This interview has been republished in celebration of Blackky’s 32nd anniversary as an artiste.
The Nigerian musician called Edward Inyang hit Nigeria with a bang with his debut album “About Tyme” in 1991. Popularly known as Blackky, the King of Dancehall music speaks to eelive.ng about his life, his music, music in Nigeria and the challenges this country is passing through.
What is Blackky up to these days?
I am still actively performing. I’m still going for concerts. So it’s either I’m busy rehearsing with my band or I’m in the studio. So these are the things that keep me on a tight schedule. Because of the music I do, the fans have been so merciful for close to 28 years. They still find time to book me to come and perform at concerts and come for events.
You talk about studio, are you more into production now?
Well I’m more on the composing and the recording end, just that I have not put out an album in like 11-12 years. If you look at my last post on Instagram, I put up a song that came from my last release which was in 2006 and that album was the one that got me the Kora award nomination. And since then, I have not really done any album. Many of the fans are wondering, asking; are you still in music or which one are you doing? As you know, the terrain is not a music industry but a music scene. Never mind that these young boys are doing very well, but there are still no structures, so we have to do it strategically.
Why do you choose to call it music scene and not music industry?
Starting from 1991, when my first album came out, we had record companies like Premier Music, EMI, Sony Music. That’s why when you release an album, you as the artist don’t worry about promotion. There is the promotions man, the A&R man, there are different departments, and they are all marketing a product. But unfortunately by 1993/94 things changed, all the record companies folded up. Since then we’ve been struggling. If you look at some private record labels, they last for some time and after that, they are gone. Now it has become an all-comers affair. There is no regulation, there is no structure as to how things are done, the legal side is very poor, there is a lot of bickering among the collective management organizations (CMOs). And while this is going on, we are starving. So the grass is suffering while the two elephants are fighting. We are on auto-reverse, and that’s what is still making us to operate in a music scene, instead of a music industry.
So what exactly do we need for things to work?
First, it’s a function of unity among the artistes. You cannot have an association and maybe only five members will gather round to syphon all the money in the system, instead of looking after the well-being of all artistes. You are there on our behalf to bring our royalties to distribute. It’s not your father’s business and that’s what an average Nigerian does not understand – that these things are meant for the lives of the artistes – the intellectual property owners. Secondly, we need to have record companies’ backings, we need to have major investors. Then of course, we have to be more professional – everybody has to be better regulated. And in terms of investment how do we make a refund on a project with such a rickety system. Then of course, we the elders we have to talk to the young ones, so that they can have longevity for the kind of music they write.
From everything you painted, are you optimistic that things can change?
From where I’m standing now, it’s looking very bleak, because there seems to be no desire. I look at our CMOs and I worry about the bickering. PMAN, the association that is meant to protect us and put their leg down on the abuse of Nigerian artistes, has to rise up to our needs. If you don’t put your foot down over your own, who is going to help you? That’s why you will see people coming into the country looking for our services and treating us as trash. The only advantage we have is that the young boys that are coming up are now winning awards internationally, which is a welcome development. Look at the song that Timaya just released and about eight million people are viewing it.
Isn’t there something government can do in all of these?
You know I cited enabling environment; that’s where the government comes in. The government should also start to push and finance the music industry. The government has been asleep on this issue of taking music to the next level. An average person independently hustles; I don’t know how much of government support they’ve had. I’m one of the ‘John the Baptists’ of my time. I tried to push music to the level that Nigerians won’t be ashamed of us. When I started, a lot of Nigerians wanted American artistes, but people like us called them to listen to our music.
Where do you place dancehall music in Nigeria today?
Dancehall music is on one leg, only a few people like myself are holding the flag. When we lost Ras Kimono, it made it harder for people like me to carry on the genre. I’m not very inspired with what I’m seeing and hearing, because we are not seeing someone who is developing in the genre and bringing personal influence. So it needs a lot of work and that’s why I need to be very active to create that direction where I feel the young ones need to follow.
Are there young artistes who are interested in your mentorship?
I have seen young guys who come to me backstage to appreciate me before a performance, but in terms of mentorship and direction I don’t think they have thought about it, and I think they have to start thinking about it. A lot of these young guys want the money now, and they don’t think about longevity.
What has been your staying power?
