“Lagos celebrates only stars”

Nwozo Obiajulu Kenneth a.k.a MC Loph, Hip-hop musician

— Nwozo Obiajulu Kenneth a.k.a MC Loph, Hip-hop musician
By Osamudiamen Ogbonmwan
Popularly known as Mc Loph, Nwozo Obiajulu Kenneth is one artiste who appears to have his mind, body and soul primed for only one spot: the top.
His struggles over the years to achieve this feat, including having to release an album in 2007 and an accompanying video for the track Bend Down Low, which was rated as one of the best videos of its time, surprisingly has not done much to uplift his career. However, by late 2008-cum- early last year when he released a re-make of the late Stephen Osita Osadebe’s hit-track Osondi Owendu, the accolde, started flowing. In our recent meeting with the Umunze, Anambra state- born artiste, he told The Source that he was only on the first rung of the ladder to the top.
Thirty-six year-old Nwozo, started playing music in 1991 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. And as he told The Source, top musicians in the country today, like members of the former Plantashun Boiz, Niga Raw and a few others were all his friends when they were in school and entertain the student folk with their music. He also claims to hold the title of the first artiste to have rapped in Igbo language, even though he didn't turn out to be the first to release an album using the language. Today, he has two albums in the market, Recognised and Hands Up
Ask him why he is still single at 36 and without hesitating one bit, he'd tell you: “I am still searching for a woman who will love me genuinely. I meet a lot of them but all they want is just material things. Right now, I am under stress to get married. My dad is late, my mum is aged and we are only two kids, my elder sister and I. I know God will do it this year.”
Last year, at the Nigerian Music Video Awards (NMVA), Nwozo ended up winning the award for the best highlife video for his song, Osondi Owendi.
“I never knew I had hope because when I saw the people I shared the category with, I was discouraged but thank God, I won at the end of the day,”: he told The Source just as he added that he has also been nominated for other awards.
How did music begin for your?
My father was a choir master in the Anglican church before he died and music generally runs in my family. I grew up listening to music, but I never planned to be a professional musician. When I was in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I did campus shows and it was more like an hobby. I never knew that one day, I was going to be this deep in music
So how did you find your way into professional music?
Like I said, I did it in school purely as a hobby, and by the way, the music industry in the country back then wasn’t as lucrative as it is now. Back then, you may be called for a show and be given N500 or N1,000 at most and you won’t complain because it’s what you enjoy doing. It wasn’t until the revolution took place, like when artists such as the Remedies, Plantashun Boiz and companies like Kennies Music came aboard. I started appreciating music and dreaming of releasing an album from this time; that was in the late 90’s. Prior to this time, I thought I was going to work in one bank or an oil company.
When did you come out with an album?
Professionally, I started recording in the studio in 2003, came to Lagos in 2004. You know, to migrate from the East to Lagos, people regard you as a green horn, as a new artiste, so it took me time to blend. Down in the east, I was already very popular but here in Lagos I was new. It was in 2007 that I got signed on to Eastside Records owned by Fanny Anago. Already in this label were Nigga Raw, show Boy Philo et cetera.
Since you were already popular in the East, why bother to come here?
I play hip-hop, that has been my style, and if you want to be in the mainstream, you’ve got to be where it is happening: Lagos. If I had stayed back, they would have regarded me as a local musician.
Are you saying people living in the east are too local to enjoy hip-hop?
No, I am not saying that. But you know that this is where things are really looking up for artistes like myself. The media is here. You may not be talking to me now if I was back in the east.
You said it was in 2004 that you arrived Lagos and released an album in 2007. What were you doing between those years?
I was busy recording my songs, searching for a record company and/or marketers. Each time, the marketers will say I should go and re-do the songs, that they weren’t up to Lagos standard. My dear, it is not easy, here in Lagos, especially as an upcoming artiste. Even if you are invited to a show, most times as an upcoming artiste they won’t allow you to perform. I had about 20 songs back then and whenever I mentioned to the marketers one of my popular works back in Enugu, they’ll start running it down, saying it’s a local beat. They’ll then say I should go and meet producers like OJB, Cabasa e.t.c. Nobody gave me a chance until I met Eastside Records.
You have two albums in the market now. Would you agree that it was the second which has the hit-track Osondi Owendi, that gave you the much-needed break?
My first album entitled Recognised featured top artistes like Niga Raw, Black Face et cetera, I had a video shot by D-Jay Tee that was adjudged as one of the best that year. Bend Down Low was on MTV, Channel O et cetera. But as I said earlier, Lagos has no place for up- coming artistes. They only celebrate stars. I kept on till I came out with Osondi Owendi.
That song was originally done by the late Osita Osadebe, so why did you choose re-do the song?
I just wanted to give the people what they wanted. I wanted to give them a street music. Secondly, my dad love his music so when he died, I said to myself: “Chei, My hero don die o” . Soon, I decided to mix it into what people will like and then immortalise him.
But did you get the permission to do the song! I mean, legally?
I met Osadebe’s son Obiajulu, who unfortunately is dead now. I told him what I wanted to do and he said. “Ok, when you are ready come and meet with me.” Unfortunately, he died before I could do anything. So I called Flavour Nabania – you know he is into highlife – and I told him what I wanted and we did it.
Are you saying no one is contesting the copyright authority?
When the song blew up the scene, a lot of people came up to say they owned the copyright. Premier Records then called saying I never asked for a permission to use their song. We set up a meeting, then I went with my lawyer to see them. I told them about my meeting with Obiajulu and secondly, I didn’t know who originally owns the song because a lot of people were claiming it. PMRS, MCSN, e.t.c struggled with me that they owned it, when I went on a fact- finding massion and in the end I decided to go ahead, with the production, hoping that the true owner will emerge thereafter. Premier Records then came up and now I thank God the way they are handing it.
Many people say you are looking up to Niga Raw. How true is this?
I can’t look up to anybody. Niga Raw was my childhood friend, we grew up in the same area and we had a group called Smooth Connection. I went to UNN, while he went to IMT. The group eventually scattered but wherever we found ourselves, we took charge. I started doing my own thing as MC loph, but when money wasn’t coming out from it. I decided to chill. People had started making comments that I was not progressing in it. When I gave up, Niga Raw continued. That was when he dropped Obodo. Today, people don’t know that I was the first person to start rapping in Igbo. But because Niga Raw came out before me, they think I am the one copying him. I was never looking up to him. People even thought I was the one who sang Obodo, but I had to tell them that it was my friend. I had to come back to the scene after that.
What’s the meaning of your name, LOPH?
It means Lord of Pure Hip-hop. You know, I can rap in English, Pidgin, Igbo and French.