THE AMAZING STORY OF AN OSHODI KID ON HIS WAY TO STARDOM

THE AMAZING STORY OF AN OSHODI KID ON HIS WAY TO STARDOM

He was born in Lagos. Grew up in Oshodi without a silver spoon in a terrain that's as tough as in AJ city, Nigeria's crudest resource ground of exceptional artistic talents -- and, to put it in perspective, may be even tougher than Harlem, America's version of AJ city. His name is Lucky Okuhe

 LUCKY: My mother used to wake me up at 4:00 in the morning. At the age of 6 or 7, I was already working. Growing up wasn't easy. I did everything. In the morning before going to school I had to help prepare the food she was going to sell that day. I worked till 7:00 in the morning before going to school. After school I sold sachet water in the streets, sold poly-bags , ice-cream and yoghurt and I also as a bus conductor.

In Lagos cut throat competition was the name of the game. As a matter of fact cut throat competition is always the name of the game.

 LUCKY: Just to make ends meet and pursue my music career I had to learn a job. I became apprentice to a mechanical engineer in my neighbourhood. Life was a struggle. Things were bad. Where I was learning the work, the equipment were old and dangerous. One day an alternator cut my finger, and that was it. I knew that was not what I wanted to do. For two months I was in and out of hospital. I nearly lost my hand. When I got well I spent 2 years looking for a job. On and off I hung out with my friends in the hood . We played music and had fun but it was nothing serious.

Life in places like Oshodi, Aj city, Mushin, and Obalende provides the local brew for talent grooming: Nigeria's football magician, Austin Jay Jay Okocha grew up in AJ city. Daddy Showkey, African China, Fuji maestro Alabi Pasuma, The Oluaiye of Fuji, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (KWAM 1) all have their roots from the less affluent places in Lagos.

 LUCKY: Music took the better part of my time. Hipop attracted me. Then Fuji. Then Rand B. For a time my friends and I stuck to hip-hop. Then we switched to Fuji and then we tried to do a blend of everything we had. We were just having fun. Finally in my mind I decided that a blend of Fuji-Hipop was what I really wanted to do. My mother was disappointed in me . She handed me to my Uncle who took charge of me and said if music was what I wanted to do then he would get me to meet someone.

Sometimes kids get lucky breaks and their careers take off like meteors. Lucky got a little break.

 LUCKY: After a few months, my Uncle took me to see Mr. Philip Trimnell, the MD/CEO of Music Africa, one of Nigeria's leading Music Video Programme on television, with a viewership of almost 20 Million viewers every day. I started at the bottom at Music Africa. I do all kinds of jobs in the office but I stay focused on my music. It is hard work. At night I would go to the studio and work on my voice. In the day time I do what I have to do in the office.

Countless artistes will tell you that making music is fun but it's also a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. Some find that it's easier to kick off with collaborations.

 LUCKY: In 2013, me and two of my friends , Tope and Tosin formed a group called TLT. We released a single called "Egbe ni mo gbe ". It got some attention but didn't hit much because we were new in the game. But at least we had a video and people began taking notice.

Unfortunately in this country, groups don't last long. A million and one things connived to pull them apart.

 LUCKY: Later that year we, the group TLT broke up. I started 'night-owling' again -- sleeping in the studio at Night , working on my voice and learning the basics of music. I spent a lot of time creating my songs in my head. It was so tough I fell sick that year. While I was on sick bed that day I saw a herbal medicine seller, "alagbo" and I decided to try the medicine.

Creative people know that inspiration can come from diverse sources -- sometimes from the most unlikely of sources.

 LUCKY: After taking the medicine that day, I felt better the next day. I was able to go to work. After work that night, while I was sleeping, some thoughts crammed my head and I decided to do a song about the herbal medicine seller. Two days later I told my boss Mr. Philip Trimnell, the CEO of  Music Africa  that I wanted to go to the sound studio to do a song. He gave me his backing. The next day, I talked with a Producer friend of mine. He is also a sound engineer. I told him the ideas I had created in my head. He loved them. I sang it out for him. He created the beats . We worked for a whole night and finished the song that night. But on and off we worked on fine tuning the song. We were night owls.

Throughout all this period I got full moral support from Music Africa. Then I completed the track about the time of my boss's birthday. At the party I gave the DeeJay my CD . When the track came on people just loved it. It was the first time my boss would hear the song too. He was impressed. My friends everyone rocked to the music and they asked me to perform which I did there and then. People who didn't know me kept asking "Who's this guy, who's this guy?" I was happy.

History and life teaches us never to despise small beginnings.

 LUCKY: In 2014 I got my first big opportunity to connect with a large crowd. Again it was my boss Mr. Philip Trimnell who gave me the opportunity to perform at the Music Africa Beach Splash alongside Stars like Oritshe Femi, PatoRanking and many others. Before I was tipped to go on stage I was nervous. But when I got on stage the mood changed. I connected with the crowd and we hit it big. It was a big experience for me. I know the future is bright for me. I am not there yet but I am sure I am on the way to stardom and I am ready to work to get there. I thank Music Africa's CEO, Mr. Philip Trimnell for providing his total support. I promise all my fans that I am on the way up. Just watch me!    

STARDOM : videos of this interview will come up soon on YOUTUBE.

                                                         Written  by Victor O. Sawyerr