Tush Magazine Issue 11

CONTENTS

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33

22

13

29

10

45

37 06. LMK’S DIARY 08.UNDERG - DREMO 12. SOCCER ANALYSIS - WHO WINS 2015/2016 PREMIERE LEAGUE? 15. FICTION: STAY 18. CELEBRITY HUB - DEBOLA WILLIAMS 20. ARTICLE: A PROUD MILLENIAL 28. EVENT: JAM SESSION 31. ARTICLE: CITIZEN JOURNALISM 35. EVENT: TPL 39. DEAR ARTISTE - Managing Your Reputation in the Industry 40. 18 profitable skills for young entrepreneurs 42. EVENT: LNPL 43. MOVIE REVIEW - Power VS. Empire 46. AN ODE TO MY MOTHER 4 | TUSH MAGAZINE | #11

FROM THE EDITOR..

New Phase; New Strength

A

wise man once said the key to success is; ‘Be prepared to sleep like a baby, waking up every 2 hours crying.’ Not many young persons might understand this statement quite sadly. I have seen many creative and talented enterprises with high potentials for yielding profits owned by young individuals packing up after a few months mostly due to setbacks that weren’t expected and they couldn’t muster the strength to face them.

The global world has evolved into an unconventional system, allowing young people create fortunes out of their passions; passion being relative here has been termed the base for any successful venture/ business. Steve Jobs before he died did say in an interview that: “People say you need to have a lot of passion for what you are doing and its totally true; the reason being that you need to keep doing it over a sustained period of time which any rational person can do and eventually give up. So if you don’t have a lot of passion to pursue your creativity then you’re going to give up”.

I totally agree with Steve Jobs on this regardless of the fact that Nigeria doesn’t have a fair environment to allow effective functionality of one’s passion. In actual context, succeeding with a venture/business in Nigeria as a young person is a herculean task and it therefore requires all the passion and strength to keep it afloat.

This issue of Tush Magazine is a testimony of passion and we are glad to dedicate this issue to great personalities who against all odds have followed their passion and have become all sorts of inspiration to other persons. Our cover page personalities – Banky W and D’Banj, two of Nigeria’s biggest acts whom have both experienced similar circumstances – D’banj breaking up with his longtime partner and Banky W seeing the exit of Wizkid – became an attraction to a global brand like Ciroc due to their resilience. Featured also in this issue is DJ Spinall, another inspiring story of a random DJ who was determined and has moved on to becoming one of Nigeria’s biggest DJs. As usual every of our other interviews are worthy and inspiring enough to send a message to our readers.

Pen-ultimately, I would like to commiserate with the entire family of Joyce & Phidelia Imiegha, who lost their mother in a rather untimely time.

Except the few times I met her, I really didn’t know anything about her but just as the saying goes, “a child’s character is an evidence of the kind of home he/she is from”. I pray for God’s strength and comfort on the family she left behind; May her soul have eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord. (Amen) Just as we would keep staying true to our promise, we would continue to serve you the best and the most interesting magazine in Nigeria. Like I would always urge you, kindly grab a chilled bottle of drink and enjoy a wonderful read as you flip through the pages of this issue. You can also visit our website to have an experience of our other platforms. Share with a friend too.

Yours Truly,

Anslem Jon [@TheAJCompany]

Editorial Team Editor-In-Chief Anslem Jon Editorial Consultant Joyce Imiegha Senior Editor Alexander Thandi Ubani Sub-Editor Oghomwen Toni-Osagie Admin/Sub-Editor Stephen Aghalu Cover Design Graphixed Graphics/Illustrations Flip Graphix Graphixed Judy Proof Read Elite Resources CS Production/Research Tush Kingdom Media Production Logistics Ibhenbisa Imolele Correspondents Rufai Ahutu Augustine Ogbonna Featured Writers Phidelia Imiegha Winifred Ononikpo Fola Folayan Tush Magazine is a quarterly publication of Tush Kingdom Media, a media outfit into magazine publishing, events otrganizing and event coverage. Tush Kingdom Media possesses rights to all published artcles, interviews and pictures.

For comments, suggestions, criticisms or editorial submission, write us via: editor@tushmagazine.com.ng OR editorials@tushmagazine.com.ng | Visit our website on: www.tushmagazine.com.ng

LMK’s DIARY

Memoirs of a Tush Magazine Staff

T

he first time I got in contact with Tush Magazine was immediately after the release of its third (3rd) issue, just as they were preparing for their fashion & music event tagged “Cinematainment 3”.

I got in touch with the Chief Editor to proffer some publicity services for the event, in exchange for some sort of recognition as was the modus operandi back then in 2012 for new bloggers like me. We met, got talking and came to a great conclusion on how both parties were going to benefit from each other and what not. November came quickly amidst bants of publicity on our side and lots of recognition from the Tush Magazine team and I was satisfied my good was indeed “appreciated”. The event came through & I traveled all the way to take part in it and also, network with other like minds in the entertainment industry.

Fast forward few months later, I had probably lost touch with the Magazine when its fourth (4th) issue got released with the amazing Yemi Alade and Yung6ix gracing it’s cover pages and I was like “What the Bananas??

I thought these guys were gone with the wind??”. Well, I was wrong.

Apparently T.M had just started their beautiful journey onto greatness.

Time went on and they hit us with the fifth (5th) issue featuring Skales and Seyi Shay on the cover pages and the animal in me got compelled to reach out to the Editor once more almost a year after the first time. A couple interviews and great conversations later and I got on the team; more like, decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I learnt through time that the sky was just a stepping stone for the Magazine as I was let in on the plans laid out for the company.

The Sixth issue came real quick and I had started to live in the stressful hazardous world of magazine producers. It was a real challenge getting articles & interviews done and ready, getting photographers, artistes and models together for shoots, and also getting Art directors & designers to understand what we wanted and producing results in no time. It was one of the most stressful Decembers of my life, but it is one of my favorite because I got the appalling opportunity to create content for a magazine that was steady gaining momentum in the entertainment Industry and Africa at large.

It got released by the end of December and amidst the New Year celebrations, we pushed harder than we ever thought we could. The Magazine got surprisingly featured on platforms we may not have been ordinarily featured on; my favorite part was “Tush Magazine” organically trending on Twitter NG. No, we didn’t pay parody account owners to tweet jokes and questions while hash-tagging us, we got all the engagements from Blogs and people who whole-heartedly supported us. Endia and Emma Nyra who were the faces of the sixth issue (6th issue) also trended on Twitter and it was indeed a win-win for everyone who put in time & efforts for that issue.

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Fast forward one year later and T.M could boast of three new issues with features ranging from the likes of Ehis (MTV Base), Enzo, Moet Abebe, Sarz amongst others on the 7th issue. Dammy Krane, Di’ja, Sesan, Dj Frizzie took their spots on the 8th Issue; and Victoria Kimani, Cynthia Morgan, Tosyn Bucknor, Kemi Adetiba, Linda Ikeji and others were featured on the 9th issue which wrapped up the year and all these issues took us some more steps closer at realizing the goals and objectives of the company.

In all these while, I had risen from being a writer to becoming publicist for the magazine, and at the time, I was being considered for the position of an editorial consultant so I worked extremely hard in all of those months.

There was indeed an elevation as issues 7, 8 & 9 were accompanied by online versions of the magazines, popularly known as E-magazines or digital magazines. This helped most of our readers get first hand views of the magazine without having to wait to get the hard copy version of the magazines. We were truly amazed by the thousands of downloads we got from both issues.

At long last, everyone was granted vacations; few months off the grid and the likes because we had a bigger dream of releasing excellent issues in 2015. We all needed to take breaks to rest and come up with creative and exciting ideas for the issues ahead. It was a pretty challenging period as many ideas were flunked while others were considered for trials. While all of these were going on, I got confirmed as the Editorial Consultant for the Magazine. Yes!!!!

In May, we returned with a special edition, a masterpiece, a magazine worthy of celebration as TM was marking its tenth issue (10th)! The amazing Praiz did a double take on our covers hence tagging the issue “Rich and Famous”. Goddess of Skillz, Suka Sounds, Pearl (Soundcity), Geoffery (P Fame 7.0 winner) and a host of others were also featured on the magazine. Everything about that issue was significant as can be (yea, we can brag about that). To cap it all, we had our usual event, “Meet & Greet”; a networking platform organized by Tush Kingdom Media to give both readers of the magazine to meet one on one with personalities featured on the magazine for pictures, autographs and of course drinks and meals. It was as awesome as should be because the location was pouring with excited fans and celebrities.

Few months later, expansion came with the months preceding it as we got a new office space and more contributors and employees got on the team. The most challenging days I got working for T.M came in August/ September because the total idea of the Magazine was amazing! We had the amazing Ciroc boys of Nigeria do us the honor of covering the Magazine; Banky W & D’banj were plattered on the cover pages of issue 11, the beginning of a new era. Alongside these kings, we had Moe Musa, DJ Spinall, Zainab Balogun, Debola Williams, DJ Cuppy, Falz and others gracing the pages of this magazine.

It is with great honor that we present to you, TUSH MAGAZINE ISSUE 11.

ENJOY.

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UNDERG (NEXT RATED ACT) - DREMO

B

eing a young person in this generation is not an easy feat; at a young age you are hungrier than ever for success. You go to sleep with your dreams and goals in your mind, and wake up with more ideas and concepts to make those dreams realities.

Aboriomoh Femi Raymond understands this; he is a hungry 22 year old Afro pop artiste that is overly eager to share his craft with the world. He started his musical career professionally in 2013, and it has been a steady journey since then. As every artiste is required, he needed a stage name and when his brother suggested ‘Dremo’, he just felt it was hot!

Growing up in a religious home added its own teaching needed for his craft; he used tot play the keyboard in church and he still does. His father is a pastor, so he nurtured his singing and performing abilities in a church by joining the choir at a very tender age.

Despite being passionate about his musical career, this talented young chap still finds time to balance his school activities; He is presently studying English Language at the National Open University, Ibadan.

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His debut single, ‘OBT’ (Oluwa Baba Turnup), is a party favorite, with a video to match. Dremo has been working tirelessly on his official debut album with producers like Suka Sounds, Shizzie and Legendury Beatz.

With so many musical projects, Dremo is set to make a landmark in the Nigerian music industry. When asked about his upcoming projects, he said; ‘I am shooting about 3 videos this summer; I’m traveling to South Africa for one of them.’

He states his dream collaborations as, working with Drake internationally and with producers like Don Jazzy and Sarz locally.

As a young, handsome, and hardworking man, it is only safe to assume that he gets his fair share of the female folks flocking his doorstep, and he affirmed that he is currently in a relationship.

Dremo is a very promising act with lots of contagious enthusiasm and zeal. He assures us to expect really good music, videos and an album soon. So, watch out!

INTERVIEW

FALZ

“Talks on Summer, Career and...Love!”

