called A-list artistes who churn out songs that don’t even last up to 3 months before it becomes stale and then the general public moves on to the next. The quest for huge commercial value is also a great contributor to the low content of the songs and this in turn results in the declining development of the industry. There are a lot of other things wrong with the industry and I would not sit on any side of the divide, but would rather bring it to the fore by sharing my opinion. 1. There are no record companies; only independent record labels where the artiste is the all-and-all in the whole music process. By process, I mean writing, payment for recording, promotion and advertising, public relations, distribution and lots more. All these are functions of a record company. 2. Record companies cannot thrive for now until basic infrastructures are put in place that would allow for easy penetration into non-urban regions and mitigate the impact of piracy. 3. The online medium which is supposed to address No. 2. is not really tapped into here in the Nigeria considering the rate of illiteracy and fear of operating in the digital world. Tell me, have you ever bought a song from an online site? The telecoms have noticed a gap in this market and are milking from this. 4. We don’t have respected awards anymore, that is why we clamour for foreign awards and think that we have achieved global relevance when we manage to get recognition at these awards. This is slowly worsening the state of the industry, but we don’t know. We should be proud of our own.
5. The infrastructure or world-class venues with all the necessary stage effects to host a proper music event is not available with all the money PMAN , COSON, MSCN have taken from the industry. It’s a shame because the National Theatre which is supposed to be the hub for entertainment is used for all sorts of funny activities that don’t propagate the entertainment industry. Today, South Africa and even Ghana boast of better structures and frameworks in terms of their music industry while we are just capitailising on the our large population and wonderful beats. Please, I would like to stop before I let my emotions get the better part of me.
Did you get a Master’s degree because one artiste was always boasting about being the only MC with an M.Sc?
Oh, not at all. I actually come from a family that holds education in very high esteem. As you can see, I had my First School Leaving Certificate from Our Lady of Apostles in Sabo Yaba; SSCE, FGC Wukari in Taraba State; B-ENG: FUTO; MSC: Northwest University London; 4years PR experience, 2 years integrated marketing communications experience, with a top multinational…
Did you keep an eye on the industry while you were away?
Of course, I did. Everything I envisaged the industry would be, I saw it unfold before my eyes and I wanted to be part of it. Don’t wanna be like Moses who led his people and didn’t make it into the promised land. I saw the likes of Nice, DBanj, Don Jazzy, who gave the industry a whole new look; bringing freshness, swag and finesse into the game. I would say they broke the monopolistic nature the industry had and now you have few records labels with strong management. I also started seeing the integration of Nollywood, music industry and brands working together and it made me so very happy.
What should your fans be expecting from you now that you are back on the scene?
First of all, I want to say that I really have loyal fans and they have kept their loyalty and I truly appreciate them all. So, wherever and whoever you are listening to my sound, you share a part of my world because music is my world. It’s been years since I dropped an album. So, I would be dropping my album next year and move into other areas of my life that I need to satisfy. I just released a single titled Sweeter (Lover’s Rock), featuring Reggae maestro, Rymzo. I have another single to drop in October titled Designer, strictly a club banger and these songs cater for two different segments; the mature minds and the club heads.
Your song, Ibu Chineke still remains evergreen a decade after. Did you know it was going to be this big when you recorded the song?
Apparently, no! I never knew it would get that big, but I always thank God for it. I remember looking for the right words, melody, sound. I also recall at the time, Paul Play and I fell apart and I was alone struggling with my passion. I thought Paging You would be the track, but God had his own plans. I want to thank Kennis Music for the love and support (financial, emotional). Please allow me to say a big thank you to Uzodimma Okpechi, director/ cinematographer, George Nathaniel, music producer who also worked with PSquare on their Double Trouble album, Phyno, JMartins and lots more. Foster Zeeno and Dan Jiggy, for the mixing and mastering work. And most especially my fans!
You started your career with a group; will your fans get a collabo between you and Paul Play?
Right now, I cannot say, but I’m sure I have heard this question over a zillion times. All I know for now is that I am working on my last album. If our fans want a collabo from us, I’m sure we would work something out.
How do you juggle your official duties and doing music?
Hmmm! That is a tough one. I guess I’m just glad I have a supportive boss.
What’s the difference between Udoka Oguamanam and Slam?
Like a Gemini, I have two personalities: Udoka Oguamanam- one very serious-minded individual who likes to study, result-driven, dedicated and full of enthusiasm, but Slam is just a happy guy.