By Chinonso Ihekire
15 October 2022 |
4:15 am
A heat smile swirls throughout his lips as he sits. “I’m prepared now,” he publicizes. His eyes glared deeply into skinny air, as if he was about to learn from a teleprompter. It was practically darkish at the moment, and Duke Amayo had spent the whole day working along with his band.
Duke Amayo
A heat smile swirls throughout his lips as he sits. “I’m prepared now,” he publicizes. His eyes glared deeply into skinny air, as if he was about to learn from a teleprompter. It was practically darkish at the moment, and Duke Amayo had spent the whole day working along with his band.
The entrance man of the Grammy-nominated Afrobeat band, Antibalas, had simply arrived Lagos, barely per week in the past, to arrange for his street tour, which features a particular Felabration efficiency later tonight on the New Afrika Shrine, in Ikeja. After spending a good portion of his life in Lagos, Amayo’s 2022 street tour marks a big period in his profession.
After 20 years because the Lead singer of the American band, Antibalas, Amayo goes solo along with his new band dubbed, The Lion Awakes. The veteran composer and martial arts teacher is coursing new paths in his musical journey, after over 2000 stage performances and 6 full-length studio albums with Antibalas.
Historical past will without end stay form to Amayo, whose eccentricism and dramatic strategy to music heightened the worldwide reputation of Afrobeat, particularly inside the North American market the place Antibalas was most lively. His final undertaking with Antibalas dubbed, Fu Chronicles, was the apogee of his effort to fuse Kung fu philosophies and energies with Afrobeat music.
The nostalgia inside this rebirth is rife, because it kicks off again in Lagos, the place he first discovered his love for the music and martial arts which have formed his profession.
On this Guardian Music particular, the Duke of Afrobeat peels again layers of tales revolving his dramatic entry into music; his craze for synergising martial arts (kung fu) with Afrobeat; his new journey as a solo artiste; in addition to his upcoming tasks.
Welcome to Nigeria as soon as once more. How does it really feel coming again to your roots and doing this at this specific stage of your profession?
It feels proper; it seems like the right time. Every little thing was main in direction of this second. Each objective that I discovered to come back to Nigeria has all the time been a chance that was arrange by another person. So, each time somebody asks me to do one thing, and I do know it could carry me to Lagos, I soar on it.
You already know, I’m all the time looking for a cause to come back again. So, due to all of my little causes to come back again, I really feel like there may be an accumulation of that, which will increase my need to need to come again to do one thing right here. Clearly, when my mum despatched me to America to go to high school, she was anticipating me to come back again and do one thing.
One thing like what?
You already know, to carry again no matter you went over there to achieve doing. Besides that what I went there to do was not what they wished me to do. My mum didn’t know I used to be going there to do music, however the music factor got here a lot later for me. It was once more, a chance.
Each alternative that has been granted me, I’ve expanded it to one thing tangible, one thing greater than I anticipated. So, to reply your query extra immediately, it feels wonderful to me. I really feel like if my mum was alive in the present day, I’m certain she may hear me, her spirit is throughout, she’s all the time right here with me, . She would lastly say, “Sure, you probably did it. And you probably did it your method.”
So, it’s also my method once I wished to go to America, she didn’t let me go. I needed to show that I used to be prepared to do this. From all of the analysis that I did, I needed to do analysis to search out the suitable faculty that matches me and I did it. My mum accepted my determination and she or he went together with it. So, yeah, it is a excellent time.
Did you deliberately plan your return round Felabration?
Nicely, that’s when it started. This could be my maybe, fourth felabration; I’ve come on my own. Once more, like I mentioned, alternatives. I noticed a chance like, ‘oh no, I may probably be a visitor at Felabration. So, ever since I’ve been coming to Nigeria, I’ve all the time tried to make it round Felaboration time.
The primary one was in the course of the Ebola outbreak. It was proper across the time when nobody wished to journey to Nigeria; nobody wished to be right here. So, someway, for me, it was an ideal time to come back, as a result of I additionally wished so as to add to the story again then- that hey, there are a few of us that aren’t afraid to return dwelling due to Ebola.
