Yinka Best is considered as one of the most prominent juju artistes in the entertainment industry today. He recently spent a whopping N20 million to secure new musical equipment from Europe in his bid to improve his musical career. In this interview with ALLI MUTIAT, he speaks about his ever blossoming career, his current album, his quest to discover more talents as well as his plans for the youth.
Tell us about the equipment that you recently acquired?
The equipment are state-of-the art and it will be launched very soon at CMD Ground, Magodo where I perform every Thursday for my teeming fans. They are modern stage equipment, and I had to take a bank loan for its acquisition, because I do not want to depend on anybody for renting of equipment when going for shows. I will also be leasing them out to up-coming musicians who can't really afford to buy the equipment. It is a way of assisting young talents.
What are the challenges you have encountered in your career?
There have not really been too many challenges. The hit songs that I churned out years back were due to my talent in music. I love playing the saxophone; it is one of my favorite instruments. I introduced it into Juju music and everybody loves it. A lot of up-coming artistes are trying to copy my kind of fusion but they will find it very hard to sound exactly like me. You can't be like any one. Yinka Best is Yinka Best so, be yourself.
Before you composed your hit song entitled Kogboge Wa new, did you ever think that it would become a hit?
You see, highlife is one of the best forms of music we have in Nigeria. Both the old and young appreciate it. So, Kogboge Wa was appreciated by quite a number of music lovers. I was at a show and a guy wanted to go with a lady that did not belong to him. Suddenly, they started quarrelling. So, that was what gave me the inspiration to record that song.
Has it happened to you personally or it is a generic scenario?
It happens everywhere. I would not say it happened to me.
What should your fans expect from your album?
My new effort is in the market now. It is called Celebration Reloaded. There is a hip hop song there too. The song is entitled I will take you there. It is produced by Puffy T. The song is making waves already. People are crazy about it. Music buffs love it. I will shoot the video very soon.
After Kogboge Wa, what else have you done?
I've dropped Celebration and after that came Celebration Reloaded.
But the albums you just mentioned did not create much attention like Kogboge Wa did.
What happened?
It is not my fault. I would blame my marketer for that. I fell into bad hands. A marketer whose name would not like to mention, called me and he told me that he wanted to market my song. He later said he didn't have money. I considered him in the end.
I gave him my master tape. He came back with lots of complaints. He said somebody was threatening him that if he marketed my job, he would quit his company. I later found out that he had been contracted to market the album of another artiste and the artiste found out that he was marketing my song.
He therefore decided to dump my job. He kept all my posters in his office and some were transferred to the musician's house. It was one of the guys living there who hinted me that my posters were in his house. He said someone he didn't know kept them there. I also realised that the marketer didn't want the artiste to leave him and that was the reason why he decided to jettison my album.
What steps did you take?
I didn't take any step. I took my job from him and I carried on. It is not yet time for me to talk. When it is time, the world will know.
Would you like to mention his name?
I don't want to mention his name yet. People should just watch out.
Aside the track that was produced by Puffy T, what do other songs sound like?
Well, there are lots of songs there. There are lots of danceable songs in the album. I have Motigoke Montiso, Wosope Asewoniwa, and lots of tracks people can dance to.
Who are the other artistes that you have in the new album?
In the hip hop track, I featured Boiz 2.
Who is marketing Celebration Reloaded?
The album is being marketed by Z-Plus International. The outfit is based in
Ketu and Oshodi.
Tell us about your first tour outside Nigeria?
Well, when I travel, I usually don't talk about it. It is not my style to announce in the media when I travel out of the country. As far as I'm concerned, it means nothing to me.
You don't think it is part of marketing strategy for an artiste?
To me, it is like you are boasting that you have traveled. Those places are beautiful places but there is no where you can enjoy like Nigeria and as a Nigerian. So, I don't promote any other country aside Nigeria. There is no big deal about other countries. I have traveled to many places. I don't like talking about it. At times, I would travel for two to three weeks, and nobody would know about it.
Do you have your own record label or are you working under somebody?
I have my own record label, Y K B Records.
Do have other artistes signed to your record label?
Yes I do and I will sign on other artistes if they are good. I have some artistes that I am currently working on. I also work with artistes that have good music. If your music is good, Y K B Records would work with you. If your song is not good, I would say it is not good.
What are you and other Juju musicians doing to rejuvenate Juju music which is losing ground to Afro hip hop?
Juju music can never die. It is impossible. You will find 99 percent of Juju musicians every weekend where they do parties. You can't find hip hop musicians singing at weddings and burial ceremonies. It is Juju musicians that you see. Juju musicians are still alive. We are working. We might not be making noise. We don't even need the noise. What we need is the money. Every weekend, we are there working hard. So, Juju music is still there. Our job is to play for people to enjoy.
But at the moment, Juju music doesn't have developmental programmes like hip hop, what is your view?
This world was not created for one person. There was a time everybody listened to Reggae and Makossa music. If this time is for hip hop, let's us give them the chance to do their own. The world is changing. Any way, life is in phases. We are still working. Nothing has happened to Juju music. We know that some artistes are lazy. They are waiting for people like us to release an album before they can sing.
What is your relationship with the likes Dele Abiodun, Shina Peters, KSA and others?
They are all my fathers. I love them. Our relationships are cordial.
What advice do you have for one hit album?
Well, being focused is the ultimate as far as music business is concerned. Don't let women come to distract you.
How many wives do you have?
I'm married to 10 (laughs) I'm married and single. Any way, I'm married.
Do you have any final word for your fans?
My fans should expect more. Music has not
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