2015 has been really good to Folarin Falana thus far, with two endorsements deals to add to his high flying resume; new singles thatthe social media has embraced and is constantly patronizing. Falz is not only a versatile artiste, with the influence of his comical side and ‘len-less’ glasses but a barrister who is having the time of his life, putting out radio friendly singles and setting out for his sophomore album. We hooked up with Falz TheBahdGuy, and he tells us about summer, his career and you would not believe it… LOVE!

LOVE

There is a common saying that, ‘Fellas know within the first 15 minutes of meeting a woman if there will be a future with her, or if they will marry her.’ I am not sure how this works for the guys, so we ask Falz and he said;

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‘Falz: I don’t agree, I think we need way more time to be able to tell if there would be a future. You can tell whether you would get along eventually within the first 15 minutes, you could tell if she is smart and your type of woman if the 15minutes involves constant conversation, a flowing conversation. You can tell if she is your type of person, but a future? nah you will need more time.’

TM: As a male celebrity, there must be a level of controversy or alleged relationships, but with Falz it is just his music and humor. Either he is putting in work or cracking up his fans. So we decided to snoop to find out what type of woman interests him.

‘Falz: She has to be smart, have a great sense of humor and has to be ambitious.

Those are the key things. I’m not too particular about the physical, so long as she’s good looking, I’m good. Overtime I’ve always preferred light skinned ladies, but my horizon has expanded. I’m not limiting myself to dark skins anymore. (Lol) TM: In Nigeria, where guys are perceived as unromantic, what are your options for a first date?

Falz: ‘I would take her to a restaurant, somewhere nice and fancy so we could talk, because we have to talk on the first date. I probably won’t take her to the cinema because we can’t actually talk; we have to watch the movie. So a restaurant, so I can see her face well and have a direct conversation with her.’

TM: If Falz sees a girl he likes very much, how does he approach her?

Falz: “I look around first, to see if she is with anybody because you don’t want to go there and intrude. So if she’s alone and just there I will walk up to her and introduce myself, try to start a conversation.’

SUMMER

TM: If you are on social media or you have friends from work, you would notice a common trend at this moment…

VACATION, VACATION! Most people are on a beach somewhere, soaking in the sun and basking in its glory, because it is that time of the year.

Falz is presently in Lagos, but we ask him a little bit about summer and what his plans are, as an entertainer; Is this is the period of more work or a break to clear and relax the muscles? Picture a beach with lots of sunlightand beautiful women. We asked him his dream location and he said;

Definitely Miami! I have heard a lot of nice things about Miami, I have never been there but it sounds like a very exotic and interesting place to go to.

TM: Miami is synonymous to beautiful women.. Falz is very scandal free, so any outlet to snoop around we welcome it. I asked if it had anything to do with the women and he laughed it off in good humor.

Falz: ‘Well… No not necessarily’. (Lol) TM: The entertainment industry is packed with a bevy of beautiful women, it is also a common trend to get involved with a colleague or have that colleague you admire. Falz had a thing or two to say on this; Falz: ‘If I were to take a female celebrity on a vacation this summer it would be Victoria Kimani and I would definitely take her to Barbados.’

TM: Keeping fit is also a huge trend this summer, the sun is out and the birds are singing. Perfect time to be as scantily clad as possible, this is the period you show off months and months of slaving away at the gym or feeling a sense of fulfillment at the money you invested in that celebrity fitness expert.

Does Falz have the perfect summer body?

Falz: ‘We are almost there; we are still working on it. I’m not even going on a vacation this summer, just work, work and more work.’

MUSIC TM: With 2 hot singles on the waves right now, ‘Ello Bae’ and ‘Karishika’. Fans and social media users have taken it upon themselves to make numerous comical videos of these singles, showing their love in their own way. Falz TheBahdGuy has a very tangible online presence and relevance, traveling from state to state and country to country, we ask about the journey so far. Having said all that, it is evident that he must have attained some financial reward so far, right? Well he had this to say: Falz: ‘I think that is my business, it is not something to reveal to the world. But I think I have made a decent amount so far.’

TM: A financial plan is something that most artists take very lightly, it is very easy to get caught in the flashing lights, spend unwisely and acquire luxuries you might not need down the line, so we asked Falz about his savings culture. And he said;

Falz: ‘I think this also is my business, but it is a very good percentage, savings wise.’

TM: He was recently in the UK, where he went on a holiday but his fans there wouldn’t allow it, so he ended up visiting 3 cities to meet with his loyal fans. Organizing impromptu meet and greet sessions… It ended up as a tour!

How this all did turn out for Falz?

Falz: ‘It wasn’t like a proper tour, I set out on a holiday and when I got there, I decided to link up with my fans there and we organized a meet and greet session, while in London. I visited other cities, it wasn’t a proper tour it just felt relevant and warranted. It turned out pretty good.’

TM: With two ambassadorial deals to his name and a sophomore album on the way, this year has been a lot of hard work and replenishment for Falz. He told us a little bit about his Cheki deal; Falz: ‘Cheki endorsement is my second deal; it’s a brand ambassadorship, a brand association. I’m an ambassador for the Cheki brand; I am out there representing the brand in every way possible.’

Thanks for your time Mr. Falz!

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SPORTS

ANALYSIS: WHO WINS THE 2015/2016 PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE?

BY OLARIMONYE SEGUN Transfer market has been very busy following the activities of several English teams who did visit the market to strengthen their team in a bid to be amongst the contenders for the 2015/2016 Premier League title. Many top teams have also travelled to different parts of the world for their ‘ritual’ Preseason tours. Let’s have a look at the Top 5 teams and how they have ‘beefed’ up the squad with the players that were signed and their chances at winning the league.

1) Chelsea Chelsea was last season’s champions and will be motivated to defend their title, and no one in football is more of a master tactician and motivator than the special one himself - Jose Mourinho.Chelsea lost Peter Cech to Arsenal, but brought in Asmir Begovic from Stoke city as replacement, Radamel Falcao was also signed on loan from Monaco.

2) Manchester City Manchester City was last season runner up after battling with Chelsea till February, but lost the steam. Man-city has been quite active in the transfer market after the stellar acquisition of Raheem Sterling for £49million from Liverpool, and Fabian Delph from Aston Villa.

3) Arsenal Arsenal are easily the most predictable team in the Premier League, they went a step higher from their traditional 4th spot finishing 3rd last season. Arsene Wenger is eager to go 2 steps higher and try to get the title after a 10-year drought.

Arsenal has signed Petr Cech from Chelsea tobolster the goalkeeping position that has always been part of the Achilles heel of the team. Although lots of fans still want a world class striker and a powerful defensive midfielder. We wait to see if Monsieur Wenger can surprise the fans before the window closes.

4) Manchester United Manchester United have not been very active in the market with Manager Louis Van Gaal eager to win the title after after promising his wife to retire in 2017. ‘Manyoo’ have bolstered the squad with 2 midfielders, Bastian Scweinsteiger from Bayern Munich and Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton, and winger Memphis Depay from PSV. 12 | TUSH MAGAZINE | #11

5) Liverpool What can we say about Liverpool? They are in desperate times; they have spent the most cash and bought the most players. Players signed so far include Christian Benteke, Nathaniel Clyne, Roberto Firmino and James Milner. This has made the squad thicker amidst the departure of their legendary captain Steven Gerrard to the MLS. My Verdict??

Based on the current transfer, I think Manchester City are slight favorites to win the League as Chelsea do not look motivated to win based on their transfer dealings and things are quieter than usual. Arsenal, Manchester United will challenge but do not have the striker to go the mile and Liverpool doesn’t have a solid defense.

OUR NEW CRUSH

DJ CUPPY

B

orn to a billionaire father, Ifeoluwa Florence Otedola popularly known as DJ CUPPY is one of Nigeria female DJs currently making us proud internationally and on home soil. The beautiful looking damsel made a career path out of her passion regardless of her background by sojourning into the music world to becoming a DJ. With a carefully planned career path, DJ CUPPY has carved a perfect niche for herself – dishing out volumes of her house mix compilation. In this interview, she highlights her experiences so far a DJ. TM: How anxious were you at your very first gig?

CUPPY: Ask any performer and they would all say the get nervous before every gig, I always want to give a good performance, so I always get nervous and prepare as much as I can.

TM: What prompted your choice of choosing a career in DJing.

CUPPY: I started playing Piano and singing when I was younger then as I got older my love for all types of music got me into Djing.

TM: How would you say the experience at Roc Nation helped improve your career?

CUPPY: I learnt so much working at Roc nation. When you work in an environment with such talented people it rubs off on you.

TM: What is your favourite song from the past 5 years?

CUPPY: Wow that the toughest question you can ask a DJ! I have thousands of songs on my playlist.

TM: At what age did you start djing?

CUPPY: I started DJing when I was 16.

TM: What kind of equipments do you work with?

CUPPY: I use CDJ’s most of the time and of course my laptop and sparkly headphones.

TM: Where do you spin regualrly?

CUPPY: I’ve been lucky enough to have played in different countries around the world but Nigeria is always my favourite plays to play at.

TM: Who is your favourite DJ? CUPPY: I have so many but female DJs inspire me.

TM: How does it feel working in a male dominated industry?

CUPPY: I think it’s important to just be myself. Yes there are many men who dominate this industry but that just means there is more space for us ladies and whatever we do we must do it twice as well to be recognised.

TM: Tell us a brief background on your love for cupcakes.

CUPPY: Red velvet cupcakes are my favourite and I loved them so much I named myself after it. Originally it was DJ Cupcake but then it slowly turned into DJ Cuppy.

TM: What are your general predictions for the Nigerian music industry?

CUPPY: I think African music in general is definitely being received well internationally which is amazing. I want to be part of this amazing time in music history.

TM: Old School or New School?

CUPPY: Being a DJ makes it difficult for me to choose.

TM: Favourite city in the world?

CUPPY: Lagos, It is home for me!

TM: How fun was it working with Funke Akindele on your compilation?

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CUPPY: She’s so funny; it was great that I could do that small collaboration with her.

TM: One thing you would love to change about the current local music scene?

CUPPY: To be honest I think what I would have said is happening already; it’s becoming more international which is great. The African sound is so unique so it’s great that the rest of the world is getting to hear it.

TM: Asides putting out compilations, what other projects do we expect from you?

CUPPY: I’m currently on my Cuppy Takes Africa tour which is going so well. We’re travelling and performing in 8 countries in Africa. This is something I’ve wanted to do for so long and I’m so glad I’m finally getting this opportunity.

TM: First feeling of being stars-truck?

CUPPY: I don’t really get star struck.

TM: Hip Hop or Techno?

CUPPY: Hip-hop TM: What drives your energy while playing?

CUPPY: The crowd 100%, they give me so much energy while I’m performing. They’re the ones that push me to work harder and always do better.

FICTION

Stay Witten by Phidelia Imiegha

“Stay, he said.

I looked down at Josh who had taken hold of my left hand and was regarding me with puppy eyes; the look in his eyes is all the convincing I needed. There was something about his eyes that made me want to drown in them; his irises were unusually large and dark and made me feel like he could see into my soul. He had the type of ears I like to refer to as ‘butterfly ears’; ears I would tease people about suddenly looked attractive to me. He had pink lips and I started imagining what it would feel like to kiss them.”

introduced himself as Josh, a friend of Ayo’s. I shook his hand, my palms cold and sweaty; his, soft and warm.