Once I got here, I noticed Riki Stein who was somebody that I extremely revered. He and I had little energy, holding one another, considering we are able to’t consider you’re right here. We’re simply attempting to show to the world that it’s okay to come back to Naija throughout Ebola, particularly if you end up Felabrating.
Let’s go a bit again to you being in Antibalas. How did that journey begin for you?
Nicely, I didn’t actually need to be in a band, however I knew that I wished to make use of music to reinforce no matter endeavor I used to be on at the moment. At the moment, I used to be principally doing trend. So, music was a giant a part of how I design. A minimum of, once I design, I exploit music. You already know, it was the place I discovered my inspiration from, the place I’m able to calm down and do my illustrations. So, from illustrations, I used to be in a position to get into trend and that was my foremost expression at the moment.
I had a storefront. At first, it was named after my final identify, as a result of as a designer, , you need to put your stamp in your work. So, it was named Amayo Designs. After which, over a course of about 5 years, due to all my trend exhibits, and the PR work that I used to be doing within the neighborhood to advertise, all my trend exhibits had been each three months. So, I might do a celebration together with the style present and promote a few of my outfits. That trend present slowly introduced me into renaming the house to changing into Afros Half.
Afros Half is the place I first noticed Fela Kuti. So, when this group of fellows whom I had first linked with, we had already linked, I knew they had been doing music so I used to be attempting to recruit college students to be my Kung Fu college students, we noticed a win-win for one another. I’m in search of members to be my college students at my Kung Fu faculty; they had been in search of somebody to authenticate the band they had been creating. The band simply began then, it was known as Kung Fu To’a Antibalas. It’s a Spanish phrase for a bunch of fellows who’re towards bullets- anti-bullets. In order that was the identify of the band.
Once I joined at the moment, it was like barter; take my Kung Fu, and I might be part of your band. Whereas I used to be in that band, I used to be type of like being an authenticator, studying how these guys had been composing; I already had music in me clearly. I grew up within the neighborhood, within the shrine; I used to be already a Shrine boy and simply the very fact that there have been some teams of fellows attempting to do Afrobeat; that they had my ear already.
So, I used to be already excited about what’s happening, and when the chance got here to be part of the crew, I discovered the explanation to assist. A cause to be part of it, a cause to assist maximize my college students and in addition assist my revenue, as a result of I wanted to make money- pay for my retailer, pay for my clothes. So, there was clearly just a little plus, .
I turned a part of the band and being a part of the band additionally required me to perform a little bit extra, which I used to be very reluctant to do, as a result of I knew I didn’t actually need to be in a band. I noticed the course the band was going and was like, if I actually wished to be in a band, I might do my band this fashion. Then inside that one 12 months that I used to be type of processing the thought of becoming a member of the band, I began my very own undertaking known as Fu-Arkist-Ra.
Fu-Arkist-Ra was based mostly on what I used to be doing. I used to be, , enjoying Afrobeat with these guys and I used to be educating Kung Fu. So, the place Kung Fu meets Afrobeat is the place Fu-Arkist-Ra discovered its voice. So, with Fu-Arkist-Ra, I used to be in a position to compose with out interruption.
I used to be free to compose. I had no restriction with music and I didn’t have any music principle restrictions despite the fact that I naturally had music principle. Music principle for me was understanding melodies and with the ability to develop that melody and add issues to it. I already had a method of composing, as a result of I used to be already a painter. I paint, I draw and I already know learn how to compose, like a design on a web page. So if I’ve bought paper, I can compose shapes on that; that’s how I noticed music. That’s how I began composing like an image or a form of one thing.
The group of these issues that I’m visualizing is said to my actions, as a result of I’m educating Kung Fu. So, it was like my Kung Fu and the years in it, all for me had been beginning to create a palette for composition. I began composing, , I used to be free to attempt new issues. And I used to be deliberately attempting to not sound like Fela. I felt like I used to be already doing Fela’s stuff in Antibalas. You already know, I had the house to actually perceive why Fela does what he does in any music, in any of his compositions. I did quite a lot of deep meditation analysis, listening, enjoying, studying learn how to play the piano, whereas I used to be writing songs. So it was a really natural course of.
