REVIVING THE HIP-HOP CULT-LIKE CULTURE IN NIGERIA

Rap and Hip hop arrived in Nigeria for most of us when Junior and Pretty came into the music industry in the early ’90s. If you do not know who these two are, you can ask your parents about ‘Bolanle’ and ‘Monica’ tracks. These duo infused local languages with rap while passing the message. Okay, that is too far. Let’s get up close. Ever heard of Eedris Abdulkareem? If not, I can’t help you, this pathetic Generation Z reader! He was the first rapper who instantaneously attained cult status despite the criticism around his lifestyle. In fact, the criticism was what made Eedris, Eedris.

2008 was a landmark year for Nigerian hip-hop as we saw the short chairman M.I Abaga holding the entire African music scene in his hands. We had no silence from Hip-hop. 2010 when we welcomed Ice Prince Zamani. The golden boy who gave us a continental Banga! Oleku. Sadly, we lost Da Grin that same year. But Olamide emerged and captained Indigenous rap with his groundbreaking Ibile United. After that, Lord of Ajasa took over the baton. But this era ushered in the arrival of fresh M.C.’s like Vector, Reminisce, Yung 6ix, Jesse Jagz, Show Dem Camp, Teeto, Kel, Phyno, Iceberg Slim, Late Mc Loph. Some of which have said goodbye to their rap roots. 

Thank you for the history lesson! Can we get to the interview part? 

GRIX: Good morning Gee, how are you doing? 

HARRY: I am doing great. The timber in his voice blared through my speaker— a noticeable peculiarity of his sound. 

Born Harrison Osakpolor Ogedegbe, HARRY Carter is one of many talented artists from Benin City, the South – South part of Nigeria, making waves in Trap, Drill, and Hip-Hop. Earlier in 2021, he released his sophomore body of work, Carterstrophy. His 2020 debut was the 6-track Carterlyst.

Judging from our shared reality through the Zoom frame. The ceiling and the Window blinds gave us an impression that he was indoors chilling and just keeping it on a low. A deliberate contrast to us who were uptight. He was draped in a black T-shirt with the face peeping through a white mask. There is something about black that screams control. HARRY oozed the explosive but straightforward vibe. 

GRIX: How far that photographer stuff, you’ve not still given me feedback about it

We were referring to the photoshoot that would go alongside this interview. 

HARRY: I have visual chef, D.G. portrait, Leroy… It is not just about the photographer; it is about the style. I have to find the right inspiration first before I get the photographer. I am still looking for pictures that match what I have in mind and still get inspiration. 

Why should we be surprised? Hip-hop is a Genre entirely built on STYLE. And for someone who has the rap nucleotides ingrained in his DNA, it is only regular for him to think about the style of anything and everything. 

Sometimes, we forget that we have an existing hip-hop audience in Nigeria. Only a few rappers have the power to bring out the Hip-hop Frenzy like it was back then. And even when they do, their tracks seem to be chasing the shadow of their Afrobeats and pop competitors. With the world entirely grafting towards the ever-competing Afro-beat(s), the hip-hop stans and even artists are either relying on Afro-beats for success or ditching Hip-hop altogether. Not HARRY Carter! 

We don start the interview already. . . He nods, in agreement, revealing some parts of his rough but suave dreads. 

GRIX: What is it about your style of Music and your personality as a person? 

My style of Music is mainly Hip-hop, afro, rap. But my style personally is about self. I barely sing about love. It is not like I don’t like love. But most times, what pops into my brain to sing about is my experience. Most people listen to the saturated love-centric around, but they’ve never had a boyfriend or girlfriend in their life.

From the onset, HARRY Carter has always been into self-music. In 2017 he released WASSUP. A track where he talked about personal phases of his life. Obviously, HARRY is in love with himself. Loves himself so much that he could make love to himself. That is a deliberate allusion to his track Zithande were he featured Blaqbonez. Yes, the same Emeka The Stallion Sex Over Love Preacher.

Hip-hop has always been about self-expression. The first place Hip-hop gained popularity in Nigeria was in Lagos in 1980. Under a military regime. Hip-hop was used as a means of escape from crisis. It was all about making self  happy, and even as a form of protest. Only the BRAVE would deliberately deviate from societal norms and stick with them. What is normal? 

Normal is only ordinary; mediocre. Life belongs to the rare, exceptional individual who dares to be different. – Virginia C. Andrews

Not that love doesn’t rule the world. It does. But love is only a feeling that is personal to you. But like they say: you can’t really love someone else without loving yourself. Expressing the self provides an avenue for your listeners to relate on a deep level. HARRY Carter knows that, and he exploits that in his Carterlyst EP

We can agree that rap in Nigeria has gone through several stages. And right now, rappers are on the quest of trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t. It is a fractured process, and even the two most commercially successful names — Olamide and Phyno are yet to discover that treasure. Although we have a list of vibrant generation emcees like Boogey, Payback, Poe, Erigga, Dremo Drizzy Falz, YP, Ola Dips, Ycee Eva, etc.. They have become staples on the scene. However, even with the evolution of the internet and the general frenzy surrounding Nigerian Music, Hip-hop has further fallen down the rung of top genres with the fans who were cult-like decades ago. The truth is that an average Nigerian music enthusiast would prefer to follow the likes of JCole, Eminem, and Kendrick and totally ignore Nigerian rappers. Not because they don’t like it but because it doesn’t have the hip-hop hype and spirit. HARRY mentioned a thing or two about this later on. 

