I left Ajegunle because my life was in danger -Daddy Fresh

Innocent Michael Onyebuchi aka Daddy Fresh was a member of the defunct music group, ‘De Pretty Busy Boys’ that held sway in the 90’s, comprising renowned artistes like: Daddy Fresh, Daddy Showkey, Cashman Davies and Sexy Pretty.

Daddy Fresh spoke to ORJI ONYEKWERE about his career and the Nigerian music industry.

Are you still in the creative industry?

I only created the music sector but now I am on my own and my platform is doing great. It’s called Entertainment Gurus Plus. It has to do with the gurus in the entertainment industry and other sectors outside the entertainment sector.

Can you tell us how far you have gone with this platform and some of the people that are part of it?

We have the greatest of the greats in the entertainment industry and other gurus in other fields. The platform was created to bridge the gap between the old and the new. It’s also an avenue for the heroes past who are still alive but because of the economic situation and the way the industry is, are almost giving up. We bring them all together to give them hope.

Moreover, we need their expertise, experience and advice to merge with ours and the new generation so that we can proffer solutions and bridge the gap in the industry because things are one-sided. I can say that the founding fathers and mothers of the industry have been left behind, due to lack of proper structure. So, we all have to come together, exchange ideas and see what we can do so that we don’t depend so much on PMAN that is having issues.

As a matter of fact, many ex-presidents of PMAN on the Entertainment Plus Platform: Tony Okoroji, Tee Mac Iseli, Femi Lasode and lots of other industry greats are there. We have some SANs, great entertainment legends like Clem Ohameze, Emma Oguguo, Alex O, Mr. Cole, Stella Monye, Latoya Aduke, Ngozi Orji, Ngozi Nwosu and Muma Gee there as well.

Most musicians are usually forgotten when their genre of music is no longer in vogue and most of them find life after music difficult. How would this forum help to reassure musicians in this category that all hope is not lost?

These are some of the things we are trying to bring to the fore to make sure that everyone remains relevant in the industry, the old and new school. If you check, you will see there’s a huge appetite for old school music. We are trying to see what we can do together to bring it back to life in the area of concerts, awards, workshops and others just to put them in the faces of their fans.

The only serious challenge now is that some of them are not knowledgeable on the use of internet, so we have to bring them up to speed in that aspect. That’s where seminars and workshops come to play to educate and enlightening them and where they are not capable, we get people to assist since the record label are not coming forth because of the economic situation.

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There is online marketing, online trading and from there you can make ends meet. So, they should not be discouraged; and let me remind you that the hunger for the old school is enormous. This is one of the reasons we gave birth to Entertainment Gurus Plus, so as to have that synergy. Come together and share ideas and proffer solutions so that everyone can be a beneficial of this initiative.

This is what we intend to correct because the structure on ground is not what the artistes anticipated due to the whole PMAN saga. When we correct it, both the old and new will benefit because for now, everything is just one sided, as if there is a kind of clique or cabal and nobody is carried along. Because we have factions in PMAN, things will continue this way until we have one PMAN.

So, how do you intend to bridge the gap between the old and the new?

That’s what we are trying to do and the best way we can achieve this is to have a strong PMAN before you will be able to bring everyone together. Under a strong PMAN, we should stop criticising and fighting one another. What’s happening among these new breed is just self effort because some of them came from rich background. Most of them came from abroad where they have solid structure and that’s one of the things I believe they have working for them.

We need to come together, sit, sensitise one another and proffer workable solutions which will benefit both old and new in the industry. We can then move from there.

Why the break in your music career? You have been quiet for a long time?

I did not go on any break, I have been working underground both with the new and old artistes. Apart from that, I will soon drop a single. I never went on any break because music is a life time career.

But you have been off the scene for almost 20 years?

No. My last album was in 2012, aside that I have been dropping some singles. In 2015, I dropped a single which got to number one on every radio station across the country. I dropped some couple of singles after then also. I have about 137 songs mixed and mastered already and they will start dropping back to back. I have also won a couple of awards.

In 2012, I got 12 awards and got my degree in philosophy in the United States. Last year, I got five awards. In December, I also got another street award, Veterans Music Icon 2023, all these are due to my hard work. Within two years, I have gotten about 17 awards.

You and your group brought Ajegunle to the fore but since then, it seems no talent is coming out from Ajegunle again. What is the problem?

If we start talking about Ajegunle it will take us days. I will say I am the pioneer of the new Ajegunle music and I brought the likes of Daddy Showkey and others into the scene which is an undeniable fact. However, when something started going wrong diabolically, I stepped out of that zone because they were ready to kill themselves. But they can’t stop the shine.

In 2022 December, I got the honour due to me as the godfather of all Ajegunle entertainers. I have the award here; it was awarded in Ajegunle and I was given my due honour. I decided to remove my hands from anything Ajegunle and I don’t know if that’s the reason. When I was there, I sacrificed and made sure Ajegunle came to the mainstream of entertainment; I carried everyone along and nobody can deny that.

Unfortunately, they started this diabolical act that almost took my life and I have to give them space and leave them to do their thing but nobody is carrying anybody along. They refused to develop, they refused to grow and that’s why they have remained stagnant. Then, I was playing ahead of time and that’s why I was able to cut across and I still carried them along. My life is from God and nothing can happen to it. They also were shining alongside with me and I thought I was carrying them along but every one chose to be on their own. It’s still going on there and it’s just like Ajegunle music died a natural death.

What caused the break up in De Pretty Busy Boys group?

I happened to be the leader of the group and I can only speak for myself. The work rate for me in the group was too much. I was working like an elephant but eating like an ant, though I never complained. The same thing I perceived was coming diabolical and I have to save my head, that was why I left and went solo in 1993.

I came up with my album, ‘It’s my turn’ which got me some awards. I went solo, so I don’t know what happened and why the group did not continue. When I went solo, I still carried that boy along but what did I get in return, I have to run for my dear life because what you don’t know or believe, you don’t venture into it, just allow them to do what they know how to do and leave the rest to God.

Are you saying that as young men then there was this issue of diabolism among you?

Brother, it did not start today because many have gone but with time everything will be exposed and everybody will marvel. So many have gone but let’s leave the secret to God to expose.

But you know there’s no evidence to confirm that such a person is diabolical

That’s why I said, let God be the one to expose them and their secrets. I don’t like to start accusing anybody.

What is your impression about the music industry and the growth?

I am extremely happy because it makes the work rate a lot easier but there needs to be a solid structure to back them up because everybody is just doing things on their own.

A lot of people don’t know you are from Abia State. Just give us a little background of how you integrated into the Ajegunle culture

I was born in Ikoyi but grew up in Ajegunle. Music has been in me, my passion and my life. In Ajegunle, there is freedom to experiment and express oneself. There is space for you to learn and there are many music lovers out there to encourage you. As a passionate music practitioner finding yourself in such environment is a huge encouragement and I have to give it my all.

I went through thick and thin to make sure that the name Ajegunle came to the forefront. I sacrifice a lot and carried so many people along. My house then used to be like a church or mosque, for a lot of people from across the country. We still had our normal street shows which brought a lot of people to Ajegunle and people saw us through what we were doing. That’s how we all got started and attracted even people from your constituency, the media.

QUOTE:

The work rate for me in the group was too much. I was working like an elephant but eating like an ant, though I never complained. The same thing I perceived was coming diabolical and I have to save my head… that was why I left and went solo in 1993.