I wasn’t a educated pianist, however I used to be a educated percussionist; I used to be educated in Ghana. So, it is rather straightforward for me to construct shapes and teams of melodies and rhythms in a really logical method, as a result of it’s all by logic. How you set issues collectively, does it at first, the center and the end- the intro and conclusion. So, I already had that form and all I did was put rhythm into it, put melody into it.
My compositions, if you take heed to them, in case you are a composer, you’d perceive one thing occurring there. You want to my circulation, as a result of all composers that I’ve ever performed with love my stuff. They’re all the time individuals which might be genuine in what I used to be doing. So, I used to be genuine in how I need to write in Afrobeat; I used to be getting my authentication on my compositions. My compositions had been feeling extra recent and unique, as a result of each time I’m enjoying them, I already had my intention; I don’t need to sound like Fela.
If I discovered something that appears like Fela just a little bit in my music, I might change it even when it had been the sound. You already know, I had that obsession attempting not to do this. It helped me develop my very own language of composition, which I consider quite a lot of musicians attempt to attain. I might say what most individuals attempt to discover after they research music is to search out their voice.
All of us have totally different voices and tones wherein we interpret a language; your accent is your tone. So, every of us bought our personal, however you attempt to discover your personal that’s unique, that after they hear it they understand it’s you. In music, it’s what I attempt to discover. If I play a melody or a rhythm, I need you to know that it’s me, not every other individual. So, that’s the factor that I used to be in a position to uncover of myself; learn how to be genuine and unique.
You talked about that you just had an curiosity in portray, trend and music. What precisely did you go to check within the US?
Yeah, I went to Artwork faculty; I went to Howard College as an artist. In reality, earlier than I even went to Howard, I used to be in Ghana.
You left Nigeria for Ghana?
Sure. Throughout the civil warfare, we used to dwell in Surulere. I lived with my dad; my dad had many wives, however my mum was the one one which lived with him, as a result of he was his particular Iyawo, . He fell in love together with her, they eloped and so they had me in London and got here again. So, we had been residing collectively in Surulere with all my different half brothers and half sisters and cousins.
We all the time had about, a minimum of fifteen on the time, typically from ten to fifteen in the home. I used to be my mum’s solely little one, so she all the time tells me, ‘I don’t need you to ever really feel alone, that’s why I all the time carry extra individuals round.’ And I used to be all the time like no matter. I didn’t actually go alongside, however , as a baby, I accepted what my mother and father mentioned. Anyway, I grew up together with her in that home.
Throughout the civil warfare, we had been uprooted; quite a lot of us needed to transfer again to the village. Some moved to their pure mother and father after which my mum took myself and three of my different cousins and shipped us off to Ghana to dwell together with her mother and father. So, Ghana was the place, a minimum of for me, out of all my cousins, as a result of it was me and my cousins residing with my grandparents and everybody for themselves- it was a kind of conditions.
Once I reached Ghana, the neighborhood we lived in was known as Railway Quarters; it was a really ahead and superior group. That’s what I name it. You already know, Ghana was the way forward for Africa. In our neighborhood, that they had organised drums, like drumming and organised fights. Organised fights had been as soon as a month, whereas organised drumming occurred each weekend. So, that’s the place I bought my drumming abilities and my preventing abilities.
The preventing there, that one I realized it to my very own Kung Fu way of life and it was additionally simply to keep away from bullying. You already know, if you dwell in a home stuffed with ten individuals, you’ve bought to be sturdy. So, Kung Fu was my saving grace. Going to Ghana was essential at the moment for us in the course of the civil warfare. Once we got here again was once I began getting some Afrobeats.
I used to be in a position to go to the shrine. My uncle’s identify is Anthony Amayo. In Nigeria, he was well-known for being a go-getter. He’s a sack up participant and an attacker. He was identified for his heading, good head on. So, he was very well-known, and he was not all about Lagos. Anytime he goes out, he takes me alongside, and when he brings me alongside, he makes me dance, as a result of I may do James Brown’s strikes. So, I used to be his leisure; I used to be what he used to barter along with his buddies and I used to be additionally glad to oblige, as a result of I had a chance to go in every single place. So, I bought my expertise on the shrine, rising up with him. He took me to the primary shrine at Yaba.