***** My friends Tsola and Ayo had invited me to a dinner party they were having for their third wedding anniversary. I arrived at the venue, RSVP Restaurant, in Victoria Island at about 6 P.M on a Friday evening, in my new Maki Oh shift dress and a pair of white sandals. My make-up and hair were on fleek. I had taken time to dress especially beautifully for the occasion, and so I was quite disappointed when I showed up and nobody else had arrived. I tried calling Tsola but her number was switched off. I sat alone at the table reserved in Ayo’s name for about fifteen minutes, sipping a cocktail, scrolling through my Instagram feed, and leaving angry texts for Tsola on iMessage.

Just then his phone rang, and he excused himself and walked outside to receive the call. I sat there alone, feeling self-conscious. When after about five minutes he hadn’t returned, I started to get annoyed then I remembered I wasn’t on a date and chided myself. At that moment, he returned with an uncomfortable look on his face and sat down.

Finally, another guest showed up, a tall lean man who looked like he was in his early thirties. He had on a black jacket with red patterns printed on it which I immediately recognized from the Orange Culture 2014/2015 spring/ summer collection, and a well-fitted pair of dark blue jeans. He asked if I was for Tsola and Ayo’s dinner, and then

“I’m Nancy, but you can call me Nay, everyone calls me that.”

“Nay, that’s a nice name. I’m actually Joshua but I hate when people call me that.”

I laughed. “Yep, that’s what I’m gonna call you.”

He laughed as well, and said, “Don’t you dare.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, “Where’s everybody?”

“So I just got off the phone with Ayo and …” His sentence trailed off as he laughed awkwardly.

“And what?” I asked impatiently, a hint of annoyance in my voice.

“They aren’t coming” he said, “Well apparently they set us up on a date.”

“F***ing hell,” I muttered under my breath, and picked up my phone. “I’ve warned Tsola against these her foolish pranks.” I sighed and dropped my phone, looked up and caught Josh staring at me with an amused look on his face.

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I covered my face with my hands for a few seconds, careful not to ruin my makeup, “This is so embarrassing.” Standing up, I picked up my purse and said, “I’m just going to go home now.”

It was in this moment that Josh looked up at me with a pleading expression on his face, took my left hand in his, and said, “Stay.”

and we dug into its creamy rich deliciousness. ***** We finished the dessert, sorted and split the bill, and headed outside to the parking lot.

As we stepped out of the restaurant, a gust of cool air hit my face. I looked at my watch and it was quarterI sat down. to-nine, I hadn’t realized so much time had passed.

“Listen … I really do not want to be on a date right “Could you walk me outside to take a taxi? I didn’t now, nothing personal,” I said. bring my car.”

“Of course,” he replied quickly, “It’s not a date; it’s just “Where do you live?” hanging out here, together.”

“Gbagada,” I said slowly, aware of what was coming I sighed, and mouthed a silent “Okay” next.

“Sooooo …,” I said, looking around the room and “Whaaat? You can’t start heading there right now then back at him. unless you want to sleep in traffic.” *****

“I know,” I sighed, “You know what, I’ll just go to Tsola’s house, and I’ll find my way from there. I need We spent the next two hours talking endlessly over a to spank her anyway.” delicious three-course meal like old friends, making jokes, laughing and teasing. Before ordering each “Good idea. Come on,” he said, beckoning to where course, we analyzed the menu together and joked his car was parked, “I’ll drop you off.” about our opposite preferences in food. We both had seafood for our mains, our love for seafood being one “Aww, nice guy,” I said jokingly as we got into his car. of the things we found we had in common. While we “At your service ma’am,” he said with a mock bow and waited for our dessert, our light conversation drifted we both laughed. across personal boundaries. I found myself telling him about my fear of commitment and how I avoided As he drove out, he turned on the car radio and dates and relationships.

Coldplay’s Magic came on. We both started singing along as he sped into the night. When the song ended, He laughed and then said quietly, “Aha. I see why you I turned off the radio, adjusted myself in the seat to were set up on a date then.” face him, and said, “I had a really nice time tonight, I smiled, “Yeah … So what’s your story? Why were you Joshua.” set up?”

“Me too,” he said, smiling. “A nice not-a-date.”

He laughed, “I’ve been single for about three years I laughed lightly, “Yeah it wasn’t a date.” I felt a tinge of now,” he gave me a mock glare when I started laughing. disappointment. I mean, of course I hadn’t wanted to “Don’t laugh at me, Miss Commitment-phobia.” be on a date but I’d hoped he’d say it was one anyway.

Silly. I quietly chided myself.

“No vex!” I said playfully, “Go on.”

“Well I’ve been third-wheeling them a lot recently and I continued watching him as he drove, studying his I guess they’re sick of me.” He said this clutching his side profile, the little mole by his right ear, the way chest playfully. he absently wet his lips by licking them, the way he frequently stole quick glances at me and smiled, his I burst into a fit of laughter at this point, picturing light grip on the steering wheel … him tagging along with Tsola and Ayo to the cinemas, shopping malls and even dinner dates. Just then our “What is your biggest fear?” I suddenly asked him. dessert, “Chocolate tart a la mode” which is basically Without missing a heartbeat he replied, “Failure.” chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream topping, arrived “Failure?”

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“Yeah. See, I’m the only son of my parents you know, and there’s just so much pressure from them, my sisters, and even my relatives to succeed and be extraordinary and special and great.”

“And?” I urged him on.

was perfect, complete with awkward moments; one time I hit my elbow on the headboard and had to take a moment to process the pain. Even such moments were perfect. Josh slept off before I did, and snored lightly, and for the first time, I didn’t mind sleeping beside a snoring person.

“It just makes me so afraid of disappointing them. ***** What if I wasn’t born to be great? What if I was born to be an average man living a quiet average life? What When morning crept in through the slits in the if I want to be normal?” window blinds, I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

I was naked in Josh’s bed and he was fast asleep beside He sighed and a thick silence descended upon us, me, his left leg sprawled carelessly across my body. the kind an elaborate writer would describe as being I carefully moved his leg, not wanting to rouse him, pregnant with words, or being deafening. When I and got up quietly. I started picking up my clothes asked the question, I had expected him to talk about and underwear strewn around the room, intending heights or snakes; I hadn’t expected him to actually to dress up and leave without waking him. I didn’t tell me his biggest fear. I had a sudden urge to touch want him to wake and think that we needed to have his hair and I did; I reached across and just touched the “Last night didn’t mean anything” talk. For some his hair tenderly, and never before had a moment reason, most guys think it necessary after an apparent been so perfect. one-night stand.

“Let’s go to your place,” I said quietly.

He started to say something, an objection, an agreement, a suggestion, I have no idea, but he didn’t, instead he nodded, and changed routes.

I heard Josh stir just as I was struggling to put on my sandals and I froze. I turned around carefully, looking everywhere but at him. He was lying down sideways with his palm supporting his cheek. I could feel him studying me with a slight smirk on his face.

*****

“What are you doing?” He asked when I finally met his gaze.

We made love that night, like old lovers reunited. Our “I’m … going home,” I said slowly. bodies moved together in perfect harmony, with so much intimacy, so much familiarity, just like in the He studied me for a moment, a glimpse of confusion Harlequin novels I had read as a teenager. There was in his eyes. He finally smiled, patted the empty side of no urgency, we didn’t rush it. We took our clothes off; the bed beside him where I had gotten up from, and hardly talking, just smiling and looking at each other said, “Stay.” as we got into his bed and under his covers. We made love like we had all the time in the world. The night

****** “Phidelia Imiegha is 19 year old Nigerian writer who loves to refer herself as a storyteller. She tweets with @thephidelia_ and shares her stories on www.twentyfirstcenturyaphrodite.wordpress.com”

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CELEBRITY HUB ADEBOLA WILLIAMS a.k.a DebolaLagos

A wise woman once said; ‘Work Hard in your 20’s, build your career. Then build a family in your 30’s, a good foundation first, then a good home.’

For Adebola Williams popularly known as ‘DEBOLA LAGOS’, he gets it; this 30 year old man is a book of success stories, he has taken the media in Nigeria to another level, breaking grounds via his numerous platforms; Future Awards, YNaija, Red Africa and the likes. DEBOLA LAGOS is a media mogul with a long list of accomplishments and accolades to his name.

Sitting in his exquisite office, he tells us about all his ‘babies’ and let’s us in on what it’s like to be young and tenacious... * Work Hard, Play hard. Does that philosophy apply to you as an entrepreneur?

I don’t think I play enough; my friends say I’m a party popper.

When I was younger I partied till dawn, now I try to only attend networking or industry events which I leave earlier most times or I host close friends at my house, so I’m not yet living the work hard play hard philosophy. * At 25, what plans did you have for your career?

For me, it’s always been about impact and value. Since I was 14, I’d always hoped I would be able lead people, impact and change their lives. To do this, I believe you need to be comfortable in life and then be able to think and help others.

At 25, were any of your projects running?

RED media is 10yrs old this year so many of our projects were running when I was 25. * What’s the difference between RED media, Ynaija, The Future awards and others?

RED Media Africa is the group company. Yproductions produces documentaries, TV shows, events, music etc; its content arm produces Ymagazine, Ynaija, The September Standard and more.

RED communications is a PR firm with clients like Guinness, House of Tara and the British Council. We also have music artistes like Vector, Omawumi and Asa under RED Communications.

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If I could only pick one I’d choose the media because everything else I do is under the media umbrella. * In your own words, what’s the first rule of business?

I don’t think there’s a specific first rule of business, but there are some things you need, your gut, passion, resilience, an entrepreneurial spirit and God. God always comes through. * How does Red Media spot creative people?

Red media is like an academy, we train our people a lot to improve their creativity, but you need to have something special before we invest in you. * Why did you stop the YMagazine print versions?

The challenges of print are a lot, there’s a big distributorship cabal in Nigeria. When you go online, you’re able to track your followers, there’s a higher revenue opportunity, and it’s free among other things. So for now, we’ve turned the print magazine into a special for different occasions. * Are there other partners in Red Media?

No, it’s just me and Mr. Chude Jideonwo Our PR services are all encompassing as we do creating, marketing, advertising and more. Statecraft is the governance communication arm; we did Buhari’s entire rebranding and presidential campaign.

* On the flip side, what interests you socially?

I like to be around people, I’m also adventurous. I like skydiving, kayaking and jet skiing. My last vacation was in 2013 - the company literally sent me on vacation.

* What is Red media Africa doing for the writing culture of Nigerian youths?

We’ve always been about grooming the next generation. We use our platforms such as Ynaija to inspire youths and urge them to contribute articles. Under The Future Enterprise Support Scheme we organize writing, photography and other workshops as well.

* Top 5 things you can’t do without?

