P. Square not about Peter, Paul anymore – Adekunle Joseph

Weekend Magazine: Can you tell us a little about yourself?Adekunle Joseph: I find it difficult to talk about myself when asked. My name is Joseph Adekunle. I am from Benue State but was brought up in Lagos State. I understand a little of Yoruba.  I am married to the most beautiful woman and blessed with […]

Weekend Magazine: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Adekunle Joseph: I find it difficult to talk about myself when asked. My name is Joseph Adekunle. I am from Benue State but was brought up in Lagos State. I understand a little of Yoruba.  I am married to the most beautiful woman and blessed with two kids, a boy and a girl. I happen to have spent a better part of my life in Lagos.
WM: How did you come about the name Papi J?
Joseph: In my home, I am being called papa because I took after my grandfather’s name. And also I am said to look like him. With my name being Joseph I naturally got a name called Papa Jay and as I grew up it became Papi J among family and friends. 
WM: You happen to be a producer to one of Africa’s biggest entertainment groups. Can you tell us your experience as a producer to such ‘A’ class celebrity?
Joseph: I am not only the producer but also the music director and the band leader of the group. My interesting moments working with them is the travelling aspect. Working with them entails a lot of travelling which I enjoy doing. I am a very adventurous person where I meet different people, learn different cultures and traditions and as well teach people mine. It is really amazing when you get to meet people who are far from you and different in all ways, but in reality we are still human.
WM: The problem the P. Sqaure group has is all over the news. As a member of the group, do we see the group going the way of other musical groups?
Joseph: The group cannot split, people might think it will, but it cannot. P. Square cannot split because it is not just about them, but about the people involved. It is not about Peter and Paul any more, they are the figure heads, but the group is not all about them. The problem was an in-house thing that went public and was escalated by the media. The group will not split, because we have come a long way, we are a family and we intend to remain that way for a long time to come.
WM: You recently got married and have two kids. Would you say fatherhood has made you a better person?
Joseph: It had surely made me more responsible, because the people who are dependent on me now are more. I have a family to take care of and cannot afford to be the way I used to be. Family is priority, so sure I am a better person for my family and children.
WM: As a music director, how did you develop that flair for music?
Joseph: I grew up with music as part of my life. With my father being a pastor and I was sure to be in the choir where I played the keyboards. I was always in the choir right from a tender age, so, music was something that was bound in me from the word go. With the kind of childhood I had, there was no way I could have been away from music. I grew up loving to play the drums. Also, my mum and dad used to sing; with   both in that line, there was no way I could be different.
WM: What is your genre of music where you find your comfort zone?
Joseph: For me I don’t have a comfort zone as a musician, I do any genre of music. It depends on how the inspiration comes.
WM: As an entertainer, what would you say the Nigerian entertainment industry looks now and what is its future?
Joseph: The Nigerian entertainment industry has drastically grown. Today musicians derive their source of living from music unlike 10 years ago when musicians were looked down upon, but today everyone wants their kids to be musicians because there is good money in it. It is a lucrative business in Nigeria today; that is if you know how to do the business.  Some people are in the music industry and some people are in the music business; these are two different things, but all the same, both are doing quite well in Nigeria. The future is very positive for this segment of the Nigerian society. In future I see Nigeria music industry becoming one of the greatest in the world. We are getting to a point where every musician in the world would want to do collaborations with us.
WM: Most people would want to compare music directors in Nigeria to those in the West. What do you think is the major difference between the two?
Joseph: I don’t ever compare because we are two different kinds of people and certainly do our things differently. They understand their kind of music and we understand our kind of music, so the comparison game isn’t necessary.
If a music director in the West wants to inculcate our culture, he will only borrow some of our ideas but will still do it his own way. We should understand that the only way we can export good music is if we do an original and give it to the rest of the world.
Music is a universal language which sounds nice to the ear and so it does not matter what tribe or culture, everybody will accept the music he or she feels more comfortable with…
WM: There is this argument that Nigerian musicians are going away from the norm here in Africa and striving to be like westerners. Do you think our culture is being preserved in our kind of music?
Joseph: There is the thing that we always want to improve in whatever we are doing. For us to want to dance and sing like the westerners and also improve our music, all is to make our fans happy; that is what they want. There is no limit to what we can do for our fans.
There is a misconception when it comes to issues like this. We cannot be like them; we can only borrow one or two things from them. No one wants to continue to listen or watch the same kind of beats and rhythm, there is always a chance that something new will come up to give it more flavour.  We can only learn from each other, Beyoncé came and learnt from Africa when she did her round the world tour and she had to use African dancers. But it still did not mean that she was trying to be like us, she just tried to give it a little flavour by inculcating our culture.
WM: Are directors given enough recognition for their work or is it the artistes who take all the glory?
Joseph: Honestly speaking, this is a tricky question, but for me I will say the work speaks for every director. Personally for me, I think the recognition will always come after. Our work entails we work from behind, to make sure they look and sound good. I don’t need to be seen, I just need them to be heard.  If they are heard properly, that is the recognition for me. Most times people do not know that the reason why they sound this way is because the music director has done something to make it a final product. Recognition to me is the artiste coming out good and fans loving the final product.
WM: Who was your mentor while growing up?
Joseph: My father, because he made me the man I am today. He always told me that there is always a way forward in everything I do in life.
WM: People would want to know, being the son of a pastor, while venturing into the entertainment industry, was your choice of career challenged by your parents?
Joseph: Definitely, but I had to make him understand that my choice was actually a career and not a no-go-area as most people regarded it. People make a big mistake when they say gospel music; the meaning of gospel is good news. So, as long as my music is good news to you, then that is gospel music. It does not necessarily have to be religious. What we do is to make people happy, you cannot be wrong by making people happy. I made him understand I was making people happy and he accepted my choice of career.
WM: You are married to one of the world’s best choreographers. What is it like being married to Kaffy?
Joseph: I don’t discuss my personal life on the pages of newspapers, but if I must say, I am her number one fan. I love what she does. It is fun to always watch people appreciate someone who you appreciate, especially when you know that there are millions of people waiting for me to mess up and grab the opportunity to be with her. It is fun being married to her because she is special.
WM: You are both from different religions, how have you been able to blend this into the stability of your relationship?
Joseph: I have learnt a lot from her. The whole Christian and Muslim issue  is ignorance, which is the bottom line. If we take time to read and understand the different religions, you will realise that we are not enemies. As for my relationship, as long as we are in love I don’t see why religion should come between us.
WM: What does it take for someone to be a music director?
Joseph: Sorrows, tears and blood; blood in this instance does not mean any sacrifice or anything like that as many people will be quick to conclude in that manner. When I say that it is a piece I took from Fela’s music anyone who wants to conclude otherwise should please check Fela’s music back in those days.
WM: If you had a chance to change one thing about your job what would it be?
Joseph: Flying! Sometimes I just wish I could just close my eyes and disappear and appear wherever we are to go to. We fly more than any other people in the world. We fly close to 15, 20 times a month, if not more.