While you went to the US, what did you propose to check first?
I used to be going to go to artwork faculty, as a result of I used to be already a very good illustrator. My mother and father knew I drew very nicely; I registered to go to artwork faculty. I majored in design- graphic design and minor in medical illustration, as a result of I knew it was a particular robust discipline. So, I used to be planning forward. I wished to make it possible for once I depart faculty, I’m able to be a specialist the place I can be wanted. That was nearly the case clearly, however different issues got here alongside. I used to be prepared for the following factor.
As an artist, illustrator a painter, a designer, I all the time had this mindset that design is aware of no boundaries; you may design something. The professors that I had then at school again then at Howard had been actually ahead thinkers. My design professor inspired me to get a job in design; exterior of faculty, I bought graded on the works I used to be doing. I used to be working at an engineering firm doing graphics and circulation charts all by hand, earlier than computer systems.
Again within the days, you had to have the ability to draw straight strains with a pen. So, I had these abilities. I used to be working as a mapmaker, doing hairbrush illustrations of design that if you drew maps, it made the map look lovely. I had all these sorts of jobs, like that was what I used to be doing. However I didn’t see it as simply artwork or for the sake of artwork; I noticed it as a mode of expression. You already know, like this is only one method of expressing. You possibly can specific concepts in several methods.
Amongst all of those, when did you resolve to stay with music?
The music half didn’t occur till a lot later. After I had dibbed and dabbed within the illustrator world, I labored as a canopy designer for magazines. The final gig I did was, an architect employed me, this German man who’s excited about Jab really. The German man was very racist. He advised me, ‘I don’t like Black individuals, however you’re very particular.’ It was type of annoying when he mentioned that, however I used to be nearly making the cash. The man was paying nicely and he wished me to do 100 illustrations of houses. He designed all his California model houses. So, I did all these illustrations and it took about six months.
The man stored me busy for six months. I didn’t even have time to suppose that I don’t have jobs or that I’m struggling. I used to be simply busy. So, that entire architectural space of labor that I used to be doing, I used to be listening to music rather a lot. You already know, I bought this undertaking, I can’t even exit and I’ve to complete this factor inside three months and I additionally had my sound monitor.
What significantly had been you listening to?
Seal.
Not Afrobeat?
I’m Fela on a regular basis. So, once I broke out of Fela, I used to be listening to Seal. I might go to some hip-hop. Additionally, Micheal Franks, a Barcelona singer; I used to be closely into Micheal Franks and there was a DJ, a buddy of ours, his identify is Jerome Sydenham- Ibadan Information. Jerome used to do all of our mixes for a bunch of Nigerian buddies of mine. All of us lived in DC. We had a click- Suraj number one, Suraj quantity 2 and I used to be quantity 3. So, it was three of us and some different Nigerian buddies of ours. The social gathering scene was nonetheless in graphics. I used to be a part of the membership scene, as a result of I used to be learning Martial Arts. And if you research martial arts, you are inclined to have dancers round rather a lot.
I used to be on this social gathering clique and Jerome was our information, supplying, listening to music; we had been listening to accommodate music. Then from that, listening to accommodate music turned a factor for us and I threw events each weekend, as a result of I used to be a really social man; I had my buddies come round.
In Virginia, I used to be throwing events on a regular basis. I throw events and from time to time, I’ll do my arts- I used to be working as an promoting company, doing my arts. So, I used to be working in my discipline, and I had my diploma in that discipline, however I used to be already pushing out, like transferring to a different self-discipline. For me, it all the time seems like 5 years for one self-discipline and I get the itch. It’s like I need to push what I’m doing; I need to stretch it. Like I have to get one thing extra unique or transfer into.
So, my urge for food to attempt one thing new was type of itching me. So, this one man got here in and requested me, ‘oh, I like your paintings, are you able to do some graphics for my denims?’ So, I made a mascot. A mascot is a logo for sports activities for various universities. The colleges I went to, masca was the bull. So, I did a caricature of a bull. I painted it on his denims and he mentioned, ‘are you able to do one other one?’ I painted two, and he offered them. He mentioned, ‘are you able to do 4 and was like why don’t we print it?’ So, we did 4 pairs of denims.