My telephone, internet, bible, fuel and people; I always need people because I think better and solve problems when I’m talking to people.

* What were the biggest obstacles, problems you had in starting Red Media?

We’ve always been ready to smash challenges. They say “When life throws lemons at you, you make lemonade” but I make chocolate cake instead and let people wonder how I did that. The main challenge that inspired us to start the Future Awards was that young people were going through a phase where people disrespected them because of their age. So we wanted to cause a generational change for the youth to get the respect they deserve. * If you were a start-up now, with no money, how might you approach launching a business, and do you think the internet has leveled the playing field for young entrepreneurs?

An entrepreneur finds a way to get whatever he needs to start a business - money, people or whatever else is needed and the Internet gives us so many opportunities. For the first Future Awards we drove our campaign solely through the internet. *When you come up with a business idea, do you generally know if it’s going to be a winner? What do you listen to first: your gut, your heart, your brain or your accountant?

Your gut is very important and you need to trust it. In a difficult situation you need to follow what God says and what your gut tells you. * Out of all the ideas, products and services you have created, if you had your time all over again, and could only choose one to work on, which would it be and why?

* Do you have any philanthropic involvements/ projects?

I’m not involved with any charity organization at the moment but I always support people in need who come to me. * Any predictions for Buhari’s presidenc?

I won’t predict anything but I supported his campaign from the very beginning because I believe he’s out for a cleansing of the nation which is exactly what we need. I believe that due to his age and experience he has less people to want to favour, less reason to condone corruption and the respect of the people and I think he’ll be able to achieve that. * Don’t you think it’s conflicting that Red Media which is primarily focused on the youth handled Buhari’s campaign who is aged 72?

I think Buhari to be a leader for the moment. Sometimes we need to made tough choices for the greater good. At this time Nigeria needs a “John the Baptist” to lead us out of our present conundrum and Buhari is the right man for the job. We’re dealing with an older generation of people who have controlled this country for years and we need someone of their age whom they fear. Buhari has a huge fanbase, military respect and strategic alliances Nigeria needs.

In 5 years Red Media would have...?

In 5 years we’ll be in a number of other African countries. We also have some other plans.

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A PROUD M

by Oghomwen Toni-Osagie

I

am a young lady with so many goals and futuristic ambitions that most of my elders will deem unattainable and might tag, ‘a bit of a rush’ at such a young age. ‘Focus on your books’ they will say,’ you’re not even 25 yet and you have drafted over 250 proposals for various business ideas’.

I look around me and I see all my peers that haven’t even reached a quarter of a century sitting among top Executives and CEOs in board meetings, giving their ideas and opinions on multi million Naira deals, brokering contracts for international oil companies and the likes. Attaining formal education gives us leverage, but our generation is by far the most fortunate and well vast clique. As a MILLENNIAL, I am part of the most connected generation in history, I have learnt better than anyone before me how to effortlessly blend work and play, I can be in the comfort of my home, in my room and still make a steady income, constantly stay connected to the people I care about, and multitask.

I cannot single-handedly state that I have all the answers or I know all the tricks to the trade but that’s the twist as a MILLENNIAL - you have decades of knowledge available to you, easily accessible via the web and from your parents or mentors. Right now, starting up a business is not as technical as it used to be; gone are the days of pitching investors and huge capital. The main reason most Millennials are foregoing the 9-5 path and opting to building their own businesses is majorly because as at this moment, the labour market isn’t as robust as it once was and at this moment in history, becoming a young entrepreneur is almost as rational as looking for a job.

The older generations have a lot to say on young entrepreneurs, they have tagged us as young, immature and entitled . And i wonder how we can use this traits and ‘flaws’ to our advantage.

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Before I proceed, I just want to put out a friendly reminder that SnapChat and Facebook were founded by young Millennials.

HERE IS HOW; Be energetic.

As a young person about to start up a business, you have to be enthusiastic about it. Never ‘sleep’ on it; be ready at all times to sell your new idea to anybody at all times. Enthusiasm is contagious and overly infectious, even if the person is paying no mind to this new venture, the mere fact that the mention of this idea makes you giddy might tickle potential clients’ fancy. Being a young entrepreneur, you automatically pack a team of Millennials like yourself, they need to see that their Oliver Queen is always hyped and energetic, this trait can also help you seal some business deals and connections.

ARTICLE

MILLENNIAL Be impatient.

Always think 5 steps ahead. Work like you have 15 hours in a day and not 24 hours. Be hungry for results at all times, you are young and you have your whole life ahead of you; do things with so much zeal and make moves double times over. When a problem arises use that same speed to fix it, don’t wait around for results, strap your belt and fix it. This impatience will always serve you well.

Take Risks.

I saw somewhere that, ‘The best cure for a hangover is being under 25’. That made me giggle. It gave me a quick idea, ‘the best cure for a failed business is being under 25’. Get it? Let me explain, when you are young, you have less to lose from a failed business than you ever will. In the very least you will learn something new and you can even write a ‘how to’ manual from the amount of times your butt hit the ground but you got up and progressed!

Be bold, make moves and take risks.

Stay Social.

Naomi Campbell (international model) gave an interview recently; she said social media has made modeling easy; she said gone are the days of working extra hard at your craft hoping for an agent to notice you and find some level of peculiarity in your looks, nowadays you just take some nice pictures in your room and put it up on Instagram and GBAM! You’re an international model. As a millennial, you could launch a business in Lagos that can get to China in 5seconds. Always be active with your business on all the necessary platforms. It is like multi-international advertisement but you don’t get to pay a penny.

Seek help and advice.

Smart entrepreneurs always know when they need to step back a notch, admit they made a mistake and seek a mentor or professional assistance.

Hire Experienced People.

Even Jay-Z needed someone with more experience to run Tidal, he understands Hip Hop culture and what it represents, but that is not enough to run a music streaming service that puts the needs of the artistes first. Mark Zuckerberg hired Sheryl Sandberg who has 15 years’ experience to manage his business.

Finally, social media is all well and good but it cannot take the place of physical meetings and interactions.

Attend conferences, dinners, empowerment programs, workshops, interact and create bonds and friendships for businesses and futuristic interactions.

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COVER INTERVIEW

Exclusive Interview with

Banky W TM: When you think of CÎROC and you think of other alcoholic beverages, what stands out?

TM: Tell us how you were poached; did you get a phone call? What was your reaction like?

BANKY W: I think one favourite thing about drinking CÎROC, is just how many ways you get to enjoy it, depending on what you’re in the mood for. All the different flavors, coupled with how many different ways you can drink them in cocktails or on the rocks… it just gives the consumer a more pleasurable, varied experience.

BANKY W: The team in Nigeria reached out to me, and of course it felt absolutely great that they wanted to work with me on bringing the CÎROC-Life to the Nigerian people.

TM: Being a representative of such a high flying brand like CÎROC, how does that amplify your artistry?

TM: How does CÎROC compliment the Banky W brand?

BANKY W: CÎROC is the perfect drink to accompany any classy, luxurious celebration; I view it as the ideal drink for people like me; people, who work very hard, then take a minute to play hard, before getting right back into work again. I’ve always tried to carry myself in a certain way. Anyone around me knows I work hard, but I know how to have fun. I always make an effort to put a certain high level of class in everything I do… from my music, to my image, to my personal life and everything in between… so CÎROC is the right drink for me.

TM: This ambassadorial role is a new level of elevation for you in the international scene, how does that feel?

BANKY W: It’s definitely a blessing… I really enjoy the global CÎROC events, because I love meeting people from other backgrounds/ cultures and experiencing what they’re about.

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BANKY W: CÎROC is known worldwide for working with the biggest and best talents in Entertainment, so as far as my artistry goes, I just know I have to keep putting my best foot forward and keep bringing my A-game always.

TM: So on a lighter note, how do you drink your CÎROC? On the rocks or do you make a cocktail?

BANKY W: I love cocktails… peach CÎROC is my favorite flavor. I like to mix it with orange/pineapple juice and add a dash of cranberry. I also love it with Redbull and a dash of cranberry as well.

TM: Banky W and D’Banj… This is one mix that no one predicted; do you think you guys complement each other enough to represent this brand?

BANKY W: Definitely. We’re very different artistes so we bring very unique kinds of music, talents and energy to the CÎROC movement in Nigeria; but we get along very well so we definitely complement and balance each other out.

TM: If you were asked to tell us what each letter of this high flying alcoholic beverage stands for what will you say?

BANKY W: C – Classy, I – Innovative, R – Rockstar-ish, O – Outstanding, C – cocktails

BANKY W: New album, directing and producing new videos and other associated projects and more collaboration with various artistes both international and local.

TM: Banky W, you were the first Nigerian ambassador to represent this high flying brand, how does it feel to have a fellow industry colleague on board?

TM: What is the personality of a CÎROC man or woman?

BANKY W: It feels good I must confess. We’re very different artists with our unique music, talent and energy; and to combine that with the CIROC movement in Nigeria is definitely an unimaginably wonderful experience. An experience I look forward to all the time.

BANKY W: The ideal personality of a Ciroc Man or Woman is classy, successful, adventurous, innovative and ambitious.

TM: Let’s delve into ‘the bottle’ can you tell us something peculiar about CÎROC, we don’t know?

TM: Tell us something exclusive about this endorsement? Is there going to be a theme song by you two or unique advertorials?

BANKY W: CIROC is the perfect drink. It is classy for any luxurious celebration. I view it as the ideal drink for people like me; people, who work very hard, take out a minute to play hard and then get right back into work again. Anyone around me knows I work hard, but I know how to have fun and CIROC compliments both parts of my life.

BANKY W: Definitely, it will be the first company to have a cross continent theme song by various artistes from across Africa.

TM: The Banky W brand is synonymous with class and the elite lifestyle, being a CÎROC ambassador what further changes should we expect?

BANKY W: Ciroc has a good reputation worldwide for working with the biggest and best talents in Entertainment, so as far as my brand goes, I know I must keep putting my best foot forward and keep bringing my A-game always.

TM: Can you tell us if Nigerians are the highest consumers of this brand in West Africa?

BANKY W: I do not have the official numbers but I wouldn’t be surprised they were.

TM: How many CÎROC bottles do you have in your bar presently?

BANKY W: 3!

TM: Moving forward what do you have in store for your ardent fans?

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COVER INTERVIEW

Exclusive Interview with

D’BANJ

TM: When you think of CÎROC and you think of other Alcoholic beverages what stands out?

D’BANJ: CÎROC automatically brings to mind a certain kind of style: old school sophistication meets modern panache. It is a smooth vodka, made from grapes unlike other vodkas and has a smooth image.

TM: How does CÎROC compliment the Banky W/D’Banj brand?

D’BANJ: Banky W and I work very hard to keep our fingers on the pulse of the music industry and I think CÎROC is in tune with that.

It’s a brand with prestige that stands out against other brands; a lifestyle brand that speaks to you even without you holding the bottle. Just with a glass they will ask you “Are you drinking CÎROC?” ...because you match the lifestyle.

satisfied ... Then you turn up ...you can play hard.

