Exclusive Interview: “I am a Ruler” – @ReekadoBanks

In an exclusive interview segment called “NEED TO KNOW” anchored by BodexTV Nigeria Headies Next Rated Art, Reekado Banks talks about how he met Don Jazzy, the Mavin Family, His crush and a whole lot.


See excerpt from interview below:

We have Reekado in the house! How are you?

Fine

You love singing right? Do a little song pls

Yeah (sings) been around the world…….


So tell us a bit about who Reekado bank is…

Reekado is a mavin record artiste, got unveiled under the label last year feb 21st.emmm i have been doing music for a while (7years) emmm music came to me like an escape from boredom. It wasn’t like i planned it from my childhood that i want to be a muscian, it was just something i stumbled on, just found myself doing it.

You said you were bored?

Yeah (laughs) i just started making music out of boredom. Ok let me explain- i finished my secondary school education 2008 seven years ago, emmm and i’d just finished writing my waec i was waiting to write neco exambut there was like three months interval. I was doing nothing at home, i was just alone with my parents, am the last child of six children, the older ones, some were married, others were in school. All i did was write rap music.

But it paying you now dont you think? Then you should be grateful to that boredom

(laughs) yes, that boredom is the best.

Where is Reekado Banks coming from, is that your real name?

NO! NO! Actually I didnt start off like that with that name, i started off with another name. But Reekado Banks- Reekado, the real spelling ‘Ricardo’ actually means ruler or king, of which i see my self as a ruler

Are you a king?

Yes

Are you from a royal family?

No

Ok but you know you are a king

(laughs) Yes so i just decided to adopt the name and change the spelling for the sake of uniqueness. Reekbanks literally stands for the fact i am rich in musical concept

Wow! That’s a nice one. So tell us when you met Don Jazzy, what was the expression?, how did you meet him?

I am this type of person that have delayed reaction. I don’t know if that is a problem. Yes when you do something good or something really bad and it affects me, i don’t flare up and get angry, i just chill and think it over for 24hrs

Before you react

Yeah, I hate rushing into things when I saw Don Jazzy I was happy.

Where did you see him?

I finally met him in the studion, for the testrun, and that was the second time i came to the studio and i was like ok that’s Don Jazzy (laughs) it was until we were done with the studio session, i had left the studio, i was on my way going home, then it dawned on me that “odo don jazzy ni mo ti nbo” i just met don jazzy, that was really don jazzy! So that’s how i was but i was happy.

Did somebody take you to meet him or you were just walking about and you felt this should Mavin studio?

No! Don Jazzy sent out something on the internet, that people should send their single demo and I actually didn’t hear about it but my brother did so he sent mine. So to cut the long story short out of five thousand people i got chosen.

Wow! The only person? Just you? Out of five thousand people? (Jokingly -Don Jazzy eti sho jo ro) Don Jazzy that is partiality

(laughs) that what am saying it is a miracle

Wow! Yes it is, oh! Congratulations

Thanks

So far what is your relationship like with Mavin’s crew?

Mavin records is basically what you see it as outside, it is a family thing.

Do you guys fight at all?

I fight with Di’Ja (laughs)

Oh! Di’ja because you are in love with her?

No! Really am actually in love with her but the normal love. I fight with her


Why do you fight with her?

I don’t know

She is stubborn

She is quite stubborn

And you are too even if you don’t accept and she too does not want to

Yeah so nobody agrees. She is quite cool, she is like the closest to me and am like the closest to her. Yet Mavin Records is a family thing all the way.

In almost all your songs your intro starts with something like rrrrrrrbanks. So have you driven an Okada before? (laughs alongside with Reekado)

Ok actually, on “chopp am”, it was where it first started but it wasn’t me that did the intro. It was baby fresh, a producer in Mavin. When he was mixing the song, he just decided to cut it to make sound like that and i liked it. I didn’t pay attention to it at first it was after the song dropped and i just people type ‘rrr’ when they mention me- i was like this thing makes sense

So kudos to baby fresh

Yeah! Baby fresh “ose” thanks

Ok let’s talk about your hairstyle, where is that coming from? Then i observe that your manager too has the same hairstyle. “se family thing ni?” is it a family thing?         

Something like that (laughs) the hairstyle, wasn’t like i planned it. I didn’t start like this. When i even got unveiled I didn’t have dread it was just my normal hair. I just wanted to have a different face

… A signature

Yeah so that’s why i started growing it.                

So do you think you’ll stand out with this hairstyle?

