From his first single ‘Filebe’, one would know that Oluwajuwonlo James Iledara better known as Jaywon has lots for attention in the Nigerian music industry; he has proved that he understands the music game properly, dishing out mind-blowing songs and breath-taking videos; no wonder his song ‘ Odun yi remains an ever green song. The Kogi state born super star has all reasons to be happy as he has scaled through past struggle days to a well-bred artiste. In this exclusive chat with MUTIAT ALLI, Oba Orin as he is sometimes called spoke about his musical career, his anger on Senator Dino Melaye, take on domestic violence and why the industry needs to pay attention to songs details.
Enjoy:
Career wise, how will you describe your first quarter of the year?
For me I will say, the first quarter has been one of the best for Jaywon career wise as one of the song off my last released album ‘ Banuso’ has gained so much love and acceptance from the people. For me I feel that is one of the biggest song from the Oba Orin album. I consider myself lucky to have been blessed with such a song once again.
What more should your fans expect from you before the end of the year?
A lot more is still coming from my stable as I just realized that I have not really put in much work this year; I only have song released this year aside from videos releases from last album. My fans should keep their fingers crossed as myself and management team has concluded that we will be releasing three different song before the end of the year and will feature one of the major artiste in the industry.
With all the talks about your past record label ‘Kennis Music’; what are the things you learnt?
For the record, I can authoritatively say that everything am doing right now, I learnt it from Kennis Music; I have never denied the fact that Kennis Music was more of a school for me where I went to gather knowledge and all that have I learnt is what am using to push forward my own record label.
As a record CEO and an artiste; what insight did you bring into managing your own crew apart from when you are just an artiste?
As a record label CEO, I strongly believe in putting up the right structure not just for me as the CEO of the label but for artistes that will be coming on board of the platform. A lot of effort has been put into making me a better person and as the trend changes we follow suit. I try as much as possible to learn new things as well as sink with the current vibe and the management of today. As an artiste, I don’t joke with learning new ideas, I don’t care who am learning it from as long as it will increase my knowledge positively; I am fine with it.
Despite your supposed rancor with Kennis Music, do you still have workable relationship with the label?
Like the popular saying, all things are passed away; I still maintain a workable relationship with my former label and every other artistes. I still had an interview recently on their radio show and aside that Joel is my brother and I can’t say because am no longer a member of the label, I can’t have a workable relationship with him. A lot of people are usually marveled when they see us together; for me we are still one big family and we are in the same industry. At the end of the day we are doing all these things to have a life to take care of a future, it’s not a do or die affair. Life continues.
Which song in recent time have you listened to on radio/club and you wish you are the one who did the song?
That’s been a while I hear a sound like that, I feel the industry right now is lacking creativity, people are paying more attention to records that will do quick and not record that will last longer, people just want to make a hit record these days and nobody is actually thinking of making music that will stand a test of time; nobody is taking time to make music that will inspire people more. Probably I will say I am feeling the songs of few artistes like Simi, Timi Dakolo and a host of other.
Your song Odun Yi is arguably one of the biggest song of all time and evergreen; do you think you can still make a song that will surpass that?
For me the way music is, I don’t compete in anyway, I just go to the studio and make record, is just always good for you to take your time, make good record push and at the end of the day you will make one of the biggest song. If I tell you how I recorded this year, I was non-challant and unserious that day at the studio. For me God almighty is the only Hit maker.
With the trend of musicians now wanting to take up political office and Kcee announcing his intention for governorship; do you think it is right?
For me nothing is wrong in Kcee or any entertainer wanting to run for political office; for me as long you have what it takes to run and you show how credible that you are, people will definitely vote you. The fact that the constitution was amended and gives a lot of people room to run so the first set of people to run should be careful because of the future of the young ones coming behind them. For me as entertainer, I love my people in Kogi state and I am passionate about the youths there that’s is why I have promised myself that I will support all the younger generation of entertainers coming out from Kogi state.
Are you in touch with any of the political heavy weight so to speak in your state?
Am in touch with the present governor, if you know me you will know am a follower of senator Smart Adeyemi, he is like a godfather to me. My governor, Yahya Bello is doing his best to transform the state even though the state is faced with so many challenges and he is a great supporter of talents from the state.
That mean you are not likely to be a fan or supporter of the colorful Dino Melaye?
I would love to be his fan but when you ignore your people and start to see the social media as your house when you have a lot to do. A lot is going on in Kogi state, we need people that will see people’s problem, not the type of leader that just want to be popular on social media, we need a strong leader in Kogi state, we have more problem in Kogi state than any other state except we want to deceive ourselves and I just pity the younger generations that follows him. This people only cares about themselves we need someone that will care about us, we need someone that will stand for us. When some someone asks me why am I talking like this about Dino, I will talk like this because he is my senator, he is the one representing my constituency, everything that he is doing might be funny to the whole world but it’s not funny to me because he is my senator, that is someone who is supposed to represent me and the entire youth of Kogi state, he need to do the work that he voted for.
With the recent argument of entertainers on the supposed plan of Federal Government to ban entertainers from shooting outside country; what is your own take on this?
For me I see it as a slip of tongue which he has corrected himself; If Americans can come to Nigeria to shoot musical videos and film clips; are we now saying that Nigeria is now too big that we cannot shoot outside the country. One irony about this country is that we still celebrate people who shoots their work outside the country than those of us who shoots here in Nigeria. If the present government is looking for a way to contribute to the entertainment industry; they should politely and not coming with laws that won’t work.
These days, the industry has witnessed lots of clap-back amongst artistes; will you clap-back at any of your colleague who put a shot at your squad?
If the person is right, there are some things people will say about you that you will know its true. I feel like you can never ridicule the hand that once fed you in public, is like you discouraging people investing in your target, you can’t go out there to go and ridicule the hand that once gave you food. People don’t get it right they get carried away easily, and when you get carried away, you forget that the position you are today, there are lot of people out there praying to have what you have. Sometimes you just have to be wise and be very careful. So if you clap back at me and I feel the shot was right; there is no point responding to you unless it is otherwise where I know you are lying to gain cheap popularity; I will surely respond.
On issue of domestic violence; Omotola Jalade-Ekiende is of the opinion that violators should get death penalty, will you subscribe to that too?
How can you kill a person because of domestic violence, is not right, but the thing is both parties need to carry blame. The society this days clamor against domestic amongst women while a lot of people forget that there are cases where the woman abuse the man too. But the honest truth is any man that raise his hand to beat a woman is a weak man, so to say an animal, why will lay your hands on someone that you know can never fight you it doesn’t make any sense but truth be told, some people cannot control their anger, have never tried it before and maybe is because I can control myself. For instance a woman has slapped me before and all I did was to look for my car key and I drove off to chill.
You are a proud father; what has been a father taken away from you?
It has not really taken so much from me but one fact is that it has make me more responsible because I don’t want to appear as a bad father to my son. I want to live for him at all time. Being a father has really helped me in cutting off so many excesses.
So when will you be settling down properly with your woman?
Only God has that timing but when the right time comes; I will definitely invite you all over.
If not music, what else will you have engage in?
If I had not done music; I would have been in the Yoruba movie industry as a multi-tasking person who does acting, directing and production. And also I will have given my brother Odunlade Adekola problem because he won’t be as popular as he is now (Laugh)
Your favorite quote from the bible?
A man’s gift will make a large opening for him and it will lead him before great men
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