TM: This ambassadorial role is a new level of elevation for you in the international scene, how does that feel?

D’BANJ: Musically, I am lucky that through hard work and dedication I’ve been able to cross over onto the International scene and have been recognized as one of Africa’s biggest exports after Oil and Gas. I’m blessed to have won several international awards: MTV, BET, WORLD MUSIC and to be affiliated as an ambassador to some Global Organisations from Apple (Beats by Dr. Dre), ONE CAMPAIGN, Global Citizen, and now Ciroc! I want to say this; they all actually stand for what I stand for today and Ciroc plays a perfect role.

TM: Tell us how you were poached; did you get a phone call?

What was your reaction like?

Now look at me and tell me if I don’t look Cirocy or Ciroci lol.

CÎROC is about celebration of hard work and success and what is success...? When you set goals and meet them and are

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D’BANJ: I met the GM on the flight and he said to me, ‘Yo...You know P Diddy and Ciroc?’ and I said ‘Yes like A and B’ and he was like…’You know you are P Diddy in Africa… Let’s do this!’ and I said ‘Hmm more like the African Micheal Jackson’ lol. I couldn’t get involved then because I was endorsed by another beverage company. But when the time was right the Ciroc boy was on and the Lord delivered!

TM: Being a representative of such a high flying brand like CÎROC, how does that amplify your artistry?

D’BANJ: When people think of CÎROC, they think of a certain lifestyle, a lifestyle of hardwork, success, celebration, happiness..... All these are all synonymous with my brand. We reflect each other well and I think that this new relationship will bring new exposure to both brands.

TM: On a lighter note, how do you drink your CÎROC? On the rocks or you make a cocktail?

D’BANJ: I love a good cocktail! In fact, I’ve just launched a competition for the fans to come up with the perfect mix for my signature CÎROC cocktail!!

TM: Banky W and D’Banj … This is one mix that no one predicted; do you think you guys complement each other enough to represent this brand?

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D’BANJ: Definitely. I’ve known Banky for years now, since he came back from the States and joined the music industry here in Nigeria. We are mutual friends but have never worked together. Banky has been an Ambassador longer than I am and he’s a great CÎROC influencer. I think we compliment each other well. Though our genres of music are different, we are both great entertainers and businessmen so we simply use this to our advantage when it comes to CÎROC. We bring out more people, we reach more fans and we spread the message to a larger audience and together we will take over Africa

TM: If you were asked to tell us what each letter of this high flying alcoholic beverage (Ultra-Premium Vodka) stands for what will you say?

D’BANJ: “U” for Unique, “P” for Prestigious, “V” for Victorious #UPV = D’Banj

TM: What is the personality of a CÎROC man or woman?

D’BANJ: Hmmm, definitely someone who is classy, sophisticated, works hard and likes (the idea of) the finer things in life!

TM: Tell us something exclusive about this ambassadorship?

Is there going to be a theme song by you two or unique advertorials?

D’BANJ: We are currently in discussions about that, but I can’t’ disclose anything at the moment, I’m afraid. You’ll have to keep watching this space…

TM: This is a really good time in your career, a landmark period, 10 years and counting and then voila, this magnanimous deal, how does that feel?

D’BANJ: To be celebrating 10 Years feels amazing and the CÎROC deal coming at the beginning of the year felt like a validation that it was going to be great! There’s a lot of new music coming out over the next few months and there is the second half of the 10 Year anniversary celebrations to look forward to, and of course CÎROC will be right there with me!

TM: Moving forward what do you have in store for your ardent fans?

D’BANJ: The fans have a lot to look forward to! In August I just unveiled the tracks to a Visual EP and then the full album will follow a couple of months later. I’m also doing a special edition “Unplugged, African Tour and Nationwide Tour” (Nigeria) over the next few months…. I can’t wait!

TM: Let’s delve into ‘the bottle’ can you tell us something peculiar about CÎROC, we don’t know?

D’BANJ: Well, a lot of people are not aware that CÎROC is made from grapes, rather than grain…

TM: How old is CÎROC? D’BANJ: 18 years…..!

TM: Can you tell us if Nigerians are the highest consumers of this brand in West Africa?

D’BANJ: That is difficult to say, but Nigerians do love CIROC. I wouldn’t be surprised though as CIROC is a prominent brand out here and they are constantly innovating and activating. We also have the advantage of numbers in terms of population here, so I’d say we probably have the highest number of consumers!

TM: Top 3 things you must have with your CÎROC? D’BANJ: Ice, a tall glass and excellent company!

TM: How many CÎROC bottles do you have in your bar presently?

D’BANJ: You know what, I’m not sure. I generally have couple of bottles on ice and I also have the magnum bottle because you never know when the party is going to arrive!

EVENT

JAM SESSION

Another awesome edition of Naijaplaylist organised event JamSession hosts Adekunle Gold, Ayoola, Geoffrey, Immaculate, Agoha, Jah Device among others. The show was colorful with some give a ways from Multichoice; each winner got a GoTv decoder with a month subscription.

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MUSIC FIZZERS

Spinning Around the World.

by Oghomwen Toni-Osagie

Being an entertainer in Nigeria is a perilous fit, only few know how to steer the wagon and make something genuine from it. Some of them do not have much branding and quality, like you randomly type in a certain ‘A List’ act into your favorite search engine and nothing concrete or resourceful comes up. Just photos of them at this and that event; woo to them.

For a DJ to have a website that is so informative and easily accessible is rare. Even at that, his brand is well put together with a team that actually gets back to you when you place calls to him for interviews.

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B

orn Sodamola Oluseye Desmond but globally known as DJ SPINALL AKA TheCAP. His signatory fila which can be seen on him at all times make him an easy spot at every event or gathering.

SPINALL started his djing craft professionally in 2005 and so far has perfected his skills to an amazing level where he works with all sorts of equipment; his love for the Technics is insane though he also uses CDs and his newly acquired SZ. His name is a full definition of his abilities: SPIN-ALL. DJ SPINALL who studied Electrical Electronics Engineering at the University, went ahead to get DJ lessons while also practicing with online tutorials & self-rehearsals to keep him upgraded at all times. He is a proud member of the coalition of Nigerian DJs worldwide also known as NDJs. With experiences lasting close to a decade in the industry, the Unstoppable DJ SPINALL has worked as a DJ on Ray Power and Eko FM Lagos and endless Club DJing experiences in the United States Of America, United Kingdom, Dubai, Italy, South Africa, Ghana, South Africa & of course across major cities in Nigeria. DJ SPINALL feats are one to be envied by his colleagues; he had a tour tagged “TheCAMPUSTour” where he played for fans across 6 states in the United States including Washington DC, Austin Texas, Houston Texas, Miami Florida & New York City - The first of its kind by an African DJ. He is also the first African DJ to perform at the SXSW Festival in the US. All hail TheCAP. He has been very instrumental to the development of the Nigerian music; some of his mixtapes have crossed beyond the borders of Nigeria therefore exporting Nigerian talents far and wide. Some of his projects and mix tapes can be seen and downloaded on his official website - www.djspinall.com

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During the interview, he was asked which party has been his favourite of all time and he said; ‘Access Bank All White Party, Eko Hotel… It was off the chains.’ As a mobile DJ you can find him anywhere, depending on where his service is needed; He is the official DJ for Wande Coal and other A-list acts. He is also the official DJ for the weekly Industry Nite which holds every Wednesday. ‘The Cap’ as he is famously called has released 3 singles that is high flying and is being aired till date globally, having featured acts like MI, Burna Boy, Byno and Olamide.

He has been appreciated at different awards both in within and outside the shores of Nigeria, some them include: Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2014 World Best DJ, Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards 2014 - Best Video DJ, Nigeria Islander International Awards 2014 - Best Nigerian DJ. He recently snatched an endorsement deal with Smirnoff Ice making him the second DJ ever in Nigeria to have a brand endorsement; the first being DJ Neptune with MTN.

ARTICLE

CITIZEN JOURNALISM

By Winifred Ononikpo @TheWinifred

U

ntil the Nigerian political system moved from military to civilian rule, the media was highly proscribed. There was a limit to what they could say or print especially about the government in power; and at any time, media houses could be shut down and out of business.

Fast forward to present day where the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill has been passed into law, giving power to media practitioners to say what they feel about both the government and society.

The passage of the FOI bill can be viewed as a step forward in development, in that the media can now fully perform their watch-dog function, acting as a check on government excesses. They

are independent of external influence and can perform as freely and effectively as their Western counterparts.

The media has the internet as its newest form and the internet has given rise to a term known today as Citizen Journalism. Citizen journalism is the collection, dissemination and analysis of news information by the general public, especially by means of the internet (Oxford Dictionary). From phones, tablets, laptops and other devices, regular individuals can post information on any issue; be it lack of electricity supply, views on politics, religious tension, insurgency etc.

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T

here are individuals who have created well-organized sites and make it their jobs to source for news on current affairs, politics, business, sports, entertainment etc and package them for broadcast via web links.

These individuals are known as bloggers.

In the wake of blogging, it seemed “cool” and was thriving until a lot of people rushed into it. The aim was probably to create competition but an entire mess has been made of the venture. There are so many bloggers, many of them tweeting the same feed and picking one to obtain news from has become quite difficult and almost impossible.

Also, there is mindless lifting of news headlines and even more annoying are the headlines that are exaggerated just to generate traffic.

do not have to be strictly the only news sources.

Since citizen journalists are ordinary individuals like you and I, the ethics and principles of journalism are not completely upheld. This is because people are not grounded in the rudiments of journalism. There is the issue of trusting news sources and question of ingenuity. For example, a girl I follow on Twitter once tweeted about an orgy involving a married woman. Bloggers didn’t bother to get the story right; they repackaged it and published it as her having an orgy, and even went as far as including her profile picture in it.

The incident generated a lot of buzz and the public embarrassment forced her off Twitter for months.

Incidents like this challenge if journalism should be left to just professionals? There is also the issue of unreferenced news sources and people using their accounts to spread hate and spiteful comments against other individuals and groups.

Although many may not want to be termed (mini) bloggers, actions such as tweeting and status update on Facebook fall under blogging; only on a micro scale. Users of social network platforms In as much as citizen journalism has proven are more or less the real citizen journalists. to be quite helpful, individuals should know where to draw the line. People should come to Citizen journalism in its rife gives a voice to the the realization of how citizen journalism can be voiceless and promotes grass-root development. maximized to benefit society. Lets turn on our Individuals who notice a gap in an area can brain filters so Freedom of Information isn’t bring the attention of constituted authority to it reverted, taking us back in time to proscription. just bymentioning them (so long as they have Spreading hate, insulting instead of helping/ accounts on the chosen medium) or even cause encouraging the government in power, and other a trend using hash tags. Also, citizen journalism of such demeaning acts should be avoided as helps spread news faster. By tweeting, retweeting much as possible. Abuse they say is and reposting, people get in the know about what inevitable when purpose is not known. is currently happening. Though the traditional means of communication are more reliable, they

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SCREEN KINGS

TM: TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF? M.M.M: My name is Mr. Moe Musa; my real name is Mohammed Musa. I’m 31years old. I was born in Lagos, grew up and schooled in London but I’m back in Lagos producing music videos now.