The man is a male stripper, so he had a gig at a gents’s membership the place quite a lot of ladies go, like married ladies who depart work and go to this membership, due to the male dancers. And this man is my buddy, he’s a male dancer, however he retired from male dancing, as he desires to promote shirts. He known as me and was like, ‘lets make some T-shirts.’ I’ve made denims already, so he known as me, let’s make some shirts and add it to the denims.
I made about two dozens T-shirts with that mascot. We printed it in somebody’s home who had a printer; I by no means had a printer. That was thrilling. For the primary time, I printed on a printing machine. In my head now, I used to be like how can I get a printing machine? So, I used to be already scheming.
I used to be coming from a company world, as a result of I used to be working as a graphic designer. Now, I’m engaged on the streets, getting actual money in my fingers; it was a distinct feeling. So, it made me really feel like I need to earn a living for myself. The T-shirt factor impressed me and my crew.
Then, I moved to New York. I bought this job to go do a Fela musical in London. I mentioned ‘No, I don’t need to play Fela, I’m not Fela.’ I don’t need to reduce my dreadlocks. I didn’t understand it was going to be very profitable; if I knew, I might have reduce my hair and develop into Fela for them. However it was not within the cart for me, as a result of I had a mission.
That Fela music was not engaging sufficient for me. I really feel like I’ve already accomplished my half; I’ve performed with this band, I’ve travelled in every single place. We’ve gone far and wide. I’ve dug into Fela’s music and I felt like I’ve paid some homage and I’ve influenced bands which might be forming now, as a result of they see this man, and all these White guys.
Like if you see different White guys enjoying the music, it’s okay. I can do it too. If you are able to do it, I can do it. So, all these forms of thought processes, should you don’t go, you by no means know.
My final identify Amayo is should you don’t go, you by no means know. So, in my very own head, I already know that I need to do one thing with Amayo, my final identify. I used to be doing the clothes; it had my final identify. You already know, I did that, I opened a store doing T-shirts then I mentioned I bought to do trend exhibits with my T-shirts.
So, I would like music for my trend present. I’ve bought some drummers. One in all Sunny Ade’s sons, a percussionist buddy, I known as him, and advised him, ‘Kunle, carry your boys now for my trend present.’ So, I had all of the percussion, eleven of them within the trend present; that began my signature. My clothes line, which is designed like martial artwork clothes, is designed for leisure. So, Leisure Put on was the identify I coined for my assortment.
I used to be beginning to get into collections; I did some trend exhibits. I had a giant publicity in New York, massive publicity in London. It was good. I felt okay, possibly clothes goes to be my factor, . Transferring to the following section, I had the music to go along with it; I feel the music was not unique sufficient. That is my mind, . I need unique music, so I began slowly creating patterns and recording them.
From there, I began creating my very own model of recording for orchestra kind, and that’s how I joined Antibalas. So, I pushed and squeezed the martial artwork model, the rhythm, as a result of I train Chinese language Lion dance, which is the egungun of Kung Fu. So, that turned one factor I specialised in. While you research Kung Fu, you must research that.
After I studied Kung Fu, I moved on to the lion dance, realized the music. Then the drumming of the lion dance sounded, it wasn’t like Afrobeats in any respect in my very own ear. You already know, as a result of I’m fascinated by mixing sounding like that will be the right Afrobeat spice. So, I began creating my very own model of music, which at the moment, I used to be calling it Fu Afrobeats.
Finally, I had about three albums value of music that I already composed whereas in Antibalas. They had been all enjoying it, as a result of my music was sounding recent and I knew it was sounding higher, as a result of I used to be advised by lots of people, together with Michael Veal who wrote the e book known as Fela, The Life and Time of a Musical Icon.
I’m like a sponge of every little thing. I didn’t uncover Kung Fu wherever; I found Kung Fu proper right here in Lagos and when I discovered it, nobody may cease me anymore. My mum tried every little thing to cease me, however , that’s the place I’m in the present day; the place Kung Fu meets Afrobeats.
