I used to rap for free – Pherowshuz

Weekend Magazine: Your new track ‘Tha Fire’ is the first from your upcoming album ‘Thoughts Words and Action’. Also, it appears to have a historic theme. What is it all about? Pherowshuz: It covers my growth in music, from artiste, producer to performer. So, like the title, it’s pretty much my thoughts, words and actions […]

Weekend Magazine: Your new track ‘Tha Fire’ is the first from your upcoming album ‘Thoughts Words and Action’. Also, it appears to have a historic theme. What is it all about?
Pherowshuz: It covers my growth in music, from artiste, producer to performer. So, like the title, it’s pretty much my thoughts, words and actions — the stuff that makes me, me.

WM: It was entirely produced by you. What was the experience like?
Pherowshuz: I started handling entire projects from my 2013 mixtape, ‘Blood, Sweat, Tears, n Years’ (BSTY) to the ‘I Am Pherow’ tape in 2015. I am now working on TWA, ‘Thoughts Words and Actions’. It’s funbecause I love being in total control of the creative process, doing what I do best and giving my all.

WM: You rapped in Pidgin English, as is the vogue now. Was it a major decision for the track?
Pherowshuz: I have been mixing Pidgin English in my rap since my first album years ago. So it’s not a new thing. Also, I have been doing dance tracks as much as I have been doing my usual hip-hop tracks.

WM: You’ve been off the radar for a bit. What have you been up to?
Pherowshuz: I have been dropping projects, maybe not as much as I usually do, but I dropped a tape in 2013, singles in 2014, and then ‘Tha I Am Pherow Tape’ in 2015. I am now working on the TWA album. So I have been working and will continue to do so for as long as I can.

WM: What informs your themes?
Pherowshuz: Mostly my environment, of which I am a product. Also, situations, experiences, knowledge and more, all inspire, drive and direct my projects.

WM: Things are changing fast. What are you doing differently now regarding your music?
Pherowshuz: A lot of things actually. The music, first of all, has changed, the sound, the style of rhyming and delivery as well. Now we have the internet as both a problem and solution depending on how you use it. So entertainers have to switch up on all our promotional strategies to go with the new avenues and opportunities.

WM: What’s the story behind your stage name, ‘Pherowshuz?’
Pherowshuz: It’s taken from the English word ‘ferocious’, which means, savage, aggressive, fierce, and so on. For example, like a ferocious lion. I then changed the spelling, to make it a name, symbolizing the word. I grew up in the battle-rap era and that inspired my name and style early on in my career. Now I’m more of Phero, a cooler version and more musically balanced.

WM: Who do you look forward to collaborating with the most?
Pherowshuz: Different artistes bring different things to the table, so it depends on what I want to do, when and why. But to be more specific, I always wanted to work with Jesse Jagz, but we just haven’t had the time yet. But there are a lot of artistes I want to work with and probably will in this album.

WM: What will you consider your most successful work yet and why?
Pherowshuz: My projects had different effects at different times and I’m grateful for the love and support over the years. But to name a few, ‘Sample’ with Terry Tha Rapman and ‘Stereoman’, which won me my first hip-hop world award as a producer and rapper. Also, ‘Korrect’ which was one of the biggest rap songs of that era and had a lot of remixes, to name but a few. It also got me a lot of nominations at award shows.

WM: At what point did you decide to be a rapper?
Pherowshuz: I have always loved music, but the love for hip-hop grew in secondary school. I learned how to write lyrics while in Benue State University, recorded my first solo demo song and got signed to KD World Records a year after. The rest is all history.
University life was good, but nothing extraordinary. I used to perform for free because rap for me was just something I loved to do. I loved the fact that people loved my voice and loved to listen to me. So the passion for music grew stronger and stronger.

WM: What was your very first show like?
Pherowshuz: It’s weird when I look back. It was funny, standing in front of people and rapping. I was very shy growing up and had to learn to be bold on stage and deliver a song in a way that people would love.

WM: How do you view today’s music industry?
Pherowshuz: It’s very different. The world and Nigeria as a whole has changed. Music and hip-hop is all about evolution. Times and sounds will and must change. It’s how we adapt to the change and stay fresh that makes or breaks you. So yes, it’s all changed but it’s all good. I will make the best out of it.

WM: When you are not rapping, what do you do?
Pherowshuz: I’m a gamer. I play basketball and watch movies also. Business-wise, I’m a producer and also into events planning and management, plus an array of other businesses.
changed, the sound, the style of rhyming and delivery as well. Now we have the internet as both a problem and solution depending on how you use it. So entertainers have to switch up on all our promotional strategies to go with the new avenues and opportunities.

WM: What’s the story behind your stage name, ‘Pherowshuz?’
Pherowshuz: It’s taken from the English word ‘ferocious’, which means, savage, aggressive, fierce, and so on. For example, like a ferocious lion. I then changed the spelling, to make it a name, symbolizing the word. I grew up in the battle-rap era and that inspired my name and style early on in my career. Now I’m more of Phero, a cooler version and more musically balanced.

WM: Who do you look forward to collaborating with the most?
Pherowshuz: Different artistes bring different things to the table, so it depends on what I want to do, when and why. But to be more specific, I always wanted to work with Jesse Jagz, but we just haven’t had the time yet. But there are a lot of artistes I want to work with and probably will in this album.

WM: What will you consider your most successful work yet and why?
Pherowshuz: My projects had different effects at different times and I’m grateful for the love and support over the years. But to name a few, ‘Sample’ with Terry Tha Rapman and ‘Stereoman’, which won me my first hip-hop world award as a producer and rapper. Also, ‘Korrect’ which was one of the biggest rap songs of that era and had a lot of remixes, to name but a few. It also got me a lot of nominations at award shows.

WM: At what point did you decide to be a rapper?
Pherowshuz: I have always loved music, but the love for hip-hop grew in secondary school. I learned how to write lyrics while in Benue State University, recorded my first solo demo song and got signed to KD World Records a year after. The rest is all history.
University life was good, but nothing extraordinary. I used to perform for free because rap for me was just something I loved to do. I loved the fact that people loved my voice and loved to listen to me. So the passion for music grew stronger and stronger.

WM: What was your very first show like?
Pherowshuz: It’s weird when I look back. It was funny, standing in front of people and rapping. I was very shy growing up and had to learn to be bold on stage and deliver a song in a way that people would love.

WM: How do you view today’s music industry?
Pherowshuz: It’s very different. The world and Nigeria as a whole has changed. Music and hip-hop is all about evolution. Times and sounds will and must change. It’s how we adapt to the change and stay fresh that makes or breaks you. So yes, it’s all changed but it’s all good. I will make the best out of it.

WM: When you are not rapping, what do you do?
Pherowshuz: I’m a gamer. I play basketball and watch movies also. Business-wise, I’m a producer and also into events planning and management, plus an array of other businesses.