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 your complete 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 your complete day working along with his band.
The entrance man of the Grammy-nominated Afrobeat band, Antibalas, had simply arrived Lagos, barely every week in the past, to organize for his highway 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 highway 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 perpetually stay variety to Amayo, whose eccentricism and dramatic strategy to music heightened the worldwide recognition of Afrobeat, particularly throughout the North American market the place Antibalas was most lively. His final mission 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 initiatives.
Welcome to Nigeria as soon as once more. How does it really feel coming again to your roots and doing this at this explicit stage of your profession?
It feels proper; it seems like the right time. All the things was main in the direction of this second. Each function that I discovered to return 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 deliver me to Lagos, I soar on it.
You realize, I’m all the time looking for a motive to return again. So, due to all of my little causes to return again, I really feel like there may be an accumulation of that, which will increase my want to wish to come again to do one thing right here. Clearly, when my mum despatched me to America to go to highschool, she was anticipating me to return again and do one thing.
One thing like what?
You realize, to deliver again no matter you went over there to achieve doing. Besides that what I went there to do was not what they needed 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 larger than I anticipated. So, to reply your query extra immediately, it feels wonderful to me. I really feel like if my mum was alive right now, I’m certain she may hear me, her spirit is throughout, she’s all the time right here with me, you recognize. She would lastly say, “Sure, you probably did it. And you probably did it your approach.”
So, it is usually my approach once I needed to go to America, she didn’t let me go. I needed to show that I used to be prepared to try 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 resolution and he or she went together with it. So, yeah, this can be a excellent time.
Did you deliberately plan your return round Felabration?
Properly, that’s when it started. This may be my maybe, fourth felabration; I’ve come on my own. Once more, like I stated, alternatives. I noticed a chance like, ‘oh no, I may doubtlessly 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 needed to journey to Nigeria; nobody needed to be right here. So, by some means, for me, it was an ideal time to return, as a result of I additionally needed 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.
After 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 imagine you’re right here. We’re simply attempting to show to the world that it’s okay to return to Naija throughout Ebola, particularly when you’re Felabrating.
Let’s go a bit again to you being in Antibalas. How did that journey begin for you?
Properly, I didn’t actually wish to be in a band, however I knew that I needed 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 an enormous a part of how I design. Not less than, once I design, I take advantage of music. You realize, 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 capable of get into trend and that was my most important 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 recognize, you wish 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 have 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 area to turning into Afros Half.
Afros Half is the place I first noticed Fela Kuti. So, when this group of men whom I had first related with, we had already related, I knew they have 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 on the lookout for members to be my college students at my Kung Fu college; they have been on the lookout for somebody to authenticate the band they have 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 men who’re in opposition to bullets- anti-bullets. In order that was the identify of the band.
After 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 form of like being an authenticator, studying how these guys have 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 men attempting to do Afrobeat; that they had my ear already.
So, I used to be already concerned with what’s happening, and when the chance got here to be part of the crew, I discovered the rationale to assist. A motive to be part of it, a motive to assist maximize my college students and in addition assist my earnings, 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, you recognize.
I turned a part of the band and being a part of the band additionally required me to do some bit extra, which I used to be very reluctant to do, as a result of I knew I didn’t actually wish to be in a band. I noticed the path the band was going and was like, if I actually needed to be in a band, I might do my band this manner. Then inside that one 12 months that I used to be form of processing the concept of becoming a member of the band, I began my very own mission known as Fu-Arkist-Ra.
Fu-Arkist-Ra was primarily based on what I used to be doing. I used to be, you recognize, taking part in 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 capable of 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 though I naturally had music principle. Music principle for me was understanding melodies and having the ability to broaden that melody and add issues to it. I already had a approach of composing, as a result of I used to be already a painter. I paint, I draw and I already know how you can 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 expounded 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 have been beginning to create a palette for composition. I began composing, you recognize, 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 realize, I had the area to essentially perceive why Fela does what he does in any music, in any of his compositions. I did plenty of deep meditation analysis, listening, taking part in, studying how you can play the piano, whereas I used to be writing songs. So it was a really natural course of.
I wasn’t a skilled pianist, however I used to be a skilled percussionist; I used to be skilled in Ghana. So, it is vitally simple for me to construct shapes and teams of melodies and rhythms in a really logical approach, as a result of it’s all by logic. How you set issues collectively, does it to start with, 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, once you hearken to them, if you’re a composer, you’d perceive one thing occurring there. You want to my circulate, as a result of all composers that I’ve ever performed with love my stuff. They’re all the time individuals which are genuine in what I used to be doing. So, I used to be genuine in how I wish to write in Afrobeat; I used to be getting my authentication on my compositions. My compositions have been feeling extra recent and authentic, as a result of each time I’m taking part in them, I already had my intention; I don’t wish 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 have been the sound. You realize, I had that obsession attempting not to try this. It helped me develop my very own language of composition, which I imagine plenty 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 completely different voices and tones by which 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 authentic, that after they hear it they comprehend it’s you. In music, it’s what I attempt to discover. If I play a melody or a rhythm, I would like you to know that it’s me, not another particular person. So, that’s the factor that I used to be capable of uncover of myself; how you can be genuine and authentic.
