Konnected Minds Podcast
Konnected Minds: Success, Wealth & Mindset. This show helps ambitious people crush limiting beliefs and build unstoppable confidence.
Created and Hosted by Derrick Abaitey
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Konnected Minds Podcast
He Lost His Father at 11. 11 Years Later, “Oleku” Changed African Music Forever – Ice Prince’s Story
Ice Prince's journey from losing his father at age 11 to becoming an Afrobeats pioneer is nothing short of extraordinary. In this deeply personal conversation, he reveals how spending 11 years as a "studio rat" prepared him for the magical moment when "Oleku" came together in just one hour, forever changing his life and the African music landscape.
What makes Ice Prince's story remarkable is his perspective on responsibility. As an only son with both parents now deceased, he embraced his role as family provider from a young age, even crafting palm slippers to earn money. "I love it when they ask me," he says about supporting family members. "It gives me a sense of purpose." This grounding force helped him navigate fame when "Oleku" exploded across the continent, leading to his first international booking in Ghana – a connection he cherishes deeply.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Ice Prince discusses the relationship between Nigerian and Ghanaian music scenes. Rather than seeing division, he passionately advocates for unity: "Accra is closer to Lagos than Jos is," he notes, emphasizing cultural connections over national boundaries. His vision extends beyond music to leadership, wishing African presidents would collaborate as frequently as artists do. "We need to unite our continent more, starting from the leadership to the artistry," he insists.
With refreshing honesty, Ice Prince addresses cannabis use, relationship regrets, and the lessons he's learned across his decade-plus career. Now working on a new collaboration album with producer Chopsticks through Chocolate City distribution, he defines success not by accolades but by "happiness and being in a position to bless yourself and others." His book recommendations – including Think Big by Ben Carson – reveal the depth of thought behind his artistic expression.
Whether you're a longtime fan or new to his music, this episode offers profound insights into the mind of a true African music pioneer who continues to evolve while staying true to his roots. Subscribe now and join the Konnected Minds community as we explore more transformative conversations with influential voices shaping our world.
Watch the video episode of this on YouTube - https://linktr.ee/konnectedminds
Ole Kool, that song. It was like a dream come true. It was unbelievable. Bro, I'm going to Kenya, I'm going to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa. I'm going all over the continent. That's all I can say. Man, it was unbelievable. My mom was still alive at the time when Ole Kool came out. She saw me perform a few times, but she passed away like a year after the song came out. I lost my dad at the age of 11. Both of my parents are not alive anymore, so of course I had to survive. But guess what? I love it. I love it. It was a very surreal moment for me. It was when I met Jay-Z. He gave me a deal with Dusey Konyak to be Dusey's ambassador in Nigeria. It was a good check.
Speaker 2:What were some of the decisions you made in the past that you think maybe you know now?
Speaker 1:One of the worst things for me that I wish I could unlearn is how to rule Canada, how to rule how to rule If we talk about the whole Afrobeat music.
Speaker 2:Do you think Ghana has had an influence in Nigerian Afrobeat music? Welcome to Connected Minds Podcast. My name is Derek and today I'm thrilled to have my first Nigerian guest on this program. Seeing as my Instagram has got more Nigerian followers than it has in Ghana, this is amazing. Thank you so much for coming. Seeing your eyes, yo, I feel good you know, derek, yeah, nice to finally be here.
Speaker 1:Man, yeah, man good to see you again after all these years. Good to be your home, good to be in your space, good to be here, man, thank you, thank you I?
Speaker 2:I immediately I saw you coming to ghana. I said what can I do to have this man on the podcast while he's here? Many years ago I tried to go through connections to try to see whether I can have you on the track right and you want to go back to that history and then, one reason or the other, you know, it didn't happen. So when I saw you coming to ghana I said let's try a podcast. You know, and thank you so much for for for making that happen thanks for having me, man.
Speaker 1:I think everything happens for a reason. I guess maybe we didn't do the record back there for whatever reason god knows best. And I'm glad you've mentioned jesus a few times since I've been here. So you know, we leave everything to god. It just I guess it was just time for us to actually sit down and talk, you know. So everything happens for a reason. And plus, you said I'm the first guest. Yes, nigerian guest. Yes, do you know how honored I am to hear. I'm so honored, my brother, I'm so happy to hear that. In fact, I'm going to celebrate that tonight, just because I didn't have plans to go out tonight, but just because I'm the first nigerian guest, which was my camera tell it.
Speaker 1:You have two cameras, the first nigerian guest on connected minds. I'm definitely going to celebrate that tonight. Thank you, Derek. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you so much. Hmm, what are my plans today? So you've done music for over a decade. Yeah, you've had records that we've jammed to, you know, and it's done a lot for the scene. It's done a lot for some of us who are also picking the scene from the UK. It did a lot for us. But the real question is, how do you think the journey has been so far?
Speaker 1:The journey has been bliss. That's the first word that just came to my mind. I mean, I can describe it in so many other words, but I'll just say to god be the glory. You know, I'm also like a very jesus boy, let me put it that way, so you're probably gonna hear me say god, god, god, a lot throughout our conversation. But yeah, to god be the glory.
Speaker 1:It's been, uh, an amazing journey. I won't say smooth. All the way. It's been ups and downs, there's been down times, there's been exciting times. There's been. God has used me to create some historic moments for my people, for culture, for our music, and it's more than an honor to be that person. You know, because I'm not the only person who went into the studio. Even growing up, I wasn't the only kid who liked music or went to the studio, but somehow god, you know, blessed my talent and elevated me and took me around the world and made my music heard to for you, for people like you, to even say that, oh, it did inspire you in some way or the other, you know. So it's been an amazing, amazing, amazing journey with God.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Take me back to the time in a studio when you first had the beat for Oliku. What was happening?
Speaker 1:Take me back in the studio man back then when Oliku was made, I think we felt it from from the very hour we made it. And again, it was one of those songs that I know you hear that a lot these days that I did the song in a rush. I did the song in a rush, but back then we didn't do songs in a rush. Back then it could take you three months to make a record, nine months. Sometimes it could take you a year to make a record for some artists who are very particular about their sound or what they want. But for oleku, oleku was really one of those songs that came like magic. Literally in an hour we were wrapped up with that song and I kind of felt like it was, it was going to be different, it was going to be something else because, remember, but before that song came, I was in the studio for about 11 years. You know, I was a studio rat for about I started music in 1999. Only cool came out in 2010. So that's 11 years of finding my way, you know. And yeah, when we made that song, it felt different, it felt magical. Big shout out to jesse jags and brian, of course. Initially the beat was made by Saz, the producer. Saz gave me a beat and all I had as a hook was she feeling the boy. Yeah, she feeling, she feeling the boy, that part. And then Jesse came into the studio, heard me singing to that and he immediately started playing a different chord progression that just became what it is today. You know what I mean. I called my brother brimo.