GRIX: Let’s talk family and upbringing. Tell us about the U.S.A where you grew up. 

HARRY:  It is a wild place. Growing up there some years ago was tough. It was a very tough route. Because there is no fear when it comes to dealing with drugs and even killing. You have to be careful. There is a probability that you can get robbed or raped. So much violence. Where I come from is very rugged. Even people in Benin don’t want to live there. It is like another state in the State.  

The U.S.A here isn’t the United States of America. It stands for Upper Sakponba Area In Benin. It is no joke that HARRY Carter actually grew up in a bad place (A track from Carterlyst -BAD PLACE). Talking about rapping about what is real and true to you! From the roughest of places come diamonds and Gold. We wouldn’t be stretching it if we say that most Hip-hop pioneers, rappers, and MC’s come from a background similar to that of HARRY’s. 

Kendrick grew up in Compton. Not just Compton, a high-crime area in Compton where his parents had moved to escape a violent milieu in Chicago. Eminem grew up in Missouri and Michigan and spent most of his life in Detroit-a high-crime area too. Tupac grew up in Harlem, a northern section in New York with high poverty and crime. Petty theft, murder, drugs, and prostitution were the regular order of the day. Our own Olamide grew up in Bariga-Lagos. Wizkid, as we all know, hails from Surulere. You’ll agree with me that society of judging you based on their own standards. But these individuals defiled the stereotypical thinking of those around them.  

HARRY: People don’t believe I grew up In Upper Because I don’t sound like them. I don’t sound like them, but I am them o.

He adds with a soft laugh. 

Coming from a bad place only allows you to have more tension. You’ll have more confidence, and you’ll believe in yourself more. Why? Because you can’t just afford to lose. 

HARRY: When I go places and see things that break others, I empathize with them. But I still feel, where I come from Wetin you dey cry put so no be anything (What you’re facing is nothing) Not that I can’t relate with your feelings. But to me, it is a normal thing. It just made me tough. And Musically, that is what gives me the passion because I CAN NOT LOSE! 

HARRY Carter was able to break the odds and change the narrative as an Upper boy from Benin. 

In Brave. . . I was able to reflect on my past. Looking from where I come from and when I decided to pursue my music career. People thought I would start doing drugs and all…I am just pleased that I was able to prove them wrong. 

GRIX MAG: Your Family? 

HARRY: I am from a family of Seven, three sisters, and a brother. I am the third child. I wouldn’t say I grew up in a perfect family. But my parents were always there for me. If you even check my to-do list. I still wrote I have to call my family today. Yes, I still have that relationship with them. But I just didn’t spend the most time with both of them together. My father was always traveling because of his work. He comes once in a while every three months. My Dad is a giant nerd. When my Dad is around, he always wants me to speak standard English. Even if you speak pidgin English, you have to say it in a way that sounds Standard, not like a local person. It is my household.

The parents of this young lad are major forces in keeping him level-headed. They made him know that yes, he was in the society but not of the society. We can all agree that rap requires a certain level of intelligence. Rappers are Poets. The command words and language in a unique way. Thanks to the Nerdy Father and the education of this lad, he has been able to master the craft of delivery and rhythm. And even infuses some foreign languages like French and Spanish. Caliente of the Carterlyst Mixtape and C’est La Vie off the Carterstrophy Extended Playlist shows this. It is not just some Falz la’fet vibe. And even his earliest work, NGIMKHULU was a product of his South African influence. He released NGIMKHULU was and remains a hit that spread like wildfire in the University of Benin and beyond.  

GRIX: How has your upbringing been able to affect your Music? 

HARRY: It makes me strong and bold. If I am faced with adversities, things don’t break me. It made me tough. The things I have seen and the things I have done. Are what keep me going. I cannot lose. I keep going. No matter what happens to me, I am still an Upper boy. 

GRIX: How did you arrive at the Name —HARRY Carter? 

HARRY: In secondary school, I was trying so hard to find a name. I wanted to call myself Yung Erikina because I listened to Olamide a lot. We laughed. 

Imitation is the best form of flattery. The YBNL King influenced his Music. 

HARRY: I always used to get into trouble a lot. Something happened in the house, he said something in Benin and called me Oduoza- someone who is always causing trouble. Then another incident made him call me – Catastrophe. That stick. I loved it but couldn’t call myself Catastrophe because it would sound ridiculous. So I had to refine it. HARRY-my name and Carter, which is Catastrophe. 

