Oluwadamilare Okulaja popularly known as Durella, the proud originator of the slang In the Zanga has finally come to make a name in the entertainment industry with his own brand of music. This Zaria cum Mushin berth artiste believes his inspiration comes from the street of Mushin divulge to MUTIAT ALLI reason why is bent on doing hardcore hip-hop song, his environment, his new outfit amongst other issues.
Have you always thought of been a Musician?
Not really, but music for me started while I was still young because that was the stage I developed love for music and ever since then, I have been unto of my game. Although I started out in the church where I normally play the keyboard and sudden my love for circular music developed having listened to songs by great legends of music like Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Steve wonders.
So what has been the acceptance ever since you stormed the industry?
The acceptance has been massive because I get to understand the fact that it is not how well but how far you can go about things you go. Although the beginning was a bit challenging because I find out that people find it difficult to accept new brand music; but on the long wrong things started working out for me and the acceptance was okay.
Talking about challenges, what is the major one you will never forget in the cause of your growth in the industry?
In life, I got to believe the sayings that nothing so good comes easy because when watch the performance of artistes then, all that comes to mind was that whenever they just sing, the money just come like that but I later find out that my thinking was not right, so when I started, I find it so difficult that people don’t even know the brand name called Durella; so I started with a simple method of whenever there is a show or concert in my area, I will beg the organizers to allow me sing and through that I was building the name. I could recall vividly the first time I released my first major single In the Zanga, people thought that was my first written song but due to the fact that circular music sells well in a setting like Nigeria; I just I had to do it also.
How do you come about the slangs you use in your music?
Usually, people consider me as been very bad due to the words I use in my songs but the fact remains that I grew up in an environment that has affect me to where I am presently, so my slangs comes from the street; most especially the bus conductors and I was the type that when I hear then say that in the bus, I also use it to address my friends so when I developed this love for music, I thought of the fact that this slangs would be useful, so I started infusing them into my stuffs and I found out that it was making sense.
Growing up in a terrain like Mushin which has been considered as an area for the breeding of thugs. How has your parent been able to stay focus inspite of the several distractions attached to that area?
Well, I want to believe that Mushin is not as bad as it has been painted, historically it used to be bad but along the line, it has been reformed. So I believe as at today, I can cite quite a number of successful people that also lived in Mushin before attaining their present various positions. I want you to note this fact that it is often said that in every society, there would be some black sheep that may not cope in the environment they find themselves. I can never do without that area because it makes who I am today even if I relocate to some other places; my visit to Mushin will still remain constant.
The first time we heard about you, people thought who this D’banj wanna be was, how did you take that when people tells that you do things like D’banj?
Although that was the first impression people heard; most especially when the video of Shayo was released and people was like; this guy look and sounds like D’banj but I want to correct that saying; I don’t sound like anybody, specifically D’banj because we are two different artistes and our style of music differs from each other. I have always been original and will continue to.
But is also believed that you copied D’banj style of music?
I did not and will never, even before I started music fully, he has always been friend and we still communicate well. Please no further comment on this issue.
It is believed that most of Nigerian artiste today deals in hardcore drugs; are you an inception?
Yes to be sincere, I don’t go drugs and will never do such a thing because first of all, my parent will disown me because this is one the things I promised them I wouldn’t be doing if allowed to go into music fully. Although there are some artistes that do drugs which I do not know but for me, I have other businesses that I venture into and is earning me a whole lots of money as well.
Talking about business, what are the other things you do aside music?
If I am not doing music, then I give 100% attention to my shoe line known as 2gbaski sneakers and my clothing line; I believe I am making a lot from it since it is not sold in Nigeria alone but across the country and very soon, I will launching some other stuffs.
Nowadays, we have seen most Nigerian artistes go international when it comes to the release of their album; do you also intend doing that as well?
All things been equal, I am also planning that but before then, I will be releasing it to my fellow Zangalist (People) in Lagos before proceeding abroad because I believe I have more fan base in Lagos than in abroad.
How will you describe your school days before you dropped out?
My school days have always been fun for me only that I did not really enjoy my National Diploma days in Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo campus due to the threats I received from the cult members. Since the pressure coming from them was too much for me to bear, I had to drop out from the Insurance course I was doing because then I was about going back for my HND before the pressure was unbearable. Inspite of that anyway, I still enjoy my school days.
What was growing-up like for you?
Growing-up for me was fun and enjoyed every bit of it most especially for the fact that I was a very stubborn and problematic to my parents because I will never listen to them whenever they instruct me to do something; but trust I got that from my father because he was stubborn but my mother was homely and wonderful.
You recently left TC records for another; was it based on contract matter?
Yes, my leaving TC record was on mutual based contract because I own my record label know as 2gbaski record because I believe it was high time I also give back to the society in my own little way. Leaving TC records was not on the basis that my contract expired; I just thought it was time for me to be independent and all that I want now is to see record blow.
What inspires your kind of music?
First and foremost, I will say my Mushin environment because that is one major area that keeps me going and that is you see that most of songs are inspirational in the sense that it is either telling you about the challenges I have faced so far in the career or about something else. For instance, one of my tracks My Life is all about telling my enemies that inspite of their talks and discouragement; I am still unto of my game.
If you are given an opportunity to change one thing in the music industry, what would that be?
That basically piracy because they are really killing us and still we don’t know what to do about the issues; it pains every producer of a song to see that he does not make even 80 percent of the cost of production but the pirates make more than that from a work they know nothing about. I believe the only change is that all Nigerian artistes be it in the music or movie industry should join hands together to proffer lasting solution that will better the live of everybody.
How much will it cost to make Durella perform in a show?
Any show below 1million naira, I cannot perform.
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