Speaker 1:I had this melody in my head and I wanted to speak it in yoruba. I wanted to make the record in yoruba, but my yoruba is not so amazing. I come from a city called jos in nigeria. It's up north. You know we speak a different language. My tribe is called angas. It's different completely. I know most of you guys only do yoruba igbo and hausa but nigeria has so many tribes. I'm, my tribe is minority, but I wanted to communicate that record in yoruba because I wanted a larger audience and that was how the music felt to me. That was how the sound, the melodies felt to me. Andble came through, delivered it exactly how I wanted it, and the rest is history, like they say. That song changed my life, changed so many of my friends' life, changed our situations, changed so many things for us. You know what I mean. And it contributed to culture, to Afro beats, to the new cool. I give glory to God, honestly.
Speaker 2:A young kid, you know, being a studio rat? Yeah, did you ever think of? You know, I want to be a doctor, I want to be an engineer, yeah, what were the dreams like?
Speaker 1:I mean as a kid, yeah, I had those dreams of being a doctor, being. I mean as a kid, yeah, I had those dreams of being a doctor, being a. I wanted to be a doctor yes, that one. And then I wanted to be a soldier. I wanted to be a military guy because I had an uncle who was a general and was like stupidly rich, like a distant uncle, so I used to always see like his flashy life. I just wanted to be like him. I wanted to be a soldier.
Speaker 1:But really, music, I think. I think music never left me Like again as a kid, from like 11 years old I have an uncle. His name is Dan Tala. He's a legendary, you know, musician from where I come from, from Plateau State, and I used to always follow him and his band. I used to always watch them play the xylophone, the flute, the cultural dances. I fell in love with that from early, you know, I used to always want to Be like them or dance like them or sing like them.
Speaker 1:And then I started listening to Tupac. I bet I changed my entire, entire entire life, gave me a whole new perspective, gave me a whole new thought process and I started to see music in a different way, in a different form. Started listening to more hip-hop music. Fell in love with Nas. Fell in love with Rakim. Fell in love with Heavy D, you know. Fell in love with Jay-Z. Fell in love with DMim. Fell in love with HeavyD, you know. Fell in love with Jay-Z. Fell in love with DMX, you know.
Speaker 1:And I also fell in love with like Like I don't want to call it local rap, but I want to say Homemade rap From, like, some legends Like Idris, abdul Karim, ld the Don. I'm calling names from Nigeria, you know what I mean. Rappers that I grew up on, you know. D to Don. I'm calling names from Nigeria, you know what I mean. Rappers that I grew up on, you know, freestyle, six Foot Plus a lot of them, you know, and I wanted to. You know. They gave me the same kind of vibe that Tupac was giving me and I wanted to be like them, you know. So I kind of like just started doing things that they were doing what really stopped you from becoming the doctor that you dreamt of?
Speaker 1:Man. Part of the things that stopped me from becoming that was, I would say, maybe, school. Because, see, I didn't get a chance to go to university. And so I would say I dropped out of school from secondary school. Not like I dropped out, I finished my secondary school, but I didn't get a chance to go to university. And when I didn't get a chance to go to university, and when I didn't get a chance to go to that university, the only other place, apart from being in the streets, was being in a studio, you know, and that was where I found my own solace, that was where I found my own, you know, place of comfort, I would say.
Speaker 1:And the reason why I didn't go to school crazy enough is was because of $20,000. I can't even tell you how, baby, I don't want to use the word inconsequential, because $20,000 is good money for some people, but I mean, it was for something very small. My mom couldn't afford it within a particular window, and that was how I missed out on the admission and I didn't get a chance to go to that school. And I guess that happened for a reason as well, because my life, my life and my time in the studio turned out how it is and I'm grateful yeah, you know, um, I've watched interviews of you where you spoke very much about um, how you carry the family and the support you provide for the family.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, and that really touched my heart. You know to know that, a man like yourself, you've chosen that you will be that pillar for the family I mean, like I don't even have an option.
Speaker 1:My brother, I'm an only son. First of all, I'm an only son and, uh, I'm an only son and both of my parents are not alive anymore, so that responsibility falls on me. But guess what? I love it. I love it. I'd rather be the person that people are asking than be the one asking them. You know what I mean. So I feel blessed, I feel very honored. In fact, I love it when they ask me. I feel special. It gives me a sense of purpose, it gives me a sense of, you know, existence generally, I love, I love to support, whether it's related or not, even if it's just a distant neighbor. You know, it doesn't matter. As long as you're able to reach me and I'm able to come through. I will.
Speaker 2:So you had that sense of responsibility at a very young age yeah, and sure. Do you think that's what has pushed you to work so hard? Yes, you know, to get this, yeah, most definitely.
Speaker 1:I lost my dad at the age of 11. I lost my dad and, again, like I told you, I'm an only son, so of course I had to survive. You know what I mean. Like there was no big bro and I'm not the type of person that had too many relations to take to take care of me. It was really just me and my mom and my sisters. So I had to be a man from very early. I started making palm slippers. You know what palm slippers is? Those? Ah, it's like. It's like the leather Crocs and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:We call it palm slippers. Maybe I'll find a picture and give you, do they? Use like the car tire to do it?
Speaker 1:um, not the branches of not car tires like actual, like actual skin, like actual. I'll send you a picture maybe you can put it over. Those who know what's palm slippers is yeah, I did. Did that craft for a bit just to survive, you know, to get money to get by. You know my mom was doing okay, but not so great, you know. So I had to be a man from very early.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's. What does it actually mean, though, when you are that young and you see that responsibility coming very close to you, man?
Speaker 1:at that age. I don't know what. I don't know what God put in me or what, how God made me, but I didn't even see it as I knew. Losing my dad was devastating. It felt like the end of my world. You know what I mean, because that was the only, like my only, nigger, let me put it that way. That was my only guy. Again, I repeat, I don't have brothers, I don't have too many relations. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So when I lost my dad, it was very devastating, but at the same time I just always trusted in God and I'm very happy for my upbringing. I'm very glad that I was brought up in church and I was brought up with the knowledge of, you know, an extraterrestrial being called God that looks out for us, and I've always put my trust in him, even from as far back as I can remember as a child, and he's always, always come through for me. Yo, this is, I'm telling you facts, bro. God has come through for me 1000 in my life, you know.
