text: Fame can't stop my education –Sossi - The Nation Nigeria
  Fame can't stop my education –Sossi
  Posted By: DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI On: June 15, 2014 June 13, 2014 In: Entertainment
  Agboluaje Babatunde, popularly known as Sossi, has just been signed to Bugatti Records. The young and cheerful songster is leaving no stone unturned to carve a niche for himself in the industry. In this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI, he talks about his new single and future plans, among other interesting issues.
  DOES it ever occur to you that you sound like Wizkid?
  I have heard people say this countless times and I have addressed it as many times as possible in the few interviews I have granted that there is no such thing in my career. I have heard people say that too. But what I always tell them is that they can actually say that because there is no face to my music yet. I mean I am still new in the game and I am working with my record label on a lot of stuff. I just released my single, My Boo, and I have been appearing in some national dailies to spread the word. I have also shot the video of the single that was directed by Aje Film in Ghana. We will be releasing the video in a matter of days, and I am sure that by the time people start seeing my face, they will stop saying that I sound like Wizkid.
  Does Wizkid influence you in any way?
  Wizkid is doing great at the moment. He has virtually become a global brand and I am happy for him. I am gradually building my brand as well with the help of my record label, BRG. We are breaking into the music industry with a big bang and I respect everybody who has come before me. They have done a good job by providing a platform for most of us who are just coming up. But the truth is that, we are not joking. Bugatti Records is the next biggest thing to watch out for in the Nigerian music industry, as we speak today. I listen to Wizkid's music as everybody does. But I don't think I am influenced by his works. I am just doing my music the way I want it to be done.
  Would you do a duet with him?
  I will love to work with many artistes who appreciate good music. I understand Wizkid does and a couple of other guys too in the industry. But the only person I have always dreamt to work with is Tuface Idibia. I am humbled by his humility and the success he has recorded so far in the industry. That's the kind of person I love to work with. When the time comes, I know the opportunity to work with him will present itself.
  You are fresh in the music industry, how did the journey begin?
  Music is something that makes me happy a lot when I listen to it. Also, seeing people derive pleasure from it while growing up also encouraged me. The love for sounds started growing when I started falling in love with different songs. I didn't really know it would be something that would later form a big part of me. You know, sometimes you just find yourself loving something subconsciously and before you know it, it has grown to become something that takes over your mind.
  Was music the only thing you wanted to do then?
  I also loved playing football and I still do. The fact is that I would have been a footballer, if I wasn't doing music today. But music happened to have grown in me that I couldn't even think of something else; and after a while, I decided to stick to what my mind wanted to do. From that point, I have been writing and composing songs. It has really become a big part of my existence that I can't do without.
  How did you convince your parents about your choice of career?
  There was not really anything to convince them about because I didn't let them know in the first place; I was scared. But after a while, my mum, who happens to be my number one fan and who has always supported my career from day one, asked me if I was sure music was what I wanted to do and I said yes. So, she gave me her blessings and support. And, of course, it hasn't been affecting my school. The two have been going well together without any hitch. My dad is a businessman and he's always very busy. I didn't really grow up with my dad because he was always on the road and travelling here and there for one business or the other. But when he started seeing what I have been up to on TV and on the social media, he was happy that I am doing something good for myself and progressing in it.
  What stage will you say you are in the industry at the moment?
  I am still in the learning stage; I am still growing and definitely not where I used to be. There have been some developments over the years. Right now, I am signed to a record label. Record labels don't just pick you on the streets; you must have done something that would have caught their attention. It all happened basically on the social media network. When I drop songs, I put them online for people to listen to and pass their comments. I think they heard one of my songs that I did in 2011. I don't know how it got leaked online and someone sent the song to the label's email address and they linked up with some of my other songs that had been online before now; so, that's how they contacted me.
  I learnt the deal came with a juicy package like an apartment in Lekki and a brand new Porsche Cayenne SUV. Was that the carrot they threw at you, so to say?
  The things that came with the deal were not what attracted me. They showed to me that we have got the same target and vision. That's the reason I feel we have got this same great taste for good music and its production. It's my first professional deal. It was, more or less, like a magic when they brought the offer to the table. I am still surprised as we speak now. The offer shocked me. Right now, all I need to do is to keep working hard and allow them to handle their part. Right now, I am working on my weak points, so that there won't be any lapses in the long run. I know I have got what it takes to move my music to the next level with the help of my record label.
  What if something bigger comes your way, do you really believe that you will keep your part of the deal till the contract expires?
  There is something they call loyalty. If you know where you are coming from, you will know where you are going to. There is this saying that you should never forget your roots. People who discovered you, freshened you and put you where you could not have seen yourself in few years from now shouldn't be paid back with disloyalty. This is a contract that I believe will go beyond this phase. I signed a good deal and I know I can deliver.
  The industry is very competitive, so how are you sure you can deliver and pay back the finance invested in you?
  I am not ready to compete with anybody. I just want to do my thing and be happy. I want the people to be happy when they see me.
  You know you sound very much like Wizkid. So, how do you want to handle that aspect?
  People say that a lot and I feel it's probably because there is no face in my music right now. But I am working on new videos. When people start seeing my face, they will stop saying I sound like Wizkid. If you listen to my songs, you would feel me and know that I am different. It baffles me that people say I sound like Wizkid, because I don't believe I do. I sound like myself. I have been sounding like this.
  Do you listen to Wizkid's songs?
  Yeah, I do. Wizkid is a brand that is going everywhere and I am happy for him. I am his big fan, but I want to create my own brand. He's a great artiste and I love him, but we are different persons. When Usher started, they referred to him as Michael Jackson. But later, the guy distinguished himself. I believe when people hear more of my songs and see my face everywhere, they will know I am different. With the help of my label, we are going places.
  What's the next line of action on your record label?
  We are throwing out songs and shooting my latest video. We are working on my debut album and major collaborations. We did an international collaboration with a Jamaican artiste. We are dropping that soon. I don't want to mention names right now. I have shared the same stage with Nigerian A-list musicians over the years. This is what I have been working on over the years; and now that the time has come, I want to work hard to make sure I make my mark.
  How do you want to handle fame and women now that you are gradually coming up?
  I am just going to concentrate on my work. I am not new to fame and I believe it is just a phase in my life that I have to pass through. It won't get into my head for one minute. And, as regards women, I will like to say music is my life right now. I don't have time for them now. When I get to that stage, I will handle them. My voice is my strongest point and I know it will take me to places.
  You are still in school, how have your career and music been going?
  I won't pull out of school for anything. I am in my third year and I am almost done. So, this is not something that I can trade for anything. School and music are two different things. I try to manage my time very well because there is a time for class, test and all that. I don't joke with my lectures. My parents won't even allow that. I am studying Geography at the University of Lagos, Akoka. I love Geography; it has always been my most loved subject.
  Would you pull out of school if fame comes?
  I cherish education and I won't trade it for anything. I am in my third year. I have just one year to finish. Why should I drop out of school because of fame? Fame can't stop my education.