You talked about that you just had an curiosity in portray, trend and music. What precisely did you go to review within the US?
Yeah, I went to Artwork college; I went to Howard College as an artist. Actually, earlier than I even went to Howard, I used to be in Ghana.
You left Nigeria for Ghana?
Sure. In the course of the civil struggle, we used to stay 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, you recognize. He fell in love along with her, they eloped they usually had me in London and got here again. So, we have been residing collectively in Surulere with all my different half brothers and half sisters and cousins.
We all the time had about, no less than fifteen on the time, generally 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 deliver extra individuals round.’ And I used to be all the time like no matter. I didn’t actually go alongside, however you recognize, as a baby, I accepted what my mother and father stated. Anyway, I grew up along with her in that home.
In the course of the civil struggle, we have been uprooted; plenty 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 stay along with her mother and father. So, Ghana was the place, no less than 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 type of conditions.
After I reached Ghana, the neighborhood we lived in was known as Railway Quarters; it was a really ahead and superior neighborhood. That’s what I name it. You realize, Ghana was the way forward for Africa. In our neighborhood, that they had organised drums, like drumming and organised fights. Organised fights have 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 discovered it to my very own Kung Fu life-style and it was additionally simply to keep away from bullying. You realize, once you stay in a home filled with ten individuals, you’ve bought to be sturdy. So, Kung Fu was my saving grace. Going to Ghana was necessary at the moment for us in the course of the civil struggle. After we got here again was once I began getting some Afrobeats.
I used to be capable of 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 recognized 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 associates and I used to be additionally completely happy to oblige, as a result of I had a chance to go all over the place. So, I bought my expertise on the shrine, rising up with him. He took me to the primary shrine at Yaba.
Once you went to the US, what did you propose to review first?
I used to be going to go to artwork college, as a result of I used to be already an excellent illustrator. My mother and father knew I drew very effectively; I registered to go to artwork college. I majored in design- graphic design and minor in medical illustration, as a result of I knew it was a particular powerful subject. So, I used to be planning forward. I needed to guarantee that once I go away college, 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 subsequent factor.
As an artist, illustrator a painter, a designer, I all the time had this mindset that design is aware of no boundaries; you possibly can design something. The professors that I had then at school again then at Howard have been actually ahead thinkers. My design professor inspired me to get a job in design; exterior of college, I bought graded on the works I used to be doing. I used to be working at an engineering firm doing graphics and circulate charts all by hand, earlier than computer systems.
Again within the days, you had to have the ability to draw straight traces with a pen. So, I had these abilities. I used to be working as a mapmaker, doing hairbrush illustrations of design that once you drew maps, it made the map look stunning. 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 realize, like this is only one approach of expressing. You possibly can categorical concepts in numerous methods.
Amongst all of those, when did you determine 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 concerned with Jab really. The German man was very racist. He informed me, ‘I don’t like Black individuals, however you’re very particular.’ It was form of annoying when he stated that, however I used to be nearly making the cash. The man was paying effectively and he needed me to do 100 illustrations of properties. He designed all his California type properties. So, I did all these illustrations and it took about six months.
The man saved 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 complete architectural space of labor that I used to be doing, I used to be listening to music loads. You realize, I bought this mission, I can’t even exit and I’ve to complete this factor inside three months and I additionally had my sound observe.
What significantly have 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 pal of ours, his identify is Jerome Sydenham- Ibadan Data. Jerome used to do all of our mixes for a bunch of Nigerian associates of mine. All of us lived in DC. We had a click- Suraj #1, Suraj quantity 2 and I used to be quantity 3. So, it was three of us and some different Nigerian associates of ours. The occasion 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 once you research martial arts, you are inclined to have dancers round loads.
I used to be on this occasion clique and Jerome was our information, supplying, listening to music; we have 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 associates come round.
In Virginia, I used to be throwing events on a regular basis. I throw events and every so often, 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 subject, and I had my diploma in that subject, however I used to be already pushing out, like shifting 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 wish to push what I’m doing; I wish to stretch it. Like I must get one thing extra authentic or transfer into.
So, my urge for food to attempt one thing new was form of itching me. So, this one man got here in and requested me, ‘oh, I like your art work, 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 stated, ‘are you able to do one other one?’ I painted two, and he bought them. He stated, ‘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 plenty of girls go, like married girls who go away work and go to this membership, due to the male dancers. And this man is my pal, 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 special feeling. So, it made me really feel like I wish to become profitable for myself. The T-shirt factor impressed me and my group.
