Pryse:What it means to rap for Brits

You are the first female rapper signed on to Chocolate City. Do you see that as a challenge with other acts like M.I and Jesse Jagz? Oh yes it is a challenge being on the same label as the Choc Boiz because as the only female rapper on the label, I have to keep up […]

You are the first female rapper signed on to Chocolate City. Do you see that as a challenge with other acts like M.I and Jesse Jagz?

Oh yes it is a challenge being on the same label as the Choc Boiz because as the only female rapper on the label, I have to keep up with or even surpass the high standard which has come to be expected from Chocolate City (CC) artistes.

Apart from anything I may have done, the main reason a lot of people are excited about my being signed in is that they know CC has a method to their madness. They know before they would sign me on, I must have something. I guess I feel a lot of pressure to show the public what they saw in me. It’s a challenge but it’s been accepted!

When did music start for you?

Music started for me as a child in the children’s choir. We were a pretty great choir (for kids); harmonising properly and everything. So it was my first real introduction to the world of music-making; we used to write our own songs.

Did it start with rapping?

I was about 10 or 11 years old when I wrote my first rap. There was a song we had that needed a rap so the choir master said everyone should go home and write a rap and he’d choose the best one. I went and wrote mine and came back and it was the best. My verse was chosen for that song and became famous in our church. I did a few more raps for our choir which were even recorded in our album. They’re out there somewhere.

What was it about your childhood that has impacted you the most?

My most impact was from my family. My parents owned and ran a media outfit in Port Harcourt. They added a state-of-the-art music recording studio to the business  when I was in SS2.  My older brother took up music production and we started recording songs. This was when I actively started thinking of myself as a rapper, writing verses, and recording whenever we wanted. Although for me, it was always just for fun. I had no intention of doing music full-time. Everyone, including me, thought that if anyone in the family would be a musician, it would be my older brother, Big H.

You have a number of collaborations, who have you enjoyed working with the most?

Wow. Straight off, I’m going to ermm…M.I! Working with M.I. was literally a dream come true for me. I’ve always been such a huge fan. I was, and still am, in awe of his incredible talent. The best part was that he turned out to be a fan too! HUGE ego boost!

Who do you look forward to working with?

I look forward to working with Asa, Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Wizkid, Flavour, Omawumi, Ice Prince, Brymo, Banky W and so many others. Not to even talk about the international music scene; Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Jay Z, John Legend, Drake… I could go on and on.

The female folk are making their mark with rap music which used to be regarded as a male area. What do you have to say about this especially with the stiff competition that exists amongst the few female rappers?

I think it’s great that there are so many females coming out now to attempt to compete with the guys in the rap genre. Rap is actually something that requires you to be intelligent; so props to any female doing it right with emphasis on ‘right’, though. There tends to be, not just in Nigeria but everywhere, a lowering of standards for female rappers. As in, ‘she’s ok for a girl’. Honestly, I find it insulting. I’d like people to be able to read my lyrics and any great male rappers and not know who is a girl and who is a guy.

Do you feel threatened by them?

No. I don’t feel threatened by them. This is just due to me being awesome at what I do. Lol. I joke. My point is I just focus on maintaining my own personal high standard so that even if another girl raps great, so do I. I try to keep it at the best no matter what is going on around me. It makes no difference who else is doing well. In fact, the more females taking over, the better for the industry.

What informs your sense of fashion?

I have my own personal brand of what I like to call fashion. I used to wear baggy, tom-boyish clothes growing up. I grew out of that but I still kept certain elements of it; the Nike-fitted hats, varsity jackets, etc. I love to stand out from the crowd in any way I can. My dad always used to ask me why I dress so “loud”. And back then I wasn’t even trying to be an artiste full-time. Now I tell myself, at least I have an excuse now.

You have a degree in Media and Communication do you see yourself practicing some day?

Oh yes, definitely. Like I said our family business is media. My parents have painstakingly built a lucrative media outfit called Frontline TV Ltd. That’s why I studied Media in the university. It’s been my plan and theirs ever since I was a little girl to come back and contribute to the growth of the company. So, yes, when I’m no longer rapping and even before I stop, I’ll be a media consultant. Luckily those two industries are not unrelated.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

At the moment, I am working on putting out the right single. I have started recording for the album but it’s still in its early stages. No name or anything. Let’s start with the single first.

How did you come by your stage name?

My first stage name, back when my brother and I started rapping when I was about thirteen or fourteen, was Prysowin. This was simply because my brother (Harold) called himself Harlowin at the time and I used to copy everything he did. Then I became Baby Pryse when we started recording. When I went to University and decided I was going to do music, I took the ‘baby’ off.

Who’s the one person you look up to in the industry?

My mentor and the person I look up to in the Naija music industry is M.I. Maybe I’m biased because he was so instrumental in securing my spot at Chocolate City and I owe him so much. But mostly it’s because he did what most had assumed was impossible; he brought rap to mainstream popular culture. I have so much to learn from him as a rapper, artiste, someone who has conquered the industry, and an older brother. Fortunately for me, he’s willing to teach and I’m in a good position to learn. He’s a fountain of great advice.

There seems to be a surge of internationally based artistes coming back home to establish. What would you say is responsible for this?

Obviously, there has been phenomenal growth in the Nigerian music and even film industries and people abroad know it. I guess a lot of them try to make it on the international scene and find it hard to get attention or get intimidated by the competition out there. They feel their people will better appreciate what they have to offer. Not that this is a bad thing, though. Nigeria needs more skilled professionals, be it in music or medicine.

Has Nigeria proven to have more fertile soil for your career?

Oh absolutely!  I never intended to be a UK artiste and it was always the plan to come home. Rapping for Brits means you have to speak like them and I wasn’t going to change my accent on purpose. Nigerians understand what I say and I can better connect with them because at the end of the day, I’m one of them.

Where do you see yourself in another five years?

In five years (hopefully less), I see myself being counted alongside the greats; M.I, Tuface, D’banj, P Square, and the likes of them. I see myself moving beyond the boundaries of Nigeria. I see myself conquering Africa, then the U.S, then the world. God is guiding me towards my dreams.