Speaker 1:So some things I don't even see as what people call challenges. I don't call them challenges, I just see them as a phase, as something that's written already in my book I'm supposed to go through. I don't call them challenges, I just see them as a phase, as something that's written already in my book that I'm supposed to go through. So I don't see discomfort, I don't. I never feel depressed, I never feel down for whatever reason. You know what I mean Like I'm solid, based on God, honestly.
Speaker 2:So the time comes when the same young man gets that hit record in the studio.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you were very young at the time. Yeah, very young. I was born.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Right you got a big hit. Yeah, all right, can we book you here? Can we book you down? What was happening, what was happening in your head?
Speaker 1:Well, first of all, it felt like a dream come true because in Nigeria, the entertainment capital is Lagos. Like, literally, lagos is the entertainment city. Like almost everything, not everything, I mean. We have so many other regions in Nigeria. First of all, there's a north the northern part is the biggest part of the country. There's the south, there's the east, there's the west west, and all these places have their own entertainment and their own cultures and their own vibes, but lagos is just generally like the home of entertainment.
Speaker 1:So if you don't come from lagos or if you don't live in lagos, it's always difficult for you to break through right. So, for coming from where I come from, I come from you, the middle belt side, like close to the North, right up North Jaws, it wasn't. It's not so easy for people like us to break through, especially with rap music. Do you get what I'm saying? So I would say in the beginning it was only just a dream until it actually happened, and it happened in such a big way where it just didn't blow up in Nigeria, it blew up across the continent. So the calls and the bookings were not just coming from the country, it was coming from all over the continent. And, yeah, it was like it was a big dream come true for me. It was a dream come true and my mom was still alive at the time when ole ku came out and she kind of like witnessed me become this ice prince why can't? I'm panchak, like my boy, panchak, that's, you know. She saw me perform a few times, but she passed away like a year after the song came out or so, so she didn't really get to see me become ice praise like that, but she witnessed ole cool and yeah, that song. It was like a dream come true. It was unbelievable. Bro, I'm gay. I'm going to kenya, I'm going to botswana, zimbabwe, malawi, ghana, cameroon. I'm going all over the continent south africa. Like god is great, that's all I can say. Man, it was unbelievable.
Speaker 1:Like I said, I was in the studio for 11 straight years. I wasn't in school, I wasn't working per se. The only work I was doing was in the studio. I was literally helping out in the studio. At some point I was a studio manager. I was the guy that people used to come book the sessions through. So I paid my dues in so many ways for 11 years, but God finally picked the call in 2010. Yeah, that's when I dropped Ole Kool and, yeah, life has not been the same since then.
Speaker 2:Would you think that level was your peak of success? So far.
Speaker 1:Um, I wouldn't say it's my peak. I would say it was the beginning. Ole Kool If you're talking about Ole Kool, yeah, that was the beginning, not the peak, you know. And I don't even know what the peak is. You know because I still have dreams that I know and trust in God that I know will come true. I still have aspirations, I still have places I want to go. I I know will come true. I still have aspirations, I still have places I want to go. I still have things I want to do.
Speaker 1:So I don't even know if I've hit my peak. I don't think I am close to my peak. You know I'm just in my mid-30s, so I have a long way to go in life generally not even just with music in life generally. So I don't think I've hit my. I still have plans to go. By the way, I was telling you, I intend to go back to school at some point. So, yeah, I still have so many things I want to achieve. So my peak is not there yet. But yeah, only Cool was a very solid introduction for me. That was a very solid beginning. You know, it seemed like a peak because it was such a huge moment. It's a big record, not just in my life, bro. I'm telling you this.
Speaker 2:The entire Afrobeats.
Speaker 1:In culture. Yeah, it was a big moment. So that was a very heavy introduction, you know. And yeah, I went on to do a lot more. My second album won me a BET Awards for Best African Artist, you know, which was quite remarkable at the time. Now we Africans are so used to the bt awards that it's like maybe for something else back then it was.
Speaker 1:It wasn't. It was such a huge deal back then. You know what I mean and that was a very huge moment. One very huge moment in my career as well, which was like a real dream come true for me, was a very surreal moment for me was when I met jay-z and he gave me a deal with dusey corniac to be dusey's ambassador in nigeria, and I was.
Speaker 1:It was a good check, a very good check, and it was a it and it was very nice being in this man's presence Because, again, that's like one of my favorite, my favorite artists ever and also somebody that I look like, I look up to musically, bar for bar, line for line. I've studied this man in so many ways, so being in his presence at that moment would be a moment that would seem like a peak for me from in my head, just because of how much I adore this person, this, this man, you know. So, yeah, meeting that man and signing a deal with him was was really an amazing time in my life, you know, and I I had seen him like four times before this particular time that I met him in his office and we spoke about duse and I went on to become duse's ambassador on nigeria.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah there's been conversations around, uh, the afrobeat genre yeah when this song, oliku, transitioned into the uk. Yeah, at the time, you know, I was active with a few other. You know pioneers of the industry in the UK. Pick up all the pioneers. You know, and there's been conversations that I've I've seen you have on other podcasts where you mentioned how the S was added to the Afro beat, which I'm really interested in. Because I've heard somebody else saying that he's the one that coined the term Afrobeats, I mean first of all.
Speaker 1:Now, first of all, let me give big credit to everybody that has played a part in this, our culture, in this, our vibe, called Afrobeats, that we've sold to the world. That a part in this, our culture, in this, our vibe, called afro beats, that we've sold to the world. I will sold to our people, first of all, and sold to the world and has employed so many of us. Big shout out to every player, everybody that has played a part in it. Now, as to how the name came about, is that necessary?
Speaker 1:maybe for history's sake, maybe not, at the end of the day, and my version what I was talking about on that podcast, let me just reiterate I don't know if that's the word but let me just say here that I actually confirmed from Ricky Davis, who is my publicist, and when I was doing Ole Kuda, I was my publicist at the time and she let me know that I'm not very sure about this.
Speaker 1:She couldn't confirm my point of the story with me, so I'd rather not talk about it again, right, but if you, if you, I know what you're talking about, the podcast you're talking about, and what I was trying to say was, when only cougar playlisted on bbc one, we couldn't they couldn't name it as afro beats because that was a fellout genre. Yeah, so we added the s to it to make it different from to make it a different, to put it on a different genre, when we were playlisting it on bbc radio back in the day, you know. So maybe that's how it came about, maybe not, you know, but I remember at the time that this song was playlisted on our radio station.