I think number one is that God has designed that I should continue in this industry. And so with all the struggles, trials and tribulations, he still kept me moving. A lot of us started in this industry, but about one or two of us are still active – that has to do with a heart of a lion. And it is easy to be intimidated to go and do something else with your life. I think it’s just God’s special grace upon me to keep doing what I have a strong passion for. Besides that, there is my work ethic and I keep to my words. Integrity is very important, and over the years I have seen that it has helped me because when I tell someone ABC, they listen. In other words, the respect for time, the respect for people, and the support of Nigerians have kept me going
What makes music unique?
I design the kind of music that I play not for now but to be futuristic. So it is meant to set the pace. It is important that the artiste sets his own trend and designs the song not to just be a hit. You must have the body skeleton and the heart. And so I give my music that art and throw the personality in. I create an institution that helps to push the music forward and also the longevity design.
Is there any chance that you’ll release an album anytime soon?
The album is a long time coming. We want the fans to relate with the Blackky of now.
Has music been beneficial to you?
I will say financially, no. Because we were, like I said, the ‘John the Baptist’ of our time. We are fortunate that the name still stays till today. As for the benefits, its next-to-nothing remuneration. We see now better remuneration coming in for our works. In the system where we are now, we leave the competent and celebrate the less competent, and that is why our value system is still struggling till today. But I can say that, yes, it is not as bad as before but it can’t be a whole lot better.
How did music start for you?
I started right from the days of UNILAG. I was a great Akokite. Then, I was a huge fan of Yellowman and other talented reggae DJs. If you listen to my early works you will feel a lot of Yellowman there. I became relatively popular on campus when I started going for beauty pageants. So during the student riots, I went to the studio and discovered a man called Kingsley Ogoro and another man, and they did a super interpretation of what Blackky wanted. That is something that nobody was doing before. Unfortunately for me, I went to all the major record companies and they said my reggae was the worst they’d ever heard, that they prefer traditional reggae. So one of them advised me to go to Lekki Sun Splash in 1990 and test my popularity; if you win, you get a record. So I went there and contested with nine other people, and by the special grace of Jah, I won. The contest earned me a record contract so I released the first album and till now, we still have those who are relating to it 28 years after. So immediately after my graduation from UNILAG, I moved straight into music.
What is the greatest misconception about musicians of your era?
The greatest misconception is that they are irresponsible womanizers, drug users, and smokers. When I was entering into music, I think my mother was very worried. I am from a family of professionals; my brother is a doctor, my sister is a legal professional and my dad was a dental consultant, and here I was going into music. I used to tell my brothers and sisters back then that you don’t have to smoke or carry Brandy or Whiskey before you perform or because you’re going on stage. If I had to do that, I probably would not be sitting before you today. The drugs would have wrecked me.
When your mum saw you going into music, how did she react?
She was shocked. She knew that I had a passion for it, but she didn’t know how far I wanted to take it. At the time I was taking the step, it was very unlikely that I would succeed because in the industry you only had record companies and if they turn you down, it’s over for you. Unlike now that you go on Instagram and you become a star. Back then, if you don’t get help from these record companies you are on your own, because where is the money coming from? I was running a slim chance and I wasn’t a backup to any singer.
There was something you posted about the recent spate of killings, where do you feel we are going to in this country?
I am deeply concerned. I am a conscious artist, so I’m deeply worried about our future. I do not see much of a future for Nigeria unless we change our attitude. I don’t see a future for the younger ones, I don’t see a future for infrastructure. Where are the doctors? They are leaving in their droves. Can a doctor even afford to buy a Tokunbo car in this country? When did we get to this level whereby all doctors are now exiting? And the general state of affairs, people are being killed like animals; like goats. In fact, life has become so cheap, so the future is looking bleak unless our leaders wake up from their sleep.
What is the assessment of reggae in Nigeria?
Reggae now in Nigeria is very poor. There are only a few of us who are trying to still make sure we guide those ones who are coming behind on how things should be done. What are the philosophies of reggae? Reggae is conscious; we are supposed to be singing about the things which happen to an average man every day. That’s why when you go to some of our albums, there are some of our songs for you to have fun with, some to meditate on, and some to dance to, and this is another strategy that I have. I have seen one or two young boys coming up as reggae dancehall artistes, but I’m not happy with the path they have decided to stay on. One minute, they play the African dancehall and the other minute they move to another genre. You should be bold enough and not everyone fighting for relevance and consistency. So I am not happy about the future of reggae but I am doing whatever I can do in my little way to create the way forward.