Aity Dennis drops new album *jets out for Houston tour

Gospel singer, Aity Dennis, has dropped a new album entitled Not Alone, a 13 tracker dedicated to pastors and ministers of the gospel on Monday, July 1.

The release which coincided with the International Ministers Conference holding in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital features tracks like Final Thank You, Not Alone, Your Battle Belongs to The Lord, Stand in the Midst of Your Dreams and Oruko among others.

Commenting on the new album, Aity said: “The CD is in appreciation of ministers of the gospel the world over who are laboring in The Lord’s vineyard. The idea is to minister to these ministers because he who waters also needs to be watered too.”

How Gov Fashola saved Traffic 96.1FM

If not for the timely intervention of Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, perhaps the popular Traffic 96.1FM, which monitors traffic across the ever-busy Lagos metropolis, would have lost its focus. Skoops gathered that barely three months after the establishment of the radio station, it became the beautiful bride of Lagosians and therefore every brand manager who knew his onions wanted to seize the moment by placing advertisement on the platform. A source disclosed: “The Traffic Radio became a huge success just a short while after it started broadcasting and brand managers began to eye it as a veritable platform to push their brands because its listener base ran into millions on a daily basis. It was sheer market economics at work! “A deluge of adverts bombarded the station and the climax was when business savvy brand managers brought cheques running into millions of naira, ready to buy off a large chunk of airtime. However, Governor Fashola got wind of the plans to commercialise the station and waded in.” The source continued: “Millions of naira had to be re-funded. Fashola would have none of it because he is fully aware of the implication of letting the platform go commercial. It would lose focus and deprive Lagosians the opportunity of getting up-to-date and in-depth traffic reports. And as far as the governor was concerned, what mattered most was the soul of the radio station, which is traffic monitoring and reporting and not money. So, he gave instructions that all monies that had been collected be re-funded with immediate effect and that singular act saved the day for Lagos motorists.” When next you’re driving on Lagos’ ever-busy roads and you tune in to Traffic 96.1FM for directions, don’t forget to thank Governor Fashola for keeping it real.

H-O-M-O-S-E-X-U-A-L-T-Y! Real reason Obama snubbed Nigeria

PRESIDENTS JONATHAN AND OBAMA

While Nigerians are still fuming over the recent snub of the country by American president, Barrack Obama, during his recent three-nation-tour of Africa, the second time in a couple of years, it has emerged that the real reason the president of the most powerful country in the world snubbed Nigeria was not unconnected with the country’s stand on homosexuality and same sex marriage.

According to a reliable source who spoke to Superbass on grounds of anonymity: “Forget the bullshit about corruption! Don’t we have corrupt politicians in South Africa or Tanzania or where ever he has visited? The real reason why Obama chose to snub Nigeria is because of Nigeria’s stand on homosexuality. Remember, Secretary Clinton had threatened sanctions against Nigeria during Obama’s first term after the homosexual community in Nigeria protested in Nigeria with a call for equal rights with straight couples.

“Remember, the country had reacted by prescribing 14 year jail term for offenders. Do you think it’s a coincidence that it was years later, when Obama was on his tour that the National Assembly chose to ratify the 14 years jail term into Law. The move was simply calculated by the National Assembly to let the Americans know that Nigeria cannot be intimidated; we will stand by our religious beliefs no matter what America does. It was in direct response to the American snub,” the source alleged.

“The Americans are playing a game. How can the president of the most powerful country in the world visit Africa and not acknowledge the most populous black nation in the world. 200 million people is not a joke; we remain America’s biggest market in Africa and the second largest economy after South Africa,” another source added.

Once considered a taboo, homosexuality has steadily been gaining popularity in the last 20 years. In recent times they have begun to emerge from behind the curtains. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Richard Quest and tennis star, Martina Navratilova are popular homosexuals who have come out of the closet. Only recently, France’s approval of gay marriages drew widespread protests in France as the first gay couple tied the knot in that country.

ALI BABA: Yes I’m a billionaire! 'My 10 principles of success'

Godfather of Nigerian comedy, Ali Baba, has shared the secrets of his success story with TS Weekend,

revealing how his wealthy dad rejected, abandoned and finally disowned him over his decision to pursue a career in comedy, a sharp contrast to his father’s plans for him.