TM: WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE BEFORE YOU BECAME A VIDEO DIRECTOR? M.M.M: I started from a young age and always knew that I wanted to do this, so I’ve always been working towards this although I was a bit scared of production initially.

TM: YOUR RELATIONSHIP STATUS? M.M.M: I’m single and I work a lot.

TM: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND? M.M.M: I studied video production at the University of West London and graduated in 2009.

TM: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SHOOT A VIDEO? M.M.M: It depends on the scale of production. We shot Olamide’s Shakiti Bobo in 3hours, edited in 2 hours and the entire production took about 7 hours, whereas you can spend a week planning a production, 2 days for the shoot and spend another week in post production. Generally it can vary from about 7 to 72 hours.

TM: ARE YOU A PHOTOGRAPHER? M.M.M: Yes, I’ve recently taken it up again as a hobby and I enjoy it. It’s mostly editorial and abstract photography.

MR. MOE MUSA Interviewed by Stephen Aghalu

V

ideo directing is a common trend in Nigeria these days, most young men and women are embracing the craft.

Last year saw notable entertainers, going on hiatus abroad to get formally educated in this craft. Maybe because it is a profession that tickled ones creativity or they have failed to get the value for their money from directors, we would never know.

Out of every 10 videos there is this 1 that stands out and marks his territory, churning out new concepts in his craft, pushing boundaries and vehemently refusing to be just another ‘pricey returnee’ director. Mr. Moe Musa is that one man, with recent hit videos like ‘Shakiti Bobo’ unveiling a new concept that he confirmed had to be pushed to the screen. His style is different and refreshing, he tells us about himself in this interview. Enjoy.

TM: BIGGEST MYTH ABOUT VIDEO DIRECTING? M.M.M: It takes time and planning. Many people think they can get it all done in a day, but you need time to plan and organize.

TM: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A VIDEO DIRECTOR/PRODUCER? M.M.M: It’s been 4 years of doing it professionally and 12 years in total.

TM: WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MAJOR PRODUCTION? M.M.M: I shot a couple of videos while in the UK for Stylo G when I was much younger.

TM: ON PRODUCING OLAMIDE’S SHAKITI BOBO AND MELO MELO M.M.M: It’s always amazing working with Olamide & I love the way he operates. The success of the Shakiti Bobo video has allowed for a new type of video. I’ve always suggested doing those kinda videos and people objected, but Olamide accepted it & we’ve showed that such videos are possible and can be successful.

TM: WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO CO-DIRECT WITH? M.M.M: I don’t co-direct; I’d rather create my art alone.

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TM: LIST OF ARTISTE’S YOU’VE WORKED WITH? M.M.M: Iyanya, Emma Nyra, Wizkid, Davido, Wande Cole, Tiwa Savage & more TM: THE MOST CHALLENGING VIDEO YOU’VE SHOT WAS? M.M.M: It was Wande Coal’s “Go Low” video where we had to lay water pipes in the studio. There was a lot of pre-production for that.

TM: ON CRTICISM… M.M.M: In the creative industry everyone’s always going to have an opinion so I always expect criticism and I don’t let it bother me.

TM: WOULD YOU EVER DO LONG FORMAT MOVIES? M.M.M: Certainly. That’s actually where my heart lies and I have some documentaries and films coming out soon.

TM: WHAT ARE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES? M.M.M: @mrmoemusa.

TM: GOT ANY CURRENT PROJECTS? M.M.M: I just finished two videos for D’banj, “Salute” featuring Ice Prince and “Knocking on my door”. There’s also a video for Patoranking coming soon and I’m working on a short story.

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TM: GREATEST FEAR? M.M.M: Failure TM: WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? M.M.M: I get to meet so many different types of people and travel to different places.

TM: ANY PLANS FOR THE SUMMER? M.M.M: I feel summer is the best time to shoot so I’ll be working a lot this summer.

TM: FAVOURITE LOCATIONS? M.M.M: I’ve seen some great places in Los Angeles, London and I think Nigeria’s has some pretty great locations too. People just need to allow artistes use their locations more.

TM: ADVICE FOR UPCOMING DIRECTORS? M.M.M: Keep working hard no matter what happens.

After a successful #TPL4, the organizers deemed it fit and organized yet another successful #TPL5. TPL, which stands for Twitter Premier League, is a social gathering which originated from twitter. Apart from its spetacular football matches, TPL also serves as a platform for networking and social activities. The 5 star soccer league saw the defending champions - The Saints reclaiming the TPL 5 championship title. Here’s a sneak-pic of activities and faces at the just concluded TPL 5.

Photo credit: Qd Salami

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Officially opened on the 18th of September, 2015 is the newly upgraded TMP [The Mouse Pad], a lounging and relaxation spot in high brow Lekki. Owned by Mrs TK Etete, daughter to Capt. Eddy Yinkere, TMP is set to add its own spice to the night life and relaxation business in Lagos. A 3-in-1 setting, The Mouse Pad has a restaurant, a bar and a lounge all infused together to give guests a memorable experience. See a few pics from the event.

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INTERVIEW

TEMITAYO EYITAYO: THE MAN BEHIND THE 24 APPAREL

24 APPAREL

F

irst of all, the brand is called 24.

The company name is 24 Apparel Limited, but the brand name is 24; just 24. Now that we have that out of the way, Temitayo Eyitayo the CEO of this high flying merchandise talks to Tush Magazine about his 24 brand which is visible on most Nigeria musical videos... Enjoy!

TM: How do you feel today?

Temitayo: I’m very well, thank you. I feel great.

TM: Why the brand name 24?

Temitayo: The name 24 was chosen because it describes everything the brand is about. 24 is a casual fashion brand and depending on the status of the individual wearing it; it fits into society at any time of the day.

TM: Do you make only Snapbacks?

Temitayo: No. Apart from snapbacks, we make different products including: Polo tops, T-shirts, Sweatpants, summer dresses and Maxi dresses.

TM: How old is 24?

Temitayo: The 24 brand is two and a half years old now.

TM: Why did you decide to start up this franchise?

Temitayo: I always had a flare for fashion and knew it was something I was going to be involved in, but I never knew in what capacity. At the time I decided, I thought Nigeria needed its own casual fashion brand. I am an advocate for selling what one knows and can use personally. That

way, it is easier convincing people to patronize the brand. I wear loads of casual outfits and as such, it was a no-brainer.

TM: If you had the choice of all designers in the world to work with, who would that person? Your design is very peculiar, by far one of the best I›ve seen out of LAGOS. Tell us about your team?

Temitayo: Thank you for the compliment. It’s very humbling. Our team is very dynamic.

I am the creative director, but design processes and approvals don’t stop with me. We work with a range of creative people to come up with our collections. Collections can be as few as 8 items or as many as 24 items. We believe in setting the tone, being strict about our direction, but being flexible and listening to what the market wants.

TM: Looking back, tell us what your greatest fear was launching 24?

Temitayo: The greatest fear of anyone in fashion is acceptance. Now I’m going to go all spiritual on you, so hold tight for one second. I strongly believe in the Bible and the fact that dependence on man is vanity.

I knew I had a good client base who would be interested in 24, but I was not certain as their patronage was not tangible, so I could not bank on it. Instead of focusing on my fear, I focused on what I was creating, and I looked to God for acceptance. The result is what we have today.

TM: Your clientele ranges from?

Temitayo: My Clientele ranges from the student to the executive; from the middle class to the super rich. The brand is casual and doesn’t discriminate. We accommodate anyone who identifies with

what we do.

TM: Do you have an office space? If yes, address.

Temitayo: We have an office space, but it is strictly for administrative work. At this point, we do not publicize our office address because it’s mainly for internal work.

TM: How about your online visibility? Do you have an online store?

Temitayo: 24 can be bought at www. jumia.com.ng/24, konga.com, fashpa. com, giddimint.com. We are very active online.

TM: Would you say 24 is a luxury brand?

Temitayo: The idea of luxury is a function of affordability, which is relative. I will explain. Luxury to one person is basic to another - and this is heavily determined by purchasing power. If the question is in relation to our materials used, attention to detail and design, then 24 is a luxury item. If the question is about our price in comparison to the products we offer, then 24 is a bargain.

TM: What’s a befitting ‘24’ occasion? (I mean when can a consumer wear his hat to?) A concert, dinner etc...

Temitayo: As the brand name depicts, 24 can be worn at any time, mainly when socializing. It’s a cool brand.

TM: Is this your first collection?

Temitayo: No. This is about our 12th collection now. We have the collections documented, but we aren’t counting just yet.

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TM: Describe a 24 wearer?

Temitayo: The 24 wearer has tried many brands and knows quality; the 24 wearer is very fashion conscious and appreciates looking good; the 24 wearer understands that sophistication comes in many forms and when it comes to casual clothes, 24 is the only bet.

TM: If you had the choice of all designers in the world to work with, who would that person??

Temitayo: Over the years, I have been privileged to wear most of the best designers worldwide. I’m sure if there was a contest for naming as many designers in the space of 5 minutes, I will win. I have grown to appreciate many designers for what they do and I am always willing to learn. That’s why I can’t answer this question with a straight answer because I appreciate different designers for different aspects of their creations. It could be

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little details such as the collars of their tops, for some it could be the threads used or their cut and tailoring, for others it’s their choice of fabric. The list is endless.

TM: Who/What influences you?

Temitayo: My influences come in various forms.

The truth about people who are truly creative is they draw inspiration from anything. I must confess; I’m not a fan of seeking inspiration from other people’s works. I see that as copying. I would rather study my surroundings, my clients and tailor my collections towards such stimuli. And that works wonders.

TM: Any futuristic plans for 24?

Temitayo: If given the chance, 24 will build the first house in the sky with no foundation.

That’s how much we love to push the bar. 24 is a lifestyle brand so expect to see us show a bit more of lifestyle in the future.

TM: Any plans to get involved in any Fashion week?

Temitayo: If we are invited to any fashion week, we will definitely try to showcase our stuff. But for now, that isn’t our focus. The streets have accepted us, our clients are our models, and the public sphere is our runway. What more do we need.

TM: Closing thoughts.

Temitayo: My closing thoughts are: I hope for a day when in Nigeria, we will experience true competition. When fashion brands can be placed beside each other and customers can choose based on quality and nothing else. When the full potential of our power in numbers can be harnessed and we can place Nigeria on the global fashion map as a collective power house, and not isolating individual designers as spots of examples.

ARTICLE

Dear Artiste:

MANAGING YOUR REPUTATION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

By Fola Folayan

Dear Artiste, There was a time nobody gave two cents about who you are and what you’re about. Well, those days are gone now. You have stepped into a world where what you say and how you say it, what you do and how you do it, what you look like and even what you think is everyone’s business. Not just their business, it’s eventually going to determine your livelihood too.