Speaker 2:there weren't very too, there weren't too many African songs on that radio station and I know you worked very closely with DJ Abranti as well At the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, at the time I could only remember Lag Baja, Never Far Away and A Sha B Banket on that radio station at the time. I don't know about any other ones, maybe there were, but yeah and yeah, big shout out to dj abranti who, again, he did my first headline show ever in the uk and he was the one that literally made this playlist thing happen back in the day, I mean with the help of so many other people. I mean I didn't want to leave anybody out. There's so many people like I'll give shout out to like shopsy do, like smade, yes, like rock ball, you know. But dj branti, yeah, he was like, yeah, he was the first person that took me out to the uk to do my first headline show and we promoted that song heavy man and it did his thing let me stop you here for a minute.
Speaker 2:If you've been watching this show, I want you to subscribe and become part of the family. We are on a journey of changing the lives of people on this channel and we appreciate you for being here. But if you haven't become part of the family, connect with us, hit the subscribe button and let's carry on the conversation. You think he played a big part in um oleku becoming what it is. Of course, one thousand percent, one thousand percent.
Speaker 1:I can't, you can't, talk about the story of ole cool without dj branty, you know, without ghana in fact. In fact I believe ghana, ghana, ghana owns that song, if you ask me, honestly speaking, because I'll tell you this. Um, when ole cool became a number one song, my first international booking came from Ghana. Wow, you know, it came from 233 Connect. I'll never forget Shout out to Joey and 233 Connect. They brought me, they brought Wizkid and they brought Fabulous from America. You know what I mean. In fact, that was the beginning of my relationship with Sakode. You know Sakode was and in fact that was the beginning of my relationship with Sakode. You know Sakode was on that gig as well, even though that show was a bittersweet moment between me and 233 Connect. I'll tell you the story. So they booked us to come perform at a concert here in Accra and it was supposed to be an exclusive deal where nobody else could bring me into Accra until I did that show. But then the VGMAs was coming up and the song was nominated for song of the year and it was supposed to win the award. D Black had a remix of the song and they wanted me and D Black to perform the remix of the song at the VGMAs, I was excited, like, yeah, let's do it, man. First of all, I was already a fan of D-Black. You know, before that song came out, I already had respect for D-Black, you know. So I thought, yo, this is going to be a good look. You know, man, when I came and did that show, it caused a whole lot of problems. First of all, there was a whole lot of backlash, you know, I think the performance just didn't go as it was supposed to and I almost lost my relationship with 233 connect at the time. It took a whole lot of begging and apologies for them to even say, okay, cool, we'll have you back in the bill, because after I did that vgmas, they had to take me off the bill with whiskey and and fabulos. But I mean, we're able to solve the situation at the time and they were able to bring me back and I came back and we performed the original song as it is and it was just timeless and classic.
Speaker 1:And apart from 233 connect, some of the remixes that came out from ghana were some of my favorite remixes. Sakori had a remix that was crazy. I'll never forget how much I played that remix back to back to back to back to back. I was so excited that you know, sak put a verse on the song. Moogie from R2V's did a crazy Badman remix to that song. I can't even sing the words to the song. It was so amazing we played it back to back. I remember J-Town my guy J-Town had a remix as well that I really liked. A couple of remixes from Ghana D-Black's remix. So Ghana really, really, you know, projected that song, you know, to the world.
Speaker 2:For me and I'm forever grateful for that. If we talk about the whole scene, the whole afro beat music, yeah uh, do you think ghana has had an influence in the nigerian afro beat?
Speaker 1:most definitely man, like most definitely. Ghana has definitely influenced nigerian music in so many ways and vice versa just the same way. I believe nigerian music has influenced ghana music in so many ways too. Listen, I feel like when it comes to this conversation, I don't even see why we separate ourselves. We are literally the same. I feel like we are there's, we are, you know it's. It's closer. Accra is closer to Lagos than Joss, where I come from.
Speaker 1:I don't know if it's something I'm saying to you, so to me, the similarities between Accra and Lagos is even more than the similarities between Lagos and Joss. Do you get what I'm saying? I feel like we need to just keep it moving and stop the comparisons. Stop. You know the divisions amongst ourselves. I feel like our parents' generation were even more intertwined together than us. I feel like our generation, if we're not careful, careful, we might lose some strings that will be very, very hard to put back. Do you get what I'm saying? There's too many, I know.
Speaker 1:We call it banter, we call it fun or whatever, but yo, a lot of truth is said in jest. Some things are registered in subliminals. You know what I mean. Like you don't want the generation coming after us to carry on the same banters, that you never know how people interpret stuff. Do you get what I'm saying? So, to me, ghana, nigeria, is the same thing. We influence each other, fashion-wise, entertainment-wise, culture-wise, even lingo.
Speaker 1:People in Nigeria say chale, people in Ghana I say Oga Bros, do you get what I'm saying? So? Or Chiaman, or stuff like that. We're literally the same and we just need to. You know, keep it moving. And Nigeria is also let me put it this way in. Let me not say speech for my people, but just to add that Nigerians have a way of, or know very well how, to replicate stuff. Okay, and maybe I don't know if replicates the word, but kind of like the chinese people do with like technology, they know how to remake almost everything. You know what I mean. Like nigerians know how to like if, if arabic music is open is what the world is listening to, right, and nigerians will find a way to make very good arabian sounds. If indian music goes up, nigerians will find a way to make very good indian songs. Jina sam, say to you, why are they?
Speaker 2:why are you guys able to make it so well? I just I feel like.
Speaker 1:I think it's. I think one of our, the one of the I think it's an advantage, is the diversity in Nigeria. Nigeria is a very, very diverse place, country, society. First of all, you know, nigeria is the biggest black nation in the world. We have the most tribes, we have the most population. So the diversity is one of its advantage. It's not just I go to other countries and I see that there's just two tribes or three tribes, or everybody's speaking the same tribe. Oh, nigeria is not like that. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Like there's so many of us in so many forms and so many and so many ways and we can create so many things in so many different ways and we can sell it to the world. I keep saying just like the Chinese people are, like Chinese people are everywhere. You know, they are so diverse as well. I feel like that's how Nigerians are. You know, if my piano is hot now, we can replicate it. Mak piano is hot now, we can replicate it. Oh, we've seen it. My cosa is hot, we will replicate it. If hip-hop is hot, we'll replicate it. I don't know if it is. I'm saying to you so, in some way or form, like our diversity, our numbers happens to be an advantage, yeah, which is a good thing, and that's just something that nobody can change. You know what I mean. Like no human being can do anything about it, except if you want to go and kill all the nigerians right there.