You might be fairly the eccentric artist.
Yeah. I really feel like I’m not there but, I need to do this one. I wished to do… not all clearly; it was like this man known as Solar Ra. He’s like my spec, most likely certainly one of my highest musical gurus. He studied all types of music. So, due to his ideology of the best way he defined it, I wished to enter all types of Afrobeat, as a result of I do know, when Fela already mentioned in certainly one of his interviews, he doesn’t name his music Afrobeat anymore; he calls it Classical African Music. So, I used to be listening to Classical African Music. As of now, I can dip and dive into any kind of music. It doesn’t matter; it’s simply rhythms, melodies and you’ve got a alternative.
So why did you permit Antibalas?
Antibalas was a twenty-three 12 months previous journey and it was time, . Even earlier than the twenty-three years got here, I used to be already attempting to determine learn how to make it straightforward and good, with no points. You already know, I used to be ready for the fitting time, however there’s by no means the fitting time.
The fitting time is all the time that second that you just do it. So, I spoke to my spouse for a very long time, as a result of my spouse was a part of my choices. All these issues occurring and the fitting time simply occurred to be proper when the pandemic hit, as a result of we had already began a tour for the Fu Chronicles. We simply began touring. Though I used to be already drained, extra like I didn’t have inspiration. Inspiration was not coming from that space anymore. It’s like you’ve exhausted every little thing.
So Fu Chronicles was like a goodbye album?
Precisely.
So, how did you’re feeling if you bought the Grammy nomination?
The nomination was meant as a result of my spouse teaches manifestation; she is a manifestation coach. So, I’ve watched her coached all these individuals. Once we had our daughter, it was a ten-year strategy of that journey of elevating our daughter. So, whereas we had her, my spouse mentioned I’m beginning this enterprise.
She’s all the time been that woman that has all the time had this factor. When you ask her, she could be like ‘sure.’ She’s like Iyalaje. You already know, Acela’s Iyalaje. She was my Iyalaje. She may predict issues. So, all her purchasers now, everybody was simply making thousands and thousands.
So, I might say, ‘how about me now? It’s time for us.’ She was like, ‘how do you need to exit with the band?’ So, we began the entire course of and on the similar time, we wished to construct every little thing up, not simply me sitting. Let’s construct this up; let’s construct that model up too. We began the entire marketing campaign to construct the model up whereas I am going for the Grammy. There’s a strategy to do a Grammy.
We found a method by means of her connections, telephone calls, and emails. You discover a few of your proper groups, you begin emailing them, you ship them stuff; they take heed to it. It’s the identical course of because the presidential marketing campaign, and we went by means of it full time.
Antibalas, that tone, that college shouldn’t be the college that cares about what occurs with the Grammy and all that stuff- it’s all concerning the artwork, being actual and being true to the artwork. And I perceive that you could be true to the artwork; you even be true to the enterprise. I’ve reached some extent the place I wanted to get extra closely into the enterprise half, as a result of I really feel just like the music now, I’ve a deal with on what I need to do with music.
I’m not attempting to do music like, ‘hey I need to go and have successful track, I need to go and tour the world.’ That’s not why I do music. I do music as a therapeutic device and since I train martial arts, martial artwork is like therapeutic. So, music simply makes it stable. Therapeutic Arts- Martial Arts wraps round it. You’ve got a stable fortress of humanity.
What’s subsequent for you together with your new band?
This journey is launching this subsequent group of songs- my solo profession clearly, however it’s also launching my enterprise. All my enterprise connections can be launched on the similar time. The way in which that I work, those that I work with, my model of music, this subsequent album that we’re engaged on now’s a trilogy known as the Lion Awakes, that means the world is awake. We’re all waking up. Africans are waking up. Everyone is awake. So, that track is extra like a theme track for an awakening world. You already know, coming to understand the ability that every of us possess.
Now, it’s going to develop into worldwide. So, what I’m attempting to do is to rock it by means of. We’re going to rock it and open the venue in Atlanta. We’re engaged on increasing that venue and making it part of the venue right here and different elements of the world. So, there’s a plan, which I might be capable to share as time goes on.