The entertainment industry is all about image and perception; and reputation is key. In my six years of working in this industry, I have seen artistes rise because of what people think about them and I have seen artistes fall because the wrong people had the wrong idea about them. The Nigerian music industry is a close-knitted ommunity and a good reputation will take you a long way. The relationships you have with your manager, your label, show promoters, the media, etc can determine your success or failure.

So how do you manage your reputation?

• Watch your mouth: what you say and who you say it to matters. Learn to keep your thoughts to yourself. You never know who is listening and who is connected to whom. If you’ve been blown off by an industry person, or you have a problem with your label or management or a promoter, social media is not the place to address your grievances. You don’t want to be known as the social media blabbermouth. Once you start on that path, you can’t be trusted and you’ll make potential investors nervous.

• Honour Your Agreements: If you have been paid to do a gig, show up on time and do the job you’ve been paid to do. No one likes an artiste with a diva

attitude. Getting drunk and passing out in your hotel room before the show is a no-no.

• Be Time Conscious: I’ve seen artistes goof on this one so many times and I must say it has left an indelible mark about some of them. Show up on time for meetings, gigs and especially press appearances. Trust me; you do not want to piss off the media. Being perpetually late shows you’re disorganised and you have no regard for the people you’re supposed to be meeting with.

That is not an impression you want to create. Is it?

• Good Manners: Simple courtesy, saying “please” and “thank you’’ go a long way in creating a pleasant impression about you. Rudeness is not a brand.

• Be Professional: It’s called the music business for a reason. When you approach your business with a professional attitude, everyone working with you will catch on and it will be evident in the results you get and it will inform how other industry professionals relate with you. It will show you can be taken seriously.

I do know that as an artiste, you face several challenges that can be quite frustrating but at the end of the day if you keep a positive attitude and work hard, you will get to where you’re meant to be. Remember to treat every fan, every promoter, every radio interviewer, fellow artistes, fans and every person on your team with the outmost respect. It will help you on your journey to success.

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18 PROFITABLE & MARKETABLE SKILLS FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS. Written by Promise Excel

T

here is a saying that talent is something you’re born with but skill is something you learn. This means that skill is something anybody can learn despite their age, color, race, nationality or gender. I called it a skill and not a job because you can actually become your own boss if you know your craft very well.

In the past decades, professions like law, medicine and engineering were big deals. Every father wanted their sons/daughters to become a lawyer, doctor, engineer or banker. But today the game has changed. The internet has changed the where, when, how and perhaps why people do things. The jobs that didn’t exist 10 or 20 years ago now exist because of the internet.

For a savvy entrepreneur, the internet is a goldmine. It gives massive leverage to anybody who is serious about the internet business. The internet is so wide and vast that it can comfortably accommodate everybody’s goods and services.

There are many people who still do not have a clue about how things work online so they have this believe that any business done online is a scam or illegal.

There are so many online skills out there that are profitable but I want us to look at the very best 18 that we are much more familiar with.

These skills are not thought in our schools. Our school only trains us to be good searchers of white collar jobs in oil companies. These are Skills Companies will pay heavily for if you know what you’re doing or better still you can become your own boss. The good thing about these skills is that you don’t have to sit in a classroom and listen to a boring lecturer for 4 years. You can learn it in the comfort of your house within 3-6 months without spending so much.

website traffic or attention through social media sites; from social media marketers to social media strategies, to social media analysis to social media management. This skill is really important these days because companies and big brands need influential social media sensation to create some buzz around their products or services. This a skill you can learn from reading good e-books or by studying how popular celebrities create so much influence around their personal brand.

3. Content marketing: This skill is not just about writing and publishing contents. It involves the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to inform, acquire and retain customers. This information can be in various formats like news, videos, eBooks, info graphics, case studies, how-toguides, question and answer articles, interviews, photos, etc. As a content marketer your skill is to create contents that will inform, educate, entertain and inspire your readers or viewers (as the case may be).

4. Digital Marketing: This is the promotion of products or brands via one or more forms of electronic media. For example, advertising mediums that might be used as a part of the digital marketing strategy of a business could include promotional efforts made via the internet, social media, mobile phones and electronic billboard.

So, if you’re good at digital marketing in today’s online world so that you can get more eyes on your product or a brand then you could be a hot cake for brands and companies.

1. Blogging:

5. Information Marketing:

Are you surprise? Blogging is a skill. There is more to blogging than just copying and pasting people’s content and applying for AdSense, afterwards expecting to become a millionaire the next day. There is the installation of the CMS software (Word Press or Joomla), designing, developing, optimizing, advertising, promoting, researching, writing, maintenance and a whole lot of things in between. If you can learn these skills and become an expert or influencer in your industry then you’re on your way to making a fortune.

This is simply about providing useful and most needed information to information seekers with the aim of helping them solve their problem and at the same time making money from it. This is a very profitable skill anyone can learn because everyday millions of people are seeking for information to improve their lives. Just imagine that you could provide a solution for half that number.

2. Social media marketing: Social media marketing is the process of gaining

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6. Affiliate Marketing: This is also a great skill that requires very little effort from you. All you have to do is learn how go about it, that is, know how it works. Affiliate marketing is simply promoting other people’s

(usually an established company or brand) products for a commission right after a sale is made.

Sometime ago, I read a story of a guy who made over a million naira from Konga Affiliate Program. You should know how to promote the company’s product through various media to be successful. You may not achieve this by just having an affiliate link or ad to a product on your blog/website.

7. Logo design/Branding: Many small businesses are coming up every now and then. There’s a need for this small businesses to stand out and feel special. If you can establish yourself as an expert in designing professional logos for them, then be ready for real business.

8. Web Designing: This one needs no special intro. With thousands of blogs and websites coming up every second, you can never run out of business. This is a skill you can learn with just N30,000- N40,000 and be making a very decent income monthly or weekly.

9. S. E. O: S.E.O stands for Search Engine Optimization.

SEO is the really simple(not as simple as it sounds) activity of ensuring a website can be found in search engines for words and phrases relevant to what the site is offering. So your job is to make website rank high on search engines.

If you can do this, then you’ll never run out of business as long as internet and search engine exist.

10. Web Development: Don’t get it twisted. Web designing is different from web development. Web development is actually the backbone of a website, the programming and interactions on the pages by a customer. Site owners will always look out for great web developers to add that magical experience and feel on their website or blog.

11. Graphic Designing: This has to do with having a good knowledge of how to use graphic packages like Photoshop, Corel Draw, etc. to design things like flyers, banners, complimentary cards, invitation cards, passport and a whole lot. I know of a friend who

ARTICLE is doing very well with just designing stuffs for individual, organizations and companies.

12. App Development: Mobile App development is the process of creating a mobile app that runs on various Mobile platforms like iOS, Android, Blackberry or Windows. This one is a hot cake that will perhaps never cool off. Mobile apps are created every day to solve specific problems. This is one of the hottest skills needed in this 21st century.

13. Importation: Surprisingly for some people importation is actually a skill you need to learn because importing goods from other countries into Nigeria successfully is not something everybody can do.

With the right knowledge and fair capital you are good to go. Even Jumia and Konga import most of their goods.

14. Photography: As far as there are cameras, people will never stop taking images of themselves. You can choose to specialize on people, places or wildlife. An image taken at the right time and right place could go viral and make you famous.

H

15. Photo and Video editing: These skills require you to edit images or videos and make it look extra-ordinary. Of course, with the rising popularity of Instagram, companies and brands need people to edit their pictures and make them look unique.

16. Youtube Video Making: Ok, that sounds self-explanatory. Individuals, companies and brands need people who can create, edit, publish and perhaps manage their YouTube channels. Now if you’re good at editing professional YouTube Videos, you’re in for real business.

17. Coaching/Consultancy: Newbies are here and there and they need an expert to advice and guide them on the right path to success. Now, if you’re an expert in one or two of the skills mentioned above, you will be paid handsomely for it.

18. Podcasting: That word may search strange to some people but it shouldn’t be. Podcasting is like having your own Radio Show which are targeted to a very specific niche/community.

It is a skill that many are yet to discover in Nigeria here. Why not be the first among your friends to plunge into it?

Now what will you do with what you have read?

Close the page and move to another? Or Take Action?

Actually, you will not succeed in anything if you don’t start or try. Feeding your mind with thousands of information without doing anything will get you nowhere. Now, the dream of making a decent income online is achievable. There’s no gain in becoming “Jack of all Trade and master of none”. You can start with just one.

Which of this skills interest you? Which are you currently doing? What’s stopping you from trying? What myths have you heard about one of these skills? Did I miss anything that you feel was supposed to be here? Connect with me on my social media platforms! *************************************** This article was written By Promise Excel; A Blogger, Entrepreneur, Content Marketer, Social Media Strategist and an active promoter of Entrepreneurship among Nigerian Youths.

Founder of maverickexcel.com Twitter: @maverickexcel | Facebook: www. facebook.com/excel6

HYCENT; A New Multilingual Artiste On The Rise.

ycent Oriseh Dennis popularly known by his stage name HYCENT is a talented multilingual artiste who just dropped a song titled ‘Confirmacion’.

The song which was delivered both in English and French languages is being circulated round radio stations and is already buzzing charts. Hycent who hails from Delta state is a talented and creative artiste who has the ability of churning out good music from experiences and his environment; his single “Confirmacion” is an example of his prowess as he sang both in English and in French languages, giving accolades to excelling and globally recognized individuals.

Being a complete artiste, his performing skills is excellent as exhibited when he first performed “Confirmacion” at the first ever West Africa Bikers association as the only artiste billed for perfromance and some other notable events across the nation.

Currently signed to Play Palms Entertainment, the visuals for this hit is underway alongside more great tunes from this talented chap with plans to collaborating with other A – List artistes.

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EVENT

A

lways destined to be a thrilling Edition with a HOT line-up LoudNProudLive Series tagged #GirlsKillingIt? with DB records artist Kayswitch on Thursday 27th August was held at Arena Bar & Lounge was superb.

The ladies were in full flow with ‘Boogie Down’ beauty SAEON who performed an excellent set including new jam RICO & STORI which she kills it on the freestyle. Go Go Baby star IMMACULATE full of energy and with a big voice to match performed

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new track ‘Osanle’? which went down well with the animated audience.

UK based Nigerian rap sensation & lyricist AINA MORE was in good spirits and fine form as she rallied the audience into instant choir as back up vocals- she performed song of the moment #GirlsKillingIt along with follow up single ‘Layback’ and new track ‘Afrikan Lady’.

Man of the night - DB Records artiste, KAYSWITCH then came on stage to perform

with an amazing live band - including the awesome ‘Mama’ as well as new hit single ‘Jaburata’.

It was a fully amped Edition with the #GirlskillingIt With Kayswitch. Hosts for the night: WOFAI SAMUEL & SHOLA THOMPSON (Smooth FM 98.1) - were an awesome combination.

The main performances were supported by GBT Winners: Daborn and YoungStar.