Speaker 1:There's literally nobody that can do anything about it. If you look at it, africa the second most populated place is ethiopia, right, and nigeria has over 100 million people more than ethiopia. So think about I'm talking about 100 million brains, mindsetsets, individuals. You know what I mean. So the numbers is something that will never change. Just like Chinese people, you can never reduce your number. No matter what you do, no matter what virus you bring, no matter what war you want to put up, they will always have the most numbers. So they'll always dominate the rest of the world. Do you get what I'm saying? So, yeah, the numbers helps.
Speaker 1:So the best thing that I say to all my brothers from other places is yo, because you cannot do anything about it. The best thing to do is to collaborate with it. Collaborate with them. You know one thing there's a there's a lame statement even I don't really like the statement so much when they say if you can't beat them, join them. I don't really like that statement, but just for reference, just for example. You know you can't do anything about the number and the diversity, so the best thing is to collaborate with them. You know I mean, the best thing is to is to work with them yeah, all right.
Speaker 2:So let's talk about the mindset of a new artist. When you started and your mindset now yeah, what has been the change and the things you had to learn on the journey.
Speaker 1:Oh, I learned that as a young artist I thought as a young artist I just thought, man, I don't want to. I don't want to find the right words as a young artist. Okay, first of all, again, I'd like to say big shout-outs to some of my upbringing, some of the people that I looked up to coming up, some of the people I considered OGs or mentors or friends. Lucky for me, I happen to have been surrounded by very amazing people. I've had so many amazing friends, ogs, mentors, people that I look up to so I've always been sort of grounded in some way or the other. Do you get what I'm saying? Obviously, like, I've had my own exuberance as well. I've had my own youthful exuberance as well, where I go astray here or I do some dumb stuff or I mess up and have regrets or whatever. You know, I've had my own youthful rigmarole, but I've always had mentors or people that I look up to, people that I talk to, people that are honest with me, people that I fear, people that I think about how they will feel about whatever I do. Do you know what I'm saying to you? So for me, I'll say I've I've always had that and I'm lucky that I've always had that.
Speaker 1:I'm saying this to say to anybody who's young and watching that you need those people in your life. You need to have people that you fear. You need to have people that you fear. You need to have people that you look up to. You need to have people that you want to be like. You also have people that you worry about the consequences of what you do before them. Do you get what I'm saying? And I'm talking about like for me in my life. I'm talking about people like MI. I'm talking about people like Aldo McCurry, paul Yahaya, the guys who own Chocolate City who signed me, mekore, paul yahaya, the guys who own chocolate city who signed me. Those are like my ogs. Those are my mentors. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, back then, as a young artist, I always knew that I wanted to make these guys proud. Whatever I do, I'm representing these people and these people are solid, stand-up people. So I've always had that at the back of my mind and even up till now to the age where I'm at right now, I still had that at the back of my mind and even up till now to the age where I'm at right now I still have that at the back of my mind because that has been there from time. So he only, he only grew with me.
Speaker 1:That everything I do I always have know it at the back of my mind that you know I represent people, I'm not just doing it for myself. You know, I represent people, I represent a tribe, beyond even mentors and and friends and ogs or whatever, just down to where I come from. I represent a tribe, I represent a culture, I represent a native. That everything I do I have to think, I have to think about at the back of my mind that how is it gonna represent these people? Know it's not just all about me, me, me.
Speaker 2:It's about what we live for at the end of the day, so what were some of the decisions you made in the past that you think maybe you know now, when it comes to my career? Let me tell you something?
Speaker 1:One of the worst things for me. One of the things that I wish I could unlearn is how to roll. Can I say any word here? It's how to roll. One of the things that I wish I could unlearn is how to roll Cannabis. Thank you, I wish I never learned that, because if I didn't learn it, I probably I'm not going to say I wouldn't have smoked, but I probably would have, maybe probably not even smoked, I probably just smoked with a little bit of moderation or whatever. But because I know how to roll. Charlie, you wake up in the studio. You know what I mean, and the crazy thing is that I don't not everybody, not every. I don't let nobody roll for me. I roll my stuff myself. I don't do, I don't do no drugs, I don't mix my stuff with anything crazy, you know, but I wish I didn't. I never learned how to roll. That's one just aside.
Speaker 1:And then maybe decisions with women. Um, I've broken a few hearts that I regret. Um, I've messed up in some relationships that I wish. I wish I could turn back the hands of time, you know, but everything happens for a reason and sometimes in life you just have to again learn from your mistake and just try not to do it again or grow from your mistake or or just be plain stupid. And for me, I try to learn from every mistake I've made. You know I've made some I've made, especially like with women. Yeah, I've I've lost some. Very I've lost some very amazing, amazing angels, plus some very amazing, amazing angels, some real, just some stupid stuff. So some dumb guy stuff, stuff that I could probably could have avoided, girls that I probably should have said hi back to or followed back on social media. Just some little tiny, stupid mistakes. You know, and as you grow older, you just learn. You just, um, get to live with the regrets and the oh, I wish, I wish, I wish you know, but yeah, I have.
Speaker 2:I have a lot of young people, especially men, a lot of boys, that listen to this podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Um 85% are Nigerians Right 85% are Nigerians. Right, and these and these young boys are probably listening and something is running through their mind. When it comes to the subject of cannabis and artistry, yeah, is it really important?
Speaker 1:because I want this question.
Speaker 2:I don't want to be icy before I ask this question because, like almost every artist that I know that I've come across yo is it?
Speaker 1:does it help with the craft? No, it doesn't. I'm sorry I took time to answer that question. No, it doesn't help with the craft. But for me I'm gonna speak for myself it helps with my mood, right? Okay, not my craft. It helps with my mood, even though there's so many other things that could help with my mood. Doesn't have to be that, but it just so happened to be that I I'm not gonna say and lie that I don't, but I do. You know what I mean. And yeah, again, I always advise that it's not for everybody. It's not for everybody. Why isn't it?
Speaker 2:don't. It's not for everyone. I've never done it. Why isn't it good for me?
Speaker 1:health wise. Okay, it's not for everybody. First of all, you need to know from your doctor, you need to find out certain things. Health wise, mentally, you know, not everybody reacts to it the same way. You get what I'm saying. I've seen people take two puffs and go loose. I've seen people take 10 puffs and, yes, they talk. Well, do you know what I'm saying to you? So it's not for everybody. Know yourself.