The comedian disclosed that his father wanted him to be a lawyer and would stop at nothing to make his son one but his passion for comedy put both of them on collusion course. Things finally got so bad that he had to run away from home to Lagos, to actualize his dream.

And when Ali Baba finally hit Lagos, he sought and got sanctuary in an uncle’s home but was later kicked out from there. He recalls: “I came to Lagos to do comedy in 1999. Today, I am a billionaire and I have made people millionaires. It’s all about the passion. Once upon a time I chose to pursue a career in comedy, which was in contrast to my father’s dream for me. He wanted me to be a lawyer but I wanted to do comedy and I was passionate about it. Consequently, when he realized I wouldn’t budge, my dad rejected and abandoned me!” 


Parental opposition

Like every parent back in the day, his dad believed if the future godfather of comedy became a lawyer, he would be wealthy and be able to take care of his family. And so he insisted as early as possible and drummed it into his head that he must study Law.

“My dad felt that the best career for me was Law. I wanted to prove to him that comedy is better than Law. I am a graduate but I chose to pursue comedy because I had a dream. As soon as my dad realized that I was hell bent on pursuing comedy, he disowned me. In fact, he stopped sponsoring my education!”

However, Ali Baba was not discouraged. He picked up the pieces of his life and moved to Lagos armed with only the clothes on his back and a vision to excel. But the dream that his uncle would take him in evaporated like dew on a sunny morning when the man threw him out of his home. And so, young Ali Baba became a hippie as he was forced to move to the popular Lagos Bar Beach. The year was 1990.

Recalling those trying moments, the comedian states: “After I moved to Lagos, my uncle threw me out of his house. I moved to the Bar Beach where I lived for a very long while. At 
the beach, I met Lati Kekere who was nice to me. He is still my friend to this 
day. He gave me a tent to sleep and I paid him N5 per night. After a while, things started picking up and I went to my uncle’s place to take 
my things. My washman became my wardrobe; I left all my clothes with him. 
From there, I trekked to NTA every day. I was on Youth Scene, Youth Rendezvous 
and the Sunday Show. I was prepared, I wanted

opportunity.”

 

Information age

Ali Baba disclosed that one thing he discovered early in life was the importance of communication. Then, there were no mobile phones but pagers were the rave and he knew that if he had to succeed, he would need to have information at his fingertips and so he went for a pager. A while later, however, Bar Beach was overtaken by miscreants and he had to relocate. 
 

“I got a pager then,” he says, “there were no mobile phones so I was communicating with my clients on my pager. However, at a point, Bar Beach was no longer the peaceful haven it used to be. Lati had left and prostitutes, pimps and robbers were taking over so, I moved over to Yabatech. Every day, I trekked to NTA from Yabatech where I squatted with a friend. It was quite a distance but I had a dream that was bigger than the journey. I was committed to my dream. On the side, I made money doing stand-up comedy and by virtue of my pink forms at NTA, by 1998 I had earned over N50, 000.”

Gradually Ali saved up enough money and moved into a three bedroom rented apartment and before he knew it, he had started a revolution that would inspire the likes of Julius Agwu, Basket Mouth, Opa Williams, AY and TEE A among a host of others.

Rumours

Tales that still baffle the comedian to this day were newspapers reports that he was living on his ex-wife. He quips: “I find it so ridiculous. People kept saying that I was living off my wife but it was not true. Yes, she had money, earning as much as N2 million a month where she worked but I was making more money, earning as much as N2 million per show. I bought her an SUV and made sure she had everything she wanted. To this day, we are very good friends and I still pay her.

“Where you’re coming from has nothing to do with where you’re going. It is your sheer determination that will take you there. Identify the tools that you need. The only way you can make it is to be prepared so that when opportunity comes, you will be ready. If you’re not where the opportunity is because you don’t have information, you’re wasting your time. My dad taught me these lessons as far back as 1977.”

According to Ali Baba, though the country is going through some difficult times, it’s no excuse for youths to be lazy and laid back. Rather, they should look inwards and improve their lots by tapping into the unique talents God has bestowed on them.

“I did not need government to give me an enabling environment; I created my own. When I started doing stand-up comedy, some people laughed at me. I remember late Mohammed Danjuma told me comedy would never work. He would rather stick to his job as an MC. However, as time rolled by, corporate bodies would invite us for events. Danjuma would be the MC and pocket N50, 000 while I would go home with N200, 000 as a stand-up comedian. Within a short while, Danjuma realized that comedy was the way forward and before I could say Jackie Robinson, he was doing comedy as well. 

