Bolaji Okunola
Fast rising Afrobeats artiste, Adedolapo Adam aka Dopsy Flow has revealed the difficulties he encountered at the early stage of his career.
According to the 22-year-old Osun State indigene, he excelled despite coming from a polygamous family. Now he would love to feature his music idol, Davido in his song.
In this chat, he opens up on a host of issues bordering him.
Tell us about yourself.
I’m Adedolapo Adam, a native of Ede, Osun State. I am an artiste and songwriter. I grew up in a polygamous family. I am the first child of my mum. I’m a student of Information Technology at National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). I grew up on the street like most Nigerian artistes.
What inspired you into music?
Music is what I feel naturally but lack of confidence didn’t allow me to get into it earlier. While growing up, I sang with my friends whenever we were together, and I like being where music is. I also love Information Technology but music is a key part of me. I discovered my talent at a tender age of 14. My first studio recording was when I was 18 and I’m now 22.
Which artiste would you pick as your role model?
I have a lot of role models in the music industry because I learn from a lot of people. But personally, I like Burna Boy a lot because of the consciousness in his music. I love him because of his words. He is not the type of musician that opens his mouth to sing anything. He actually sings out of his feelings; that’s why I’ll choose him as role model.
Do you subscribe to the idea of artistes taking drugs or alcohol for inspiration?
No. I don’t take drugs, I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t smoke. Even if I decide to drink a little alcohol, it’s not to get myself inspired. Music comes naturally to me. Whenever I see a topic that’s good to sing about, I am not reluctant to do so. At times, I buy a soundtrack that I like and do lyrics on it; then later I start editing.
Can you tell us a bit about your success story?
A lot of people loved my first single and it was a cool one, which really encouraged me to do more. I never meant to make it public, my aim was to sing and enjoy it all alone. But it went viral when I sent it to my cousin who wanted me to give him some hit tracks from my phone playlist. The track was raw in the sense that it wasn’t mixed with any beat. He funded the mixing and dropped it on a few blogs, and from there, I started getting attention from people who were asking ‘who is this guy?’ Since then, I have gained little fame, which made me meet some popular Nigerian artistes like Fireboy, Falz and others.
If you’re asked to feature a Nigerian artiste in your song, who will it be?
As an up and coming artiste, I will like to feature the bigger guys in the industry so as to help my career grow. I will love to feature the likes of Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy and other big names. Featuring them will make my music go viral.
Can you reveal some big stages you’ve performed?
I performed at DJ Kaywise event two years ago. I also performed at an event organised by Triple Slam. I was blessed to stage some events that boosted my morale.
Looking at the way some Nigeria artistes mouth uncensored words in their songs, what effects do you think this will create in the minds of younger ones who have chosen to make music a career?
Music is an act, everybody wants to express him or herself, and it’s only left to the listeners to be courteous about it. Artistes are trendsetters; they sing what they feel the present generation wants to hear. The present generation accepts those kinds of vibes because they make them happy.
Describe your style of music and what makes you go for such?
I don’t have a particular style of music but I want to settle for Afrobeats. I listen to reggae music before going into the studio. While starting music, I loved to use the reggae style because of the way people moved with its melody, the pronunciation and accent. This I brought into my style of music, which made me stand out among my peers.
Have you been rejected in a show because you’re a new artiste?
Yes, some bouncers who didn’t recognise me have bullied me. It was very tough for me back then, but I realised it’s a price one must pay before becoming a famous person. At times, some known faces will invite me for show, but getting there I will realize that the known faces are just ordinary persons at the event. I will have no option than to get myself up the stage to give an impressive performance.
What advice do you have for upcoming artiste?
I can only advise them to remain cool and be loyal to their mentors. I urge them to keep praying while doing what they know how to do best. The great artistes we are all looking up to also started the way we did, and I believe we’ll all get there by putting God first.