Speaker 1:At the end of the day, everything boils down to knowing who the F you are. Know yourself and be honest with yourself. Don't do things to please people. Don't do things because people are doing it. Know yourself down to your core. You know what I mean. That's very, very important, you know. But yeah, for me, again, again, let me confess again. I started doing this with my grandfather, who died at age 98 exactly, lived very long and smoked his whole life. So for me, you know, I always blame him as well, you know. So that's what I'm like. I always blame him for it. But I started with my grandfather at a very young age. So, like I said, maybe your, but I started with my grandfather at a very young age. So, like I said, maybe your grandfather is not like my grandmother, please don't go out and smoke.
Speaker 2:It's not for everybody. The DNA is not that strong.
Speaker 1:Exactly, it's not for everybody. It's not for everybody, and again, even for me, that I'm talking like this bro, I don't smoke in. Honestly speaking, honestly speaking, I never. I don't take smoke in. I literally smoke it like I'm smoking shisha. So it was.
Speaker 2:I'm not trying to teach anybody how to smoke but you know, you know, ice, I'm so happy you spoke about this because you know there's a crisis going on at the moment in West Africa yeah where a lot of young people are using there's something they call red.
Speaker 2:It's a tapentazor, tapentador. Yo, there's so many things, there's a lot of things that are happening. Yeah, and I think this is how it starts, right, but the problem I think we see in this industry is a young artist Most of the time does not know how to say no to the senior, right? So I walk into the studio 19 year old, you are like 34 years, and then you know you've got it on going on and you're like, yeah, no there yeah, but but a young person like that should not be around seniors who would even pass them stuff like that, you know?
Speaker 1:like, let me speak for myself. If I'm smoking and I'm, maybe my young boys come into the studio. They all know none of them is going to. They can't ask me for my smoke. They can't ask me for smoke and I'm not going to pass it to them. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Now, some of my young guys smoke. They come with their smoke, they're smoking their thing. I don't stop them, I let them do their thing, but I don't give it to them. Do you know what I'm saying to you? I don't offer it to them. And with a lot of my young friends or my young boys, there's respect between us. You know, first of all, if you don't respect me, you can't even be around me. You know what I'm saying to you. So with my, with a lot of my young guys, they have the respect for me to know that. No, they're not going to ask Ice for his shit. Maybe when Ice steps out of the studio there or steps out, they can steal it or take a pinch take a blunt, but they're not going to ask me for my stuff.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to give it to them. I'm not going to buy it for them. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? So for me, that's what it is and, honestly speaking, I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart because I know it's the new cool.
Speaker 1:When I was growing up, when we're growing up, you know ganja was, you know the stigma behind it. First of all, like bro, if your brother smokes your whole compound, you mark your whole compound as the bad people in the neighborhood. You get what I'm saying. Now is the new cool. Now everybody does it. Now everybody allows it. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay. I guess you know, coming from somebody who smokes himself, what can I say? But let's be guided and let's be true to ourselves, let's know ourselves, let's be real to ourselves. You know what I mean. I love it. And again, just finally, last point, this thing we're talking about is a very expensive venture. It's a very, a very expensive venture. It's a very, very expensive venture. So you don't want to get it. You don't want to get started with something that you cannot sustain. You know what I'm saying to you guys, what does success mean to you?
Speaker 1:success is happiness success to me is joy. Joy is coming. I mean, what success to me is happiness? Success to me is is being in the position to bless yourself and bless others. If you're able to do that, no matter in what capacity, no matter how little, I think you are either successful or on your way to success. And even in that, you know your success is on the way to success. And even in that, you know your success is on the way to success. Do you get what I'm saying? Like, as long as you're able to help people and you're able to help yourself and as you're, able to.
Speaker 2:Let me stop you here for a minute. If you've been watching this show, I want you to subscribe and become part of the family. We are on a journey of changing the lives of people on this channel and we appreciate you for being here, but if you haven't become part of the family, connect with us, hit the subscribe button and let's carry on the conversation you know, there's something I really like about you is your consistency in releasing songs.
Speaker 2:I can never stop, I am. And then I was speaking to ricky, yeah, and you know she said sky is always in the studio always, you know.
Speaker 1:I could never stop.
Speaker 2:I have a studio in the house and that's my office, so I'm always there, there was a conversation I watched of T-Pain right, and then he was talking about the time in an artist's life where they work so hard to get to the top of the mountain, yeah, and that to you would be first album, second album, third album, whatever, yeah, right, and then they work. So they stay there, right, and they keep working, and then at some point in that artist's life they coast a bit because they, you know, be happy, you know things are moving.
Speaker 2:Right, so maybe you tour for like two years, yeah, um, you don't release anything, you don't see all these things coming and the new cats come into the industry, yeah, and then they get down a bit and they have to keep trying to get back on the mountain again. Yeah, how is that? How does that look like?
Speaker 1:for you. I guess that's just, that's just life generally. That's just not with music, that's with everything, that's even with businesses, that's even with with sports, that's with everything. There's always going to be new cats. So, yeah, there will always be new artists, there will always be new cats. There will always, like they say, the beautiful ones are not yet born, so you can imagine what's coming. If you think there's new cats, now, imagine what's coming up. There will always be those.
Speaker 1:But as long as you stay true to yourself and, again, you don't bend, you don't fold, you're going to remain timeless, you're going to remain classic, you're going to remain evergreen. Do you get what I'm saying? I always advise musicians especially say things that come from inside your heart, say things that come from inside your core, like for me, for example, I don't just jump on a beat because that's the trending beat. I don't just write about a topic because that's what everybody's talking about. I don't just use a slang in my music because, oh, that's what everybody's saying. Now you get what I'm saying. Everything I drop, everything I release, is my personal experience, and God bless me. Luckily. Luckily for me, some of them turn out to be very classic, so you will still find me performing songs on my first album in 2025. You still find me performing song for my second album, third album, fourth album in 2025, 2030 and beyond.
Speaker 1:You get what I'm saying and over the course of time, I've seen artists come and go. I've seen them get hot and not get hot. You know I'm already at a point where some of them call me onk, some of them call me OG. Already you get so I would say. I've been in the industry long enough to know that, first of all, I'm blessed and I'm very content with my blessings because, no matter how many hit songs I have, there's always going to be a young brother coming up with better swag, better videos, better production and more frenzy from the fans. Do you get what I'm saying? It's always going to be like that. It's always going to be like that, but what's classic is classic Until the end of time. You're going to hear. You're always going to hear that it's classic.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're always going to hear that it's classic, and then, after many years, with Chocolate City.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Then you say, okay, guys, you know I want to set up my own label. Yeah, Super Cool Cats. Yeah, Is that your way of you know, starting your own entrepreneurial venture?