“I grew up in Ojo Cantonment, Lagos, but I had dreams and goals and what I was 
going through did not matter. It’s all about the passion. We want people to do things for us but what have you done for yourself? As I speak to you, I have a property worth N300 million for sale in Lekki and I have moved to Queens Drive, Ikoyi, into a house I bought with my own money. You too could achieve this if you believe in your dreams.”

For Ali Baba, to make it in life one needs education, information, communication, humility, hard work, experience of others and opportunity to excel. “Believe in yourself. You have to decide on charting a course. Your journey must achieve its purpose,” he says with passion. 


Best of friends

Today, Ali Baba and his dad are the best of friends. The comedian disclosed that it took 15 years for his father to forgive him. Relating the anecdote he said: “My father and I were not on talking terms for 15 
years. My decision to follow my heart was responsible for that. People will tell 
him, ‘your son, Ali Baba is always on TV. He is making a lot of money. Why don’t you forgive him? But he would reply, ‘Ali Baba is not my son. I have no child by that name.’ The time for reconciliation came in 2005. I bought him a Mercedes Benz SLK and took it to the village along with my friends. We moved in a convoy of cars. He was surprised when I told him, ‘dad, this is your car,’ and for the first time in 15 years, my dad finally recognized my success when he shouted, ‘Ali Baba! Ali Baba!’ That was my happiest moment.”

To the comedian, success goes beyond the individual. “If you are successful and you’re not touching lives, you’re a failure,” he says. “If you’re a millionaire and you’re not making millionaires, you’re a failure! AY has made more comedians than I have made. The same thing goes for Basket Mouth and they all stayed with me once upon a time.”

My success principles


Ali Baba goes on to reveal the 10 principles that a person must stick to, to achieve success. Hear him: “What I am about to reveal to you are the secrets of my success which my dad taught me in 1977. Corporate bodies pay me millions to share these secrets with their staff. Number one is that your career must provide shelter for you. Two, your

career must put food on your table. Three, your career must give you fame, respect, dignity and appreciation. Four, your career must maintain your life style. Five, your career must make you charitable. Six, your career must give you good health. Seven, your career must give you job satisfaction. Eight, your career must match your personality. Nine, your career must take care of your future. And ten, your career must make you make heaven.”

Brymo to Chocolate City ‘We will see in court’

Ashimi Olawale popularly known as Brymo came on the music scene in 2007 when he dropped his debut album, Brymstone. The 27-year-old son of a carpenter father and petty trader mother grew up in Okokomaiko, a suburb of Lagos.

His music career began in 2002 when he and a couple of friends formed a band they christened ‘Aliens’. However, they later broke up and Brymo kick-started his solo career, recording his first single in 2005. In 2010, he hooked up with Chocolate City and got a face following the success of Ice Prince’s Oleku.

In this interview with TS Weekend, Brymo opens up on his childhood, music and current crisis with Chocolate City. Excerpts:

How did you come into music?

I started music when I was 14. But I think what happened was that my mum was and remains a big music fan so, I’d like to say that she is responsible for my keen interest in music. It all began in SS1 when I wrote my first song entitled, Future.

At what time did you decide to embrace music?

As I grew up, it became clear that I would have to embrace music. I realised that I had no choice than to play music. This is probably because I have passion for music and I enjoy it and also get paid for it. I happen to be an only child so music just let me run free. I only have my parents to worry about and they are quite young.

What was it like growing up an only child?

I don’t know if I missed anything because I didn’t have siblings. (Laughs) Basically, I grew up with only me by my side so it’s easy for me to want to be by myself. It got me into trouble a lot but I can’t tell how lonely it was because I didn’t have siblings.

Tell us about your parents?

My mum is a petty trader and my dad a carpenter. I grew up with them in a room apartment.

Could you tell us about your music before Oleku?

I had songs from my first album entitled, Brymstone. That was in 2007. We had problems with management and I couldn’t get a marketer in Alaba International Market for the album. You know, Alaba Market is quite tough and sometimes for a new artiste, if you can sell your album there and it’s good, you could blow up.

How much were you looking at then?

