Damilola Afolabi, known as LAX is a recording/performing artiste signed on to StarBoy Music. LAX is the son of billionaire business mogul, Taiwo Afolabi, the Chairman of SiFAX Group and Sachol. In spite of his fame and wealth, LAX operates with so much humility. In this interview with TosinClegg, hetalks about his music career, how he started, signing up with Wizkid and futureplans
I got into music by accident…
I love music. It is my passion. That is why I am into music. At the end of the day, I want to make money out of it. So, I am doing music for the passion and for me to be able tostand on my own. I want to be able to do thingsfor myself. There is nothing like doing what you love and making money out of it. So, it’s something I love doing. That’s why I am doing it. I didn’t start music as a kid when I was young or from thechoir. I started music like a fluke. My friend called me up and asked me to come to thestudio with him that his car brokedown and hewanted me to takehim to the studio. So, I got to the studio and there was this vibe, the producer then asked, ‘how are you doing. What’s up?’ And I was like ‘I just brought my guy to the studio.’ So, he said ‘do something on the mike for me na’ and we were just joking around. It was the end of the session. This was in 2007. So, I jokingly did freestyle. Afterthe session, the producercalled me and was like ‘guy you have a distinct voice and I think you should learn this craft.’ So, I started going to the studio and he was teachingme keys, music and everything. He is actually Dbanj’s producer, dvee. I worked with him for like two years and that was how I started.
How I was hooked on to Wizkid…
I was just using my own savings to push myself. I shot coupleof videos when I was in London back at school. So, when I got back to Nigeria, I think I had a show like a summer jam. I think it was Hennessey or something that was doing the show. I was on the bill and I met a woman and she looked at me and said, ‘I like you swag, I like your dressing, I’m a stylist, I want to styleyou.’
Wespoke for a while and we became close. I used to call her from London then and she’s also close toWizkid. She was styling Wizkid atthat time and one day, she called me and said ‘send me some of your stuffs.I want to play it for Wiz and seeif helikes them. Back in Nigeria, sometime in 2013, the stylist called me in the eveningto come to Wizkid’s house but I was doing something by then and told her I will be there late. So, I got there by 12am. We spoke and from there we just clicked. He listenedto some of my stuffs, liked it and called me. I went to his house and then we startedtalking.
Wizkid heard my stuffsand liked them. About two to three weeks after, we went to London because that’s where I was schooling. He went to London with me; we did a couple of tracks together. That’s when we recorded ‘Caro’. I have a record deal with Wizkid and it is just for two albums. The contract states that we can extend it.
Wizkid motivates me…
Wizkid is a cool cat. He is focused. He motivates me; he works a lot; he’s a hard worker. He goes to the studio everyday working. He is a cool guy.
I’m working on my singles…
I’m working on my singles. I have close to 30, 40 singles recorded and I am working on my album as well. My first album is supposed to be out next year. But we can still push it. I’m learning to build my own craft from Wizkid. I have been wizkid’s fan for a very long time since he came out. He was a young kid doing his thing. So, I looked up to him as well as when I was in school and doing my own thing. So he has inspired me a lot. Even working with him has inspired mea lot. I am building my own type and sound of music. I do everything fuse. I can go on any beat. I can go on reggae, pop, afro beat and fuji. So, I’m just trying to come out with myown sound and create my own kind of music.
I like toput Yoruba in my music…
I am very good at speaking Yoruba because of my grandma. So, I like to put Yoruba in my music to get the fans on the street as well.
I look up to Wande Coal…
I look up to Wande Coal. I listened to him a lot when I was younger. I look up to a lot of Nigerian artiste because everyone is trying to survive. I have been doing music for a while. WhenI was in London, I had a studio in my house. It has been part of me for a while. I used to go to the Bez studios in London. I used to work with a producer that worked with Beyonce and Jay Z. He was my producer for like two years. He used to mix and master my songs. So, I will say what I was doing then was semi-professional. I was in school. I just finished my masters. So, I was mixing school and studio. I was just building my craft at that time, trying to just create my craft as well. It was just focusingon school, building my craftso that when I finish school I will be able to start fully. If I was not into music, I would have been a businessman. I did not see myself wearing suit and tie.
My dad wasn’t exactly happy with my music..
MyDad is a very cool guy. We are close and we talk. He wasn’t exactly happy with music. He wanted me to head one of his companies. But after a while when he heard my songs and his friends were always calling to tell him, ‘I saw your child on TV’ he started supporting me.
I was a cool kid and everybodywanted to be like me …
When I was in secondary school, I was like the kid that everybody wanted to be like. I was a cool kid and everybody wanted to be like me. I have been receiving attention from when I was a kid and I have been dealing with it because I have a great mum that keepsme in check and a great manager that keepsme in check. Mymanager is like family tome.
A bit about my background…
I went to Ave Maria Primary School, Nigerian Turkish International School, Stanford University for my under graduate degree (Human Resource Management) and I finished my MastersatManchester University (Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship).
How these courses will improve my music career…
That’s why I did my masters in innovation managementand entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur is being able to have a lot of business skills and using your innovation skills to try to make changes in the industry. Itis not evenabout my music now. It’s about what I want to do for the industry based on thestructure.
I am not in any relationship…
I am trying to stay focused. I’m trying to make this money.That’s why I am not in any relationship now. To be honest, I have related with a lot of girls in terms of friendship. I am just looking for somebody that can understand me because this music thing is crazy. So, I am looking for somebody that would understand me and love me for who I am.
How LA X emerged…
Itcame during my secondary schooldays. In school, people used to call me LA because I had a shoe called Lacrox. At that time, we were only allowed to wear leathershoes. So, I used to wear trainers and I spoke to the administrators of the schoolto allow students wear any shoes they liked and they agreed. So, my friends startedcalling me L A.
WhenI startedmusic, I colonized it and I and my friends just sat down one day and were just trying other alphabets to it. X sounded cool soI just used it.
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