‘How I Made Timaya’

King Solomon Oyeniyi, also known as K-Solo

— King Solomon Oyeniyi, also known as K-Solo, who has no doubt carved a niche for himself in the Nigerian music scene, producing several established and new entrants into the industry
By Osamudiamen Ogbonmwan
We identify with your present state of grief. Do accept our condolence. When did the death of your father occur?
Thank you very much. It happened on December 20, 2009. Death is one thing that must visit every man, it’s just that we are never ready for it when it comes. He was 75-years-old when he died. But what baffles us all is that he was not sick. He just returned from church that Sunday but I was still in church when I got a call that I should come home. When I arrived, he wasn’t talking and before we got to the hospital, he had died in my car. God does his things in mysterious ways and I believe he is with God.
How was the relationship between you and your father?
Let me put it this way, then you can decode the kind of relationship we had. I am from a family of seven and the only male child. I happen to also be the last born. So, you can see. He’ll be buried on February 20, 2010 in his house in Ada, Osun State.
Over the past few months rumour regarding your marital status has been flying. Tell me, are you married or not?
No, I am not married. I only had an engagement ceremony last year and people started spreading it that I was married. However, the marriage proper would be coming up later this year.
You are well-known in the country today as one of the very active producers, having produced top artistes in the past. How long have you been in the business?
Professionally, this year would make it my 12th year. However, I have been in music all my life. From form four to my days in higher institution, I sponsor myself in music. I started playing music in major clubs in Lagos. I think the last club I played was Y-Not. I used the money I got there to sponsored myself in school before I gave my life to Christ. When I turned to Christ, I started playing music in church. Currently, I am the music director in the Revival Assembly. I do not do any other business but music. But only that I decided to do other things still in the entertainment industry.
Twelve years in the industry and you’ve been able to produce top artiste like Timaya, what… (cuts in).
Timaya is the smallest of all. When I say I have been on for this long, you should know the calibre of people I have worked with. I have worked with King Sunny Ade, Dele Taiwo, Keffi, Sony Neji, Lord of Ajasa, Paul Play, Banky W, Jah Bliss, Charly Boy, Majek, Muma G and so on. People got to know about me when I produced Paul Play’s Angel of My Life album.
How come?
When I gave my life to Christ, Kenny Richard, Paul Play’s manager, introduced me to him. So, I began to work for him (Play) as a sound engineer. It was later that he discovered that I am also a producer, so he decided to work with me. Truly, I wanted to learn from him. I didn’t want to show myself because I wanted to have a boss-employee relationship with him, but what I had in me came out itself. I worked for him for two years before I set up my studio. While I was with him, I produced for other people too. So one day, Paul’s manager said to me that I should do something about myself because people were coming to the studio to work with me. I tell you the truth, I went to work with Paul Play with nothing and I left his studio with nothing physically, but of course wisdom and knowledge. I think that is what has kept me standing till today. I will like to add this though: alot of people have been saying that Paul Play didn’t give me any credit in his album, but really, I wasn’t expecting any because when I was working with him it was that of a boy and his boss – even till date. If I had been announced then, I do not know where I would have been today. Yes, a lot of people knew I did it, but a larger group never knew.
But why do you think people attribute your success story to Timaya?
Timaya was a major hit, I agree. You know, Nigerians will not see you as doing anything special if you go ahead to produce a ready made star. Timaya was like a revival for me because he was a “nobody.” I was invited for a talent hunt in Port Harcourt by Hilda Dokubo and Timaya ended up not winning the contest because he lost his voice a day before the finals. So Basorge Tariah Jr. virtually picked him up and said we should do something for him. But when he got to Lagos, he had a little misunderstanding with Basorge. I loved him, so I said I’ll help him, so I did his album for him. After it blew, people thought I was just a new person in the industry. But thank God for his mercies.
God made Timaya a Star. Any body who is going to be anything in this world, God will use somebody for that person to make it come through.
Timaya’s first album was sold to a marketer for N500,000. You, allegedly, urged him to sell at that price. Looking back now, judging by how successful the album turned out to be, do you regret that decision?
I don’t think I made a mistake and I do not regret that decision. Timaya wanted much more but I told him that he was just an up and coming artiste. Your pride should be in the fact that you have an album in the market. If we had not sold it at that price, I do not think anyone would have listened to it. I said to him ‘guy, you don’t have one naira, and still you don’t want N500,000. The album blew, then he started making money from every corner. Timaya is one artiste I will tell you makes his money purely from music and God has been with him.
His second album was sold for N19 million...
Yes. Like I always tell young artistes, you need to be dedicated, believe in God and yourself. Its like a woman who is giving birth for the first time. It might be hard but the second one wouldn’t be as tough because you’ve got the experience. Timaya is not on my label and I didn’t share that money with him. The marketer only paid me a -tenth of it. I thank God.
So, what would make you want to produce my song?
There is a lot of protocol. But really, I have a bias for the up and coming artistes. I respect them more. What I am today was because of a young artiste - Timaya. I have a record label now. I have worked with a lot of Stars before now and they’ve never gone on TV to say ‘Thank God for K-Solo.” Young artistes are go-getters, they have raw talents that stars envy. They are like crude oil. For me to take them on, here in Nigeria, your character matters. MTN may say they will not use my artiste because he/she is too wild or saucy. And to me as a company, I will be losing.
So, if I am going to sign you on, we will have to work on you.
Let me take you on that. Most people believe that Timaya has attitudinal problems. They also complain about Muma G. Are you saying you’ve not been able to work on them. How are you able to curtail their excesses?
Experience is the best teacher. It matters a lot. I work with a lot of characters. I work with Pasuma. He works only at midnight and when they get here, they are full of alcohol. I manage them. If people talk about Timaya, let them come out straight to say what he or the others have done to them. The other day, I picked Clever J’s phone and a lady was saying eventhough he is married she must go out with him! I had to talk to her that day. You should know these people well before you come into conclusion about them.
How expensive are you?
I can’t really say, because it depends on the kind of stuff you want to do. Some artistes are good song- writers and not singers, and vice versa. So, the studio is a factory where we nurture artistes. I charge you depending on how much I am going to nurture you.
What if I want to record a single, I can’t write a song but can sing. How do you handle my case?
I give you a contract to sign. I’ll write the song for you and you’ll only have to pay me about $150.
What do you think makes a good producer?
A good producer is like a god to an artiste. He is somebody who decodes a dumb idea of an artiste and gives him a solution. He tells the artiste what to do and what not to do. For example, I use to tell Keffee: don’t drink cold water!