Speaker 1:Yeah, super cool cats.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Is that your way of you know, starting your own entrepreneurial venture.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, that was a way of growing up. You know what I mean. I was with Chocolate City for the time of my contract. I signed a four-year contract and a two-hour deal and I submitted that. I fulfilled the contract and the contract paid me so well, like the contract did so well for me. It got me to the point where it lifted me up as an artist and I needed to fly on my own. So when it came to the time for us to renew the deal, they didn't even want me to renew the deal at that point, they wanted me to be, to play a role in the company. So I was made the coo of chocolate city, with as a chief operating officer, and under me we put out the indestructible chalkboard album, you know.
Speaker 1:But I did that for a year. I realized that, man, this office job is not for me. This office job is not for me. Oh, honestly speaking, then you know, I left. I left that job and I just focused on my super cool cats. And when I had that job, you know we had artists like ck, like coca dice, ales, victoria kimani, you know, millie, a lot of them. Price and Super Cool Cats is literally my home, my company, my baby, everything I do, my fashion, my music is all under my imprint. Now Super Cool Cats.
Speaker 2:You have a new album coming up. Yes, I'm glad you brought that up. Yes, you have a new album coming up. Yes, I think it's exciting Thank you, you know. Thank you, it's a new album coming up. Yes, I think it's exciting, thank you.
Speaker 1:You know. Thank you.
Speaker 2:It's a combination album with somebody collaboration album.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's a collaboration album Again. This is again. This is another full circle moment for me, because, first of all, I'm releasing this project on the Chocolate City that we just spoke about, you know. So the Chocolate City is my distribution and marketing for this project, and this project is a joint project with my brother, chopsticks.
Speaker 1:Yep, you know, chopsticks is one of my my oldest friends and my oldest producers is. You know, one of the people that has given me some of my biggest songs is the producer behind shots on shots with Saco, the producer behind aoki. He's the producer behind um, gimme that Light, gimme that Cush, raise the Roof. Whatever, he's produced some of my biggest songs.
Speaker 1:You know, jumbo I could go on and on and on, and me and him, just you know, decided to give them something a little bit different, you know, switch up the game a little bit with a new sound, a new sound of rap, you know, even though, like, it's a rap oriented project, but there's still some fun music in there, there's still something for you to dance to, but it's an Ice Prince chopsticks project, and if you know my history with chopsticks, then I think you should look forward to this. It's very exciting and we have collaborations like Bella Shmurda is on it, we have TML Vibes on it, we have other producers like Flash Scarlett. You know I'm very, very excited about this project, this particular project, because it shows excuse me, it shows growth, it shows where I am mentally, you, you know, and even the topics I'm writing about, the things I'm talking about as stuff that is, it's a lot of knowledge, it's gems for the younger generation, for my peers, you know I'm excited about. It starts us, do you think?
Speaker 2:do you feel appreciated by the work you've done for the industry? Yes, excuse me, Always, always, bro.
Speaker 1:I'm always on the road, I'm always booked, I'm always performing. What more can I ask for? I'm grateful. I'm so grateful. The fact that I'm still getting paid even more than I ever was paid in 2025, maybe 15 years later in the game that's more than a blessing. What more can I ask for?
Speaker 1:Now, I'm not the kind of person let me tell you the truth I don't crave accolades. I don't crave attention. You see what you call superstardom, my bro. I have literally tasted it. I have stayed in some of the best hotels in the world. I have flown some of the best airlines. I've flown private jets countless times. I have I have kissed some of the prettiest girls on earth.
Speaker 1:Just to add to this, I have I don't want to say seen it all, done it all. I hate to use that, but I have been so blessed, my brother. I have worn some of the most expensive clothes. I've eaten some of the most expensive food. You know, I've been and I'm still. I still am. I'm still getting paid. Well enough, you get what I'm saying. So that, to me, is the appreciation, that to me, is the blessing, that to me, is the accolade. And every time I'm on the street, no matter where I am on the continent of Africa and even beyond, people point at me and recognize me. They want to take pictures, they want to say hi, they want to invite me to their crib, they want to give me something, they want to dash me something. That's more than a blessing, my brother.
Speaker 2:Now to my four questions before we close off. All right, Is there anything that I could have asked you?
Speaker 1:First of all, I want to tell you that you're the coolest guy man. It's like the most easiest, fun-loving conversation I've had on a podcast in a while.
Speaker 2:Thank you, I appreciate that.
Speaker 1:You're making me talk a lot from inside my belly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:Is there anything I could have asked you that you think I didn't, that I should? I'd probably just be asking myself right it's like me talking to myself, I would love to talk a little bit more about the relationship between Nigeria and the rest of Africa, between Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:I don't want to say Ghana, I want to say the rest of Africa, because I realized that a lot of the sentiments that come from Ghana, which was kind of like what I was telling you earlier, that is a narrative that our generation needs to change because we don't want the next generation to pick up on that yeah the sentiments I realized that it's not just from ghana.
Speaker 1:Like cameronians have the same sentiments, south africans have the same sentiments, kenyans have the same sentiments, ethiopians have the same sentiments. You know what I mean. It's like we need to get to a point where we really truly, truly, truly, truly believe and realize that we are brothers and sister, like we come from the same ancestors, the same blood, the same heritage. Like we need to understand the fact that we are one. We were divided by lines like literally barrel and paper you get what I'm saying and they call this place this place and they call here, here and they. You know what I mean. We're literally one and the same and that's the narrative that I want to see us pushing more, whether it's with our music or it's with our entertainment or it's with our sports politics.
Speaker 1:I'm very excited when I see like like a few weeks ago I saw the president of ghana in abuja with my president and I was very, very excited. You know what I mean. I love to see stuff like that. One of the things I always say is I wish African leaders linked up more, like African artists do. Like if we see Niger president and Ghana president a lot more like we see maybe Fireboy and Black Sherry, for Fireboy and King Promise, if we see them linking up. I'm not even saying they should hang out every day, I'm not even saying they should be best of friends, but let's just see them collaborate.
Speaker 2:Let's just see them doing things together.
Speaker 1:Let's see Kenya presidents and Ethiopian presidents. Let's see Uganda presidents and Zimbabwean presidents. We need to see them more together. You know what I mean. Like we need to bring ourselves, africa needs to be one. Like we've been hearing this since we were born, since before we were born, yo bob marley has been telling us this since the 80s. That man died in the 80s. Like that's a jamaican being telling us we need to be one. So our it needs to happen in our generation.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you understand what I'm saying From the leadership to us. I don't want to only see our presidents when they are doing AU or OAU conference. That's not only when I want to see them. Or when there's ECOWAS, that's the only time you see them together. Ecowas meeting, that's the only time you see them together. No, I feel like we need to unite our continent more, starting from the leadership to the artistry.