THE POWER TUSSLE FOR THE EMPIRE: Power vs. Empire.

By Oghomwen Toni-Osagie POWER Power is an American drama television series airing on Starz. The show was created by Courtney Kemp Agboh and is produced by the rapper Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson; it premiered on June 7, 2014. The series follows James St. Patrick, nicknamed “Ghost”, and owner of a popular New York City nightclub.

In addition, he is a major player in one of the city’s biggest illegal drug networks. He struggles to balance these two lives, and the balance topples when he realizes he wants to leave the drug ring in order to support his legitimate business, and commit to his mistress.

EMPIRE Empire is an American drama television series which debuted on Fox on January 7, 2015. It is centered on hip hop music, an entertainment company - Empire Entertainment and the drama among the members of the founders’ family as they fight for control of the company. The show was created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong and stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson.

THE POWER TUSSLE FOR THE EMPIRE It took a mini debate to get this topic approved by my editor and the TUSH MAGAZINE team, because like millions of other viewers worldwide they disagree, or they blatantly refuse to acknowledge that this is a thing.The Power and Empire debate, but it is a thing, worthy to be discussed and critically analyzed. As much as we “series” lovers are overly so grateful for American networks and their innate creativity, we have also come to the terms that we are torn between two ‘lovers’ - Empire and Power. We don’t know the flag to fly or which hashtag to support on social media, so we will comfortably fuel debates and contribute in discussion boards because we have come to accept that there is forever going to be an unending comparison and similarities in these two viewer favorites.

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Power premiered first, and we were all spellbound, I can’t speak for the millions of viewers that tune in religiously every Monday, but I can speak for myself. The storyline is something that is so rampant in this generation, well it has been there for a very long time, but nowadays many business owners and entrepreneurs are following and leading this route. Living a double life, maybe to cover up past mistakes or explore new things.

In the case of James St. Patrick aka ‘Ghost’, he is living the life he fantasized of in his growing up days, being the biggest Drug Lord in New York City. By day he is a father of 3, a husband to an absolutely gorgeous wife and a club owner (Truth). By night and any time it arises, he is the underground Lord of a ring of New York’s most wanted drug pushers, they do not deal in petty dope by street corners, they sell heavyweight cocaine via different ethnic groups, Mexicans, Hispanics, Black Americans etc. moving it in a successful network and raking in millions of dollars while evading the law. A man will always be a man, James jeopardizes the whole operation by constantly hooking up with his high school crush unknown to him who is a federal agent and her main aim in life is to stop this cartel. Unknown to her she is in bed with the enemy.

Power is an exposé on the happenings in our society, money laundering and leading a double life, with each episode we are left on the edges of our seats, wondering what’s next. What’s going to happen? What will you do if you find out that you have the power to put the man you love behind bars? Will you do what is right? The attraction with Power is the authenticity and the way it touches all things that are prevalent in society; Adultery, betrayal, loyalty, trust issues, money laundering and the violence on the streets. Nothing is buttered for we the viewers, it shows us a true side of drug trafficking that we know nothing about.

In the past, Hollywood has painted drug Lords to be ‘Kings’ with no issues or day to day drama. With Power we see that nothing is rosy, they live on the edge and are hustlers, with family drama and at the same time fear of the law.

Empire on the other hand is more of a family based drama, having its ups and downs but on a more relatable basis, not everyone has a family unit that sells ‘coke’ and is a gangster. In Empire we see a softer angle to this family drama.

An ex convict mother that understands the importance of a family unit, a ride or die wife that selflessly does 17years in prison for her husband that divorces her whilst in prison and 3 sons that lack the mother figure they needed while growing up causing them to make some wrong decisions in life and put sights on their father’s company.

Empire has all the elements needed to feeds its viewers fantasies; Music, Celebrities and Wealth. With these 3 elements, a fantastic cast and a storyline that is not as powerful and dominant as Powers’ they have been able to break records and garner millions and millions of viewers worldwide. Empire has received numerous accolades and various awards including an Emmy Nomination for ‘The Cookie’ aka Taraji P. Henson.

The show’s premiere ranked as Fox’s highest-rated debut in three years. Viewership has increased continuously; Empire is the first series in at least 23 years to have its viewership increase week to week for its first five episodes.

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The show has no excuse not be a success, from the music to the story to the producers; Timbaland is in charge of the music and Academy Awards nominee Danny Strong and the Maestro himself Lee Daniels.

In all fairness, Taraji is a fantastic cast for this show, there is no other actress in the history of Hollywood that would have done a better job and Terrence Howard is always a great idea, coasted alongside Taraji they are show time perfect, chemistry is 100% and overly perfect.

Empire came off to a great and fantastic start, the foundation is perfect, and the network that picked it up is a Household favorite, but with Power, Starz isn’t as popular as Fox which is another factor. Then again they are both doing fantastic and are breaking records in their own rights.

Series lovers worldwide will forever make a comparison because these two, Power and Empire are the hottest things on TV right now and it is only logical they create this uproar and excitement.

OVERVIEW POWER

Running Time 48-60 minutes

Genre Drama

EMPIRE 42minutes Soap Opera

Release Date June 7th, 2014

January 7th, 2015

Main characters Omari Hardwick Naturi Naughton

Joseph Sikora

Terrence Howard Jussie Smollett Taraji P. Henson

Director

Courtney Kemp Agboh, David Knoller Curtis Jackson

Mark Canton

Lee Daniels Danny Strong Brian Grazer

ZAINAB BALOGUN: PASSION CONQUERS ALL

She’s young, hardworking, beautiful and driven! Meet the beguiling Zainab Balogun, a Rubik cube of passion and talent.

TM: What made you decide to come home?

A job offer prompted my move to Nigeria. While I was on holiday in 2011, I auditioned for a new TV series and got offered the gig. Come 2012, my bags were packed and I was on a plane to Nigeria.

TM: How was the reception? Any struggles? Was it easy?

I would say that it has been a bit of a roller-coaster. I’ve had my moments where I wanted to run back and leave it all behind and other moments where the move proved to be beneficial. I’ve had my fair share of struggles from how to approach the Nigerian working environment to staying true to what I have to offer. My career hasn’t been a walk in the park but I’ve always held my own with the challenges.

TM: Do you ever feel like you made a mistake? Leaving the UK and the steady stardom you were amassing?

There are times where I question my decision to move however it only takes a quick conversation with my friends and colleagues to know that this is where I am meant to me right now.

TM: Ebony life is home to you now, yes?

Ebony-life TV is one of my homes. As a freelancer, I have worked and continue to work with other stations and commercial brands.

TM: You had a brief love affair with Hollywood starring in the dark knight rises. Why didn’t you pursue it?

I had a small role in a huge move which opened my heart further to the acting world. The Dark Knight Rises served as an eye opener. I am still very much perusing my options of working across African and beyond.

TM: You are like the proverbial Jack of All trades, in your case Zee of All trades; with a law degree, acting, modelling, presenting. Which one are you passionate about?

I love them all but being an actor has a special place in heart.

TM: If you weren’t Zainab Balogun, Nigerian Celebrity, what do you think you would be?

If I wasn’t doing what I do now, I would probably be a serial entrepreneur with several businesses taking over the world. This is the next phase of my life which I am currently working on so watch out.

TM: If you were having a really bad day, and you had to call one person, Lamide or Ebuka, who would you call?

I would call Lamide to vent about my issues and have her help me tackle them logically. After that I’d call Ebuka who would find some way to help me laugh it all off.

TM: Is Zainab single?

Yes. TM: Any big plans for the summer?

I’ll be shooting what will the biggest movie of my entire career.

I’m pretty excited about that. Once that’s done, I’ll be taking a little holiday. I also have two new movies coming out pretty soon so look out for A Soldier’s Story by Frankie Ogar and Entreat by Micheal Asuelime.

TM: The farthest you have travelled?

Las Vegas TM: Is Zainab ever going into politics?

Politics isn’t something I envisioned but never say never!

TM: You’re a young beautiful black woman with no sort of public controversy or scandal, how do you manage such admirable image?

I wish I could tell you that there was a formula but there really isn’t’.

I’m simply all about my work when in public. I keep my personal life private and try to be as positive as possible.

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An Ode to My Mother B y

P h i d e l i a

I m i e g h a

A

t the beginning of 2015, I thought that the worst thing that could happen to me this year would be having to spend an extra semester in school. I had problems which cost me a semester of my 2nd year. I was with the wrong crowd at the wrong time, and I got suspended for a semester. If my mother hadn’t been there to support me, I don’t know how I could have gotten through it. She prayed for me, prayed with me, advised me, pleaded with my dad to stop being mad at me, and helped me to stop being mad at myself. When I resumed school, she placed extra attention on my studies, and during exams, every morning before my papers, we would pray together, and after each paper I’d call her and tell her how it went. If it went well, we would rejoice together, if not, we would pray together. With her love and support, I graduated this year.

In the early hours of the 9th of July, my mother passed away, and I realised that somethings are worse than an extra year in school. Losing her is the worst thing that has ever happened to me; I cannot completely process the fact that I will never see my mother again. I have never before felt the kind of pain that losing her caused me. But this isn’t about me; it is about the great woman that my mother was.

My mother loved us - my sisters and I unconditionally with so much patience. She pulled us back every time we strayed and forgave us so easily whenever we did wrong, and then went ahead to counsel us. I will never forget her laughter, her beautiful infectious laughter, nor will I forget how easily she laughed, making jokes and pulling everyone else into her rich laughter that bounced across the walls of our home and coloured our lives.

She loved to talk, and I’d give anything to hear her voice again, to hear her speak to me again and tell me she loves me in that peculiar way she says it, “Love you” stressing the “you” for emphasis. But since it is futile to wish for the impossible, I will do that which is possible. I will bear in mind all that she taught me, I will follow the path of her words, and I will not do anything that will disappoint her. I will make her proud. I wish I spent more time with her, If I knew we would lose her so soon, I would have stayed by her side for the last 19 years. What I can do now, is to honour all the memories I have of her, and keep them in my heart forever.

I promise to tell my children and grandchildren about you, mummy. I promise to celebrate you until we meet again.

Your life may have been short, but it was well spent. As the saying goes, it’s not how far, but how well. And mother, you did well, you did good. You impacted so many lives, and left your footprints on the sands of time. Everyone who comes to offer their condolence share stories of your generosity, kindness and your big heart. When I think about you now, I feel pain, a kind of pain that I am not used to. Sometimes, there’s an actual ache in my chest. I hope that someday, I will think of you and feel joy, because I am privileged to have been your daughter. All of us, Daddy, Joyce, Mercy, Maureen, Myself, your family and your friends, we are all privileged to have known you. We are consoling ourselves with the knowledge that you’re in a better place, a place where there is no pain, no struggle, no sickness, a place full of laughter and joy, and that you’re somewhere resting, watching over us and protecting us. Someday, we will be reunited.

Rest in peace, Mrs Judith Imiegha, my great Mother.

I will write about you, I will tell the world stories about you, I will immortalise you with my words and through my stories, you will live forever.

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