The name is an expression of not just himself but his principles and mentality-The ODUOZA mentality. 

GRIX: How has the Oduoza mentality affected your Music? Most rappers are a bit confrontational, whether in rap battles or online. There is plenty of Dissing here and there to announce yourself. But you don’t do that.

HARRY: I have done more of rap battles in the past. And I am not afraid of challenges. I think with the evolution of music, people a way past rap battles. We have more trap drills, hip-hop has become more melodious. People don’t really care about your bars anymore. 

Street ti takeover, Punchline o Jawo mo (The Street is in control, punchlines don’t pay anymore)

• Local Rapper by Reminisce

Even though Diss and battle raps are a major part of the Hip-hop world they are becoming a little bit extinct because the audience is evolving. 

HARRY: When you become a battle rapper, it affects your music. Most battle rappers can’t make songs. Rap battles are about rapping about your opponent, dissing them. That is not what music is all about. You’re not dissing your fans. You’re making them tired and defeated. 

The way Oduoza affects my mentality is that I am constantly breaking ground. I am always looking for new ways to change up the style. It is not about my personality. It is about my gift. My gift of consistently winning. No matter the obstacle, the godfatherism, I always thrive. Because I am catastrophe. He adds with a smirk of confidence. 

ODUOZA is a word of Edo origin. HARRY Carter echoes the Oduoza even without actually bearing the name from birth. People with this name are energetic, charismatic, ambitious, and focused. They have immense ambitions to become the best. They play by their own rules. His very existence and soul feed on progression and success, and he is designed to conquer the world. And that is why he mentioned to Pulseng that he makes music and art his own way because he believes his purpose in this realm is to be great. We mentioned earlier that He radiated an atmosphere of control throughout the interview. That is the Oduoza at work. A courageous being with the mental strength for greatness.

GRIX: Do you think In Nigeria we still need a Hero? The last time we did stick out for ourselves, we know what happened. 

I think we still need Heroes in our country. Because we need someone to turn the table for our sake. We have had consistent bad governance. Is like we have two-year old’s playing football with the likes of Messi. We need a Ronaldo. The Government is very powerful. We can’t fight on our own. We have seen that many times and even during the EndSars Protest. We need people just like them to fight them. Because there is no way around it. We just need someone with good intentions. Good enough to build a line of good networks. There is a lot of bad networks- Godfatherism. I don’t think that is likely to happen very soon. 

The above question is based on the pre-existing knowledge of his track Hero-from his E.P Carterstrophy. We could feel the emotions in that track and the shared burning desire to see the Nation become better. HARRY echoed that in his shared view of the Nigerian Government.

GRIX: Which artiste would you love to work with? 

HARRY: Wizkid, Nasty C, Chris Brown, and maybe Michael Jackson.

We recognize that HARRY has a thing for Michael Jackson and wouldn’t mind sharing a track with the legendary Pop singer’s posthumous vocals. He used to dance when he was a kid and always felt he could make music like the Pop King. Music kept burning in him until he could get it out, and fire hadn’t stopped.  

GRIX: What is the strangest thing that has happened to you backstage?  

HARRY: I think it was when people were talking about HARRY Carter. I was backstage, and I was about to perform. I was there with them, and they didn’t know it was me. And when it was time to perform, I just went up the stage to perform as HARRY Carter. They were shocked. 

That is some Big-boy kind of flex while trying to remain humble to the core. The music was enough to do the talking then, and it did. 

GRIX: Ever received any weird Instagram DM? 

HARRY: There is a lot of it. The one that really got stocked in my head is the one of a girl. She sent a DM and said something in the line of I am not meant for this country. She composed it in a peculiar way. So I have a screenshot of it. I’LL DO SOMETHING WITH THAT when I am out of the country. 

We shared a burst of light laughter. But what’s up really with girls and strange DM’s? Let us leave that for another day. 

GRIX: Naruto or One Piece? 

Naruto! Chuckles. Naruto is the greatest Anime to be ever made. The story resonates with me deeply. It is perfect and a good 100/100. But, you can’t be forced to like something. I have been watching Naruto since JSS. And sometimes, if I want to feel happy I go back to watch it. 

Naruto is the story of a Young Ninja seeking recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage-a leader of his village. The love for Anime (Mangas) Is universal. For weeks now, the trend table on Twitter is always buzzing with Attack On the Titans or Demon Slayer. We hope the reader of this piece isn’t holding up to the obnoxious thought that Anime is for kids. Like Naruto, HARRY is seeking world recognition and has a strong determination to achieve his dreams. We know that he is going to accomplish the Hip-Hop Hokage Status in years to come.  

GRIX: Any message to your fans. 
HARRY: Thank you so much for the love. Just keep on streaming the songs. And expect more.