Funny enough, I had N1 million offer then. But for some technical reasons it just didn’t sail through and we couldn’t get good distribution. I was very disappointed and that’s natural but I have moved on.

Did you think of quitting?

That’s the problem. I couldn’t quit.

How did you get signed on to Chocolate City?

I got a call from Denrele (Edun) saying, ‘aburo, you’re going to call MI and work with him. MI wants to work with you.’ I was like ‘wow, are you serious?’ And that was how we hooked up. In less than a month, I was at his place to record with Jesse Jags.

How did you get inspiration for the hook of Oleku

It came from somewhere between being hungry, desperate and passionate, and having so much inspiration around me. It was pretty much Jesse Jags, Ice Prince and I in the studio that day. We were just sitting there and Jesse had a new idea for a beat and he came up with it, and within 30 minutes or an hour we had a song, the rest is history.

Did you ever get credit for Oleku, were you ever paid for it?

We were like a family. Yes, I got my credit; it’s basic. But I was not paid…not necessarily.

You did so well on that track, why did it take Chocolate City a year to sign you on?

I don’t know. I was scared I was not going to get a deal if I didn’t sign that contract after a year with a good song like Oleku. Not that I had a face yet. If I had left I would have to start all over again. I had put in work and Oleku was a big investment.

Did you make money from the track?

No, it just gave me a face, more than that it also gave me a voice.

You also went on to do Ara, another big song…?

It was amazing. Oleku was great. I am happy about Ara because in the totality of it all, most people who fall in love with Ara will probably fall in love with it forever.

We understand that you have parted ways with your label. What were the issues?

My debut album was not released properly. Songs were leaked even after they promised that they were safe. And then there was my single, which was poorly released. I think I deserve an explanation why the release was messed up. That already is a breach. You took my song, edited it and released it behind my back; very unfair. It’s something I don’t want to talk about but there’s news everywhere that I am smoking weed and people are saying I don’t get shows because of that.

What really led to the story of weed smoking? Was it the picture on Instagram?

Yes, but for God’s sake, I have not done anything to mess up the contract. What else do you think anybody would say just to make me look bad? It’s like giving a dog a bad name so you can hang it. They needed to come up with something. Like I said before, a lot of artistes are doing songs about weed and I have not even done a song on weed before.

Tell us about Choc Boys and how it affected your project?

We were supposed to record a Choc Boy album in 2012, which I could not agree to because I had my own album in the works. But it’s even worse than that because nobody ever called me up. Whenever they had Choc Boy meetings I was never there. I heard stuff from my other mates on the record label and I am like ‘when did you have that meeting?’ So, it’s easy now for them to come out and say I am still a Choc Boy. However, I was never treated like one!

What are your plans now?

Chocolate City says I can’t go anywhere but they will have to sue me to enforce that and we will meet in court.

Are you not scared it could affect your career negatively?

Yeah, maybe, it will make me make less money. Maybe, I don’t know how it’s going to end but I have to do this for my career. I know I am right, so with time I will pick up.

Beyond Chocolate City, what are your plans? Do you have a new management, a new deal?

This is music business. By the time you shop for a few weeks, you’ll find a manager and a publicist. The songs always come first so if I don’t have an album in the works, what do I need a manager and publicist for.

Now, what happens to your music catalogue at Chocolate City?

I have rights over them because the songs belong to me personally. I wrote those songs and never got any money for them. So, they are my personal property but then, what can I say? I lost an album to lack of distribution before so it’s not a big deal if the label says otherwise.

What are your dreams?

My dream is to make music until the world tells me to shut up, to stop singing!

What has been your greatest moment?

There are lots of them but Oleku was one of them; it was amazing!

  

What’s your relationship with the people at Chocolate City?

We have a very cordial relationship, funny enough. We talk on phone and we even exchange visits. When I got my new car four months ago, I drove to MI’s place and said ‘come take a look at my car.’ When we meet at events we still talk.

Tell us about the woman in your life?

Yes, I am in a relationship. But no plans for marriage right now. I met the lady in my life at a birthday party. What struck me about her was that she was tall and beautiful. The attraction was her height. Who no go like fine girl? I like the way she carries herself and the way she treats me.

When are you guys getting married?

(Laughs) I am 27-years-old so I am still thinking of roaming around a little bit more before settling down.