Yes i think i do

But i think you should be a footballer

(laughs) with the hairstyle right? I can actually play football

Ok apart from singing, apart from having a music career, what other thing do you feel you would have ventured into?

Hmmm i would have definitely done what i was studying in school

Which is?

I studied history and strategic studies, so i think i would have been a very good diplomat. I still intend looking into that though sometime in the future.

You should be very brilliant because history involves a lot of reading. Do you still read?

I graduated last year

Wow! Pls hope it is not third-class? It should be first-class and second-class

No! Not first class don’t worry i came out with a very good result

Ok tell us your full name?

Ayoleyi Hanniel Solomon

Where are from?

Ondo state

Oh! So you are a Yoruba Guy?

mmmhh! You didnt know?

No! May be because of the name Reekado Banks so I always see you as a foreigner that very soon we should be asking for your Portuguese passport and if you don’t have, then chase you out. What about your parents, are they down with your music career?

Definitely

What about your brother that submitted your demo singles? How do you treat him?

As my champion, as my star

Hope he is not the manager?

He is a part of the management team

Ok speak Yoruba for us. Do you know how to speak?

Definitely, Ok let’s talk- “kilo nsele?” what is happening?

“awa nbe, awa nibe ti e fi wa si” am fine, am still at the spot you left me

“se ise n lo dada” hope your business is going on smoothly?

“on lo dada” it is fine. Ok tell me a proverb

What? I have to call my mum (laughs) am sorry I can’t think of anyone

Don’t worry we know the people that will be sent to their villages to go and practise their languague (laughs). Ok let’s talk about your song- ‘baby make we roll am oh!… “chop am” I love that song. What inspired you?

Emmm”chop am” was just another song, the beat was ready and…

Who made the beat?

Don Jazzy, the beat was ready and i liked it. Don Jazzy was in the studio and he was like come and do something on it. It was actually recorded 2013 before I got unveiled it was just one of the times like when we are in the studio trying to create so many songs before launching it into the mainstream

I also love your energy the way you dance, so please keep it up

Thanks

So when is your birthday?

December 6th

Ok tell us, what would you like to change about the industry?

Haaa! Ok i would definitely like to change the idea of piracy. It is really wrong.

So it is really affecting you?

It hasn’t started affecting me like that because i have actually not dropped an album and am sure definitely i would drop an album and it will definitely if it is still there it will affect me

So what is your take on bloggers?

Bloggers are really awesome people, they spread the news on what people need to know, they reflect the artiste negatively and sometimes positively but either ways, they are just trying to spread the news

What is your advice for them?

You guys should keep doing what you are doing but confirm your news before you post

So do you have crush on any female artiste or male artiste?

Crush on a male artiste ‘ke, ki lo de’ why? No! (laughs) am crushing on Rihanna, Don Jazzy must not hear this because he is crushing on her too but i don’t care.

Jesus ! (laughs) I will be the one to expose both of you. Who else?   What of Nigerian artiste?

I like Tiwa but she is married, I like Genevieve by the way. She is very hardworking and consistent in her work.

Who are your role models in the industry?

Don Jazzy, Tu Face, Dj Jimmy Jatt

Who exactly would you like to do collaboration with both locally and internationally?

Talking of Collabo I have been in a couple songs. First of all, aside the Mavin artistes, I featured just two people, Olamide and Wale

Are you for real, is it out?

Not yet. “chop am” remix

The same Olamide? How did you cope?

It was good (laughs)

So you like Olamide?

Olamide is dope. Why won’t i like him he is a very good artiste, he is very good at what he does. Basically i have gotten featured in couple of songs, Alveo from Uganda, and Roberto from Zambia. Am actually on a singles with Wale, he is featuring me. Dj Xclusive, Dj Jimmy Jatt, Dj Hazan, Flimzy. They have been so much like over 18 Collabo.

Who would you love to see on your own?

Definitely, I would love to work with Olamide, M.I, Tu-Face. Emm that’s just a few for now

Ok, International? Rihanna?

Definitely! Rihanna, Chris Brown. Chris Brown is dope, he is awesome

You like his attitude?

I like everything about Chris Brown, I don’t know what you people are saying, Jay Z is also awesome

What is your expression like when you read what is not true about you on the internet?

I laugh at everything

So what do you want to tell your fans?

I love you guys so much, i don’t call them fans by the way. I call them Reekaddict.

Oh! Reekaddict, meaning what?


That’s just the name I call them. Thanks, guys for the love, the support i appreciate it. Pls don’t stop I won’t stop giving you the good tunes by the way. Thanks so much and God bless you