No cap, Remilekun Safaru, aka Alaga Ibile, has become an authority in the genre of rap music in Nigeria. In this interview, the 41-year-old expressed delight being among the artists musically leading an African cultural reawakening across the globe.
Five albums to your credit, Nthe sixth is on the way, looking back over the years, what comes to your mind?
Gratitude to God, my team, family and most especially to the fans who made it all worthwhile. It’s been over 10 years of doing this and it is always humbling to find that there are people all over the world who value my music and art.
How do you feel being part of the leading artists successfully using home-grown language, among others to express yourself musically?
Well, I choose to express myself in whatever language helps me drive home the message of the song I am on, so, whether it is English, pidgin or Yoruba, I just want to communicate with the audience. Good music of course transcends language.
Have you ever felt struggles for acceptance as a rapper using local content as a means of expression?
I have never struggled for acceptance. Yes, it took me a while, unlike some of my peers, before I became mainstream but I saw it as a refining process. It has helped me become a better artist who appreciates the value of process, hard work and support of fans.
Reminisce
Deji Lambo
9 February 2022
No cap, Remilekun Safaru, aka Alaga Ibile, has become an authority in the genre of rap music in Nigeria. In this interview, the 41-year-old expressed delight being among the artists musically leading an African cultural reawakening across the globe.
Five albums to your credit, the sixth is on the way, looking back over the years, what comes to your mind?
Gratitude to God, my team, family and most especially to the fans who made it all worthwhile. It’s been over 10 years of doing this and it is always humbling to find that there are people all over the world who value my music and art.
How do you feel being part of the leading artists successfully using home-grown language, among others to express yourself musically?
Well, I choose to express myself in whatever language helps me drive home the message of the song I am on, so, whether it is English, pidgin or Yoruba, I just want to communicate with the audience. Good music of course transcends language.
Have you ever felt struggles for acceptance as a rapper using local content as a means of expression?
I have never struggled for acceptance. Yes, it took me a while, unlike some of my peers, before I became mainstream but I saw it as a refining process. It has helped me become a better artist who appreciates the value of process, hard work and support of fans.
