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APRIL 23, 2007 VOL. 21. NO 2

‘Ghetto, a Place to Be’

**Kingsley Chukwuebuka a.k.a. Ghetto King**

- Kingsley Chukwuebuka a.k.a. Ghetto King
By Osamudiamen Ogbonmwan
Can we meet you?
I am the Ghetto King a.k.a Igwe of the Ghetto. I was born 21years ago and brought up in the ghetto. I am a musical artiste.
I am sure the Ghetto King has a name given to him by his parents and how did you come about the name Ghetto King?
I came up with the name because of two reasons, one because I was born in the ghetto, and two is that everything about me was shaped from my experience in the ghetto. My parents on the other hand gave me the name Kingsley. The “Sley” in the name was given back to them with much gratitude, while I continued with the King. And the word King in my language means Igwe, and when compared with the ghetto where I live, I had to combine both. My full names are Kingsley Chukwuebuka.
Why do you see yourself as the king of the ghetto when you have people like Daddy Showkey, Daddy Fresh, Baba Fryo, Mighty Mouse and all the others who also live in the ghetto. Where do you place them?
(Laughs)… I call all of them my mentors because I recognise their great works. I look up to them. But in a community where there is an Igwe, we still do have elders who are more than the Igwe. I give respect to all of these people because they are the ones who have taken the ghetto to its present state. But for me, I am bringing out my own platform to make sure that the ghetto is not known for only music.
How do you mean?
I want it (the ghetto) to also be known by the Information Technology (IT) world, as a place to invest in because there are lots of talents there. I am a graduate of that field, from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. So, all I am trying to say here is that, I'm the Igwe in the music and the IT world, and I intend attracting these sets of people to the ghetto.
When did you come into music?
I came into music when I was writing my Senior Secondary School (SSS) III examination. That was about six years back. I’ll say before then, I was into it but not so much. But during my Data Base courses, I produced my first album. I took my education very seriously, that was why it took this long for me to come out with an album. I had no time for it then, but my album will be out very soon.
What’s the title of your work?
It's titled No Time. Because this life is full of ups and down. Sometimes one may have time but do not have interest, but sometimes when you don't have time, you might have interest. Its vice-versa.
What kind of music do you play?
I think I’ll call it Hip-hop Raga. It’s a combination of both beats. As for the Igwe of the Ghetto, give me any beat as long as it’s music, I’ll perform it.
How many tracks do you have in the album?
I have nine tracks.
Have you ever had exposures on stage, I mean, do you perform live?
Yes. In December 2006, I performed at the Anambra State University and other places in the state. Also, when Ghetto Records organised a show during the last valentine period, I also featured.
When are you formally releasing your album into the market?
It would be released on April 29, 2007 at Deals Hotels, 23 Road, Festac Town. Everyone is highly invited and they will not regret ever attending.
How would you describe the response you’ve gotten since you started music in the ghetto?
The response has been great so far. All over the ghetto, people know and call me the Ghetto King. They support me in every way they can. Even though my album is not yet out, they still want to see it so that they can get copies. They call me on phone to show their support and respect. They encourage me in diverse ways, I tell you.
What are your expectations for this album and your musical career as a whole?
I am expecting a favourable feedback from the album, and I want it to go all over Africa with great returns. I have confidence in what I have done in this album and, I'm sure the people would love it. I want to use this opportunity to invite everyone to come for the launching.
A lot of people have their own opinion of the ghetto. As a person who was born and bred in the ghetto, how would you describe the ghetto?
I’ll just say that the ghetto is a place that has been neglected by our leaders. But right now, it is a different place, a place to be. Everyone leaving under the ghetto roof lives as one. Everyone is highly invited to come and stay in the ghetto because we are a loving people.