working with wizkid has been very challenging -LAX

Starboy’s artiste, Damilola Afolabi, popularly known as LAX, tells Saturday Beats why he joined the music industry.

Why are you called LAX?

It actually started when I was in secondary school at Nigerian Turkish International College in Ikeja (Lagos). My nickname was LA. I had a Lacoste shoes that I used to wear then. But we were only allowed to wear leather shoes and I felt it wasn’t right. I felt students should be allowed to wear whatever brand of shoes they wanted as long as they were black and decent. That was how the rule changed and they allowed us to wear whatever we wanted. That was when students started calling me Lacoste and they eventually shortened it to LA. When I started music, I added X to it. I had tried out other alphabets but X just sounded cool.

How has it been since you joined the music industry?

It has been great. I have been doing shows and I have been recording. I meet different artistes and I have been getting love from my fans.

Two of your songs have been receiving massive air play, how does that make you feel?

I thank my platform, Starboy, which also has Wizkid. At least everybody knows Wizkid. Joining them in Starboy is just by grace. We churn out songs that people enjoy.

So is Caro your song or Wizkid’s?

It is a Starboy song featuring me and Wizkid. ButGinger is my song. We are working on an album soon. But for now, we are just pushing out singles.

What is it like working with an established act like Wizkid?

It is good and again, it is very challenging. He has learnt the craft and he has been doing it for a while. I am just new and I haven’t been fully in the industry before now. I was just doing it bit by bit when I was in school. But now, I have to do my best when I am working with him. I have to be consistent and try to be as good as he is.

Why did you choose to become an artiste?

I love music. It didn’t have anything to do with wanting to become famous. How I started music was just like a fluke. I went to the studio with some of my friends and when they finished recording, the producer came to me and asked, ‘this small boy, what are you doing here?’ I just told him I loved to see when people record. He said I should just try something. I did freestyle on a beat and the next day, he called me and said he felt I had a distinct voice and advised me to continue with music as a career. He said I should try and make my craft better. I used to write music and poems when I was much younger but when I got to SS 1, I had to stop and face my studies.

So did you follow his advice?

Oh yes. Every day during that period, I would go to his studio to record and he was so considerate. He used to charge me N4000 per session against N8000 that he was charging every other person.

How did your family take it when they realised that you.

were into music?

At the beginning, I was funding my music by myself. I was using part of my pocket money to pay for my studio sessions. I eventually moved to London and I started going for better studio sessions. I was paying the bills by myself till I came back to Nigeria. When I spoke to my mum about it, she wasn’t very happy about it. My dad was slightly okay with it. But when they started seeing me on TV and when people started enjoying my music, my parents gave me their blessing. When my father saw the passion I had for music, he became supportive. He has invested a lot in my music and he has been very supportive. He gives me advice.

How did you get into Starboy label?

It was through my stylist, Toyin Lawani. She played a couple of my songs for Wiz and he liked it. He called me and we had a meeting and from there, we moved on.

Most artistes usually leave the record labels that brushed them up once they become established; do we see you leaving Starboy in such manner?

In future, I would want to have my own record label. That is something I have dreamt of doing. But now, I am focusing on my music. But I have a wonderful relationship with Wizkid. We see almost every day. He is like a brother to me.

Do we see more collaboration with him?

For now, I am doing my own songs. Later on, I would do more collaboration. I have done some with other artistes like Wande Coal and some up-and-coming artistes. I also did one song with an artiste in Togo. I just want to be dropping singles and more singles. I have recorded so many songs. I have been working with Starboy producers and some others I was working with before I joined the label.

You were in the UK for some time, what were you doing?

I was schooling. I just finished my Master’s degree. Even if I wasn’t schooling, I would have been doing music. But then, music is not stopping me. I would still venture into some business. I studied Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship. It has to do with writing business plans for companies and starting your own business and giving advice to young business people.

Have you had any reason to regret being a musician?

I can’t really say that. But there are times I feel like not doing music again but people around me try to keep me moving. They tell me that I have the talent. Every great person at one point must have felt like not doing that thing that brought him fame and dropping it for something else.

How do you cope with the ladies?

I am just a cool person. If you like me and my music, I try to make you feel comfortable and I bring you closer to me.