Then, I moved to New York. I bought this job to go do a Fela musical in London. I stated ‘No, I don’t wish to play Fela, I’m not Fela.’ I don’t wish to reduce my dreadlocks. I didn’t comprehend it was going to be very profitable; if I knew, I might have reduce my hair and change into Fela for them. Nevertheless 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 all over the place. We’ve gone in all places. I’ve dug into Fela’s music and I felt like I’ve paid some homage and I’ve influenced bands which are forming now, as a result of they see this man, and all these White guys.
Like once you see different White guys taking part in the music, it’s okay. I can do it too. If you are able to do it, I can do it. So, all these sorts of thought processes, when you don’t go, you by no means know.
My final identify Amayo is when you don’t go, you by no means know. So, in my very own head, I already know that I wish to do one thing with Amayo, my final identify. I used to be doing the clothes; it had my final identify. You realize, I did that, I opened a store doing T-shirts then I stated I bought to do trend exhibits with my T-shirts.
So, I would like music for my trend present. I’ve bought some drummers. Certainly one of Sunny Ade’s sons, a percussionist pal, I known as him, and informed him, ‘Kunle, deliver 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 an enormous publicity in New York, massive publicity in London. It was good. I felt okay, possibly clothes goes to be my factor, you recognize. Shifting to the subsequent part, I had the music to go together with it; I feel the music was not authentic sufficient. That is my mind, you recognize. I would like authentic music, so I began slowly creating patterns and recording them.
From there, I began creating my very own type of recording for orchestra kind, and that’s how I joined Antibalas. So, I pushed and squeezed the martial artwork type, 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. Once you research Kung Fu, you need to research that.
After I studied Kung Fu, I moved on to the lion dance, discovered the music. Then the drumming of the lion dance sounded, it wasn’t like Afrobeats in any respect in my very own ear. You realize, as a result of I’m serious about mixing sounding like that will be the right Afrobeat spice. So, I began creating my very own type 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 have been all taking part in 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 informed by lots of people, together with Michael Veal who wrote the guide known as Fela, The Life and Time of a Musical Icon.
I’m like a sponge of all the pieces. I didn’t uncover Kung Fu anyplace; I found Kung Fu proper right here in Lagos and when I discovered it, nobody may cease me anymore. My mum tried all the pieces to cease me, however you recognize, that’s the place I’m right now; the place Kung Fu meets Afrobeats.
You might be fairly the eccentric artist.
Yeah. I really feel like I’m not there but, I wish to try this one. I needed to do… not all clearly; it was like this man known as Solar Ra. He’s like my spec, in all probability one in all my highest musical gurus. He studied all types of music. So, due to his ideology of the way in which he defined it, I needed to enter all types of Afrobeat, as a result of I do know, when Fela already stated in one in all 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 sort 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, you recognize. Even earlier than the twenty-three years got here, I used to be already attempting to determine how you can make it simple and good, with no points. You realize, I used to be ready for the correct time, however there’s by no means the correct time.
The proper 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 correct 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 all the pieces.
So Fu Chronicles was like a goodbye album?
Precisely.
So, how did you’re feeling once you bought the Grammy nomination?
The nomination was supposed as a result of my spouse teaches manifestation; she is a manifestation coach. So, I’ve watched her coached all these individuals. After we had our daughter, it was a ten-year strategy of that journey of elevating our daughter. So, whereas we had her, my spouse stated I’m beginning this enterprise.
She’s all the time been that girl that has all the time had this factor. If you happen to ask her, she can be like ‘sure.’ She’s like Iyalaje. You realize, Acela’s Iyalaje. She was my Iyalaje. She may predict issues. So, all her shoppers now, everybody was simply making hundreds of thousands.
So, I might say, ‘how about me now? It’s time for us.’ She was like, ‘how do you wish to exit with the band?’ So, we began the entire course of and on the identical time, we needed to construct all the pieces 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’m going for the Grammy. There’s a strategy to do a Grammy.
We found a approach via her connections, telephone calls, and emails. You discover a few of your proper groups, you begin emailing them, you ship them stuff; they hearken to it. It’s the identical course of because the presidential marketing campaign, and we went via it full time.
Antibalas, that tone, that faculty just isn’t 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 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 wish to do with music.
I’m not attempting to do music like, ‘hey I wish to go and have successful music, I wish 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 could have 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 is usually launching my enterprise. All my enterprise connections can be launched on the identical time. The way in which that I work, those who I work with, my model of music, this subsequent album that we’re engaged on now’s a trilogy known as the Lion Awakes, which means the world is awake. We’re all waking up. Africans are waking up. Everyone is awake. So, that music is extra like a theme music for an awakening world. You realize, coming to appreciate the ability that every of us possess.
Now, it’s going to change into worldwide. So, what I’m attempting to do is to rock it via. 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 components of the world. So, there’s a plan, which I might be capable to share as time goes on.