Speaker 1:Now, I give a big credit to entertainment, because entertainment is doing it and doing it very well, especially with music. The Ghana-Nigeria collaboration is amazing. Ghana, south Africa, niger, south Africa, cameroon, niger, south Africa, all those South Africa, cameroon, I just South Africa all those collaborations are amazing and we need to see more of it. We need to keep it going. You know what I mean. Like, when I came in the game, that was the stuff that people like me and Sakode and R2Bs were on. You know what I mean. We made a lot of records together and we need to see more of that, more of that, more of that, instead of the divisions and the sentiments or this person is, that person or these people don't support us. This, like bro and the good, again I can say I'm speaking for my people. The good thing and the truth is, the truth is and the honest truth is is nigerians actually actually support? Nigerians actually actually support. Just try reach out, don't be where you are and say they don't support. That's not true. We actually actually actually support.
Speaker 1:I'll tell you for a fact that if you go to nigeria and I've go to lagos now you will probably hear more sako day music, thanos now. You will probably hear more Sarkozy music than Ice Prince music. You will probably hear more Sarkozy than MI or Vector on radio. I'm telling you this 1000%, you can check it. Do you understand what I'm saying to you? If you go to Lagos now, you will probably hear more King Promise on the radio than maybe, joe Boy. I'm telling you facts, 1000%. You can ask the Ghanians who live in Nigeria. If you go to Nigeria, you hear more Amapiano music, more South African music that you would hear Potable in the club. I don't know if you get what I'm saying. So Nigerians actually support you. Just need to reach out and and try as much as you can Make friends. You know, let's, let's make our continent as one as possible. That's the only topic that I think I would have loved to talk about more. But, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2:No, I love it. Thank you for talking about it and I thank God for remembering this question.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it, my brother.
Speaker 2:The next one is motivation or discipline, both Okay, both.
Speaker 1:You need to be disciplined and you need to stay motivated. Whatever motivates you, as long as it's positive, you know, stay on that. Whatever motivates you, stay on that and do it the right way. I advocate for doing things the right way. I'm not the type of guy to do whatever is illegal or whatever, but be motivated by the right things and stay on it and, of course, without discipline, you're nothing but cabbage. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:so, uh, I mean like discipline is very important and I think I gave you a hint on this one. Yeah, that usually my guests would have to recommend a book. What would a book?
Speaker 1:yeah, ah, man, I have so many books I would recommend. I have a book I'm reading right now, actually called the power of the mind, but I don't think I'm going to recommend that yet. Can I recommend three books? Go ahead one. It's probably my favorite books of all time, probably because I read this book when I was like 13 years old and I'm not gonna lie, it changed my life. It changed my thinking at that, that young age. So to anybody who's watching this, I recommend recommend this for your younger ones or your kids. You have a 13 year old. It's called Think Big by Ben Carson. Yeah, that's probably my all-time favorite book Think Big by Ben Carson. My second one book I recommend.
Speaker 1:Now, I don't remember the author, but it has a three-part. It's a three-part book. It's called Conversations with God. There's a part one, part two and part three. I promise you your life will not be the same if you read this book. Conversations with God Very, very amazing book. I promise you Just find it. Part one, two and three. Conversations with God. And, last but not the least, book number three.
Speaker 2:Number three book, the.
Speaker 1:Bible. You're the second person. That's the Bible.
Speaker 2:You're the second person that's recommending the Bible.
Speaker 1:I hope every guest there recommends the Bible. I think, yeah, the Bible.
Speaker 2:The.
Speaker 1:Bible. Yeah, if you're a Christian, that is the Bible, and if you're Muslim, the Quran. The Quran or whatever book that you're religious, I mean just the Bible. I'm saying because it's, it's a way to connect to spirituality and that's that's a very good exercise as well, spiritual exercise, and you know, I recommend the bible for christians and the quran for muslims.
Speaker 2:And thank you so much. Yeah, I really appreciate your time, derrick. I don't take this lightly, derek.
Speaker 1:Thank you, man. I was supposed to go back to Nigeria today, but First of all, I'm honored To be on your podcast. I'm very excited To see you again. My brother, after all these years and big shout outs, can I give my shout outs now?
Speaker 2:Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 1:Big shout outs, big shout outs to Ricky Davis, my sister, for God knows how many years now she's been an amazing person in my life, in my career. You know Ricky Davis from Ghana, also, lillian Blankson. May her soul rest in peace. She's also one of my OG from Ghana who in the beginning of my career career literally did so much for me like so, so, so, so, so much for me. I can never forget this. She used to work with BET back in the day and she was the person who introduced the best international act category to the BET awards. Yes, a Ghanaian. Yes, she's no more, but she's one of my favorite. I just want to give her a shout out. You know, best International Act Category to the BET Awards. Yes, a Ghanaian. Yes, she's no more, but she's one of my favorite people. I just want to give her a shout-out, you know, as a tribute or whatever.
Speaker 1:And also big shout-outs to all my good friends out here in Ghana. You know all my good friends, glenn. If I don't give Glenn a shout-out, that would be nice. Glenn, obi, joey Gucci, becca and Toby. Toby, my man, and Becca, of course. Joey Gucci, vk, famous General. You know all my real friends. Ah, obi, bob Bebe, the Wise Saco Deer, friends man, ah, the wise saco dear. You know one of my favorite guys, d money, of course, d black. You know everybody man, all my real friends, man in gh, man, big respect, big love, so happy to be here. Every every time I touch down here it feels like home for me. And yeah, derek, appreciate you man, thank you, thank you, um, and please bring this podcast. Nigeria, I know god, I got your back already. Yeah, it's happening. Let's collaborate.
Speaker 2:Don't forget, it's for the continent you know, yeah, we'll try and make that happen, bless and you know, just because you mentioned the name, ricky davis um, she's actually the one that made this happen. You know, I had to, I had to, you know, get get to her very quickly as soon as I saw you from.
Speaker 1:She's literally my sister, man, my sister, and hey man. Big shout out to claudia as well. I can't forget claudia. I have to give a shout out to claudia. Claudia lives in.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, yeah, so thank you so much for listening and you know, being part of connected minds. Um, yes, we are the number one in Ghana Entrepreneurship. In Nigeria, we are number five on business in several other countries, so we're doing amazing because of your support. So let's carry on and let's keep pushing this all around the world. Stay connected.