By Adekunle Adedosu
Tunde Ednut released the audio and video of his latest song, ‘Baby boo’ in 2014 and has plans to grown even further in 2015.
The smooth talking and humorous artiste paid NET a visit and spoke about his album, plans for 2015, controversies surrounding his mentor, D’banj, and more in this interview.
Not much is really known about you beyond singing, who is Tunde Ednut?
I’m Tunde Ednut from Kogi State. I’m from a family of five; first son and second child. I was born in Katsina, and I went to Cambridge International School here in Nigeria. After that, I went to Federal Government College, Kogi State, then I later proceeded to the University of Lagos and Kingsland University in London, were I studied 3D effects in Graphics Arts.
A couple of years back; you arrived on the Nigeria entertainment scene as a comedian but later veered into music. Why is that?
I started comedy here in Nigeria, but I got famous in it while I was in London; it actually got me 19 awards. I later moved back to Nigeria and did a couple of comedy shows but it never got me anywhere. So I decided to change my own destiny because initially, I had some comedy skits on YouTube and other sites then but people still don’t laugh or see me as a funny person. From the beginning, music had always been part of me but I just didn’t want it out yet.
In 2015, I will be producing a sitcom for TV titled ‘Tunde the Entertainer’. We’ve shot like five episodes already and soon everything will be set. So this year, it will be music and comedy and by the end of the year, I will be dropping my album titled Cross-Over from Music to Comedy.
There are reports that you made money in the U.K organising shows for other comedians and housing them. How true is that?
That’s a total lie! The truth is that I was very lonely in London. Every month end, I used to host my own show called the ‘Tunde Ednut Comedy Pack’ and I don’t go to the airport to pick up any comedian. They (Nigerian comedy stars) all like me very much and they come to my show each time they are in London. I was given the ‘Best Black Comedy Show’ award in 2008 because of this.
So, how did music start for you when you came back to Nigeria?
I was signed to a record label: QuoVadis Entertainment. The owner used to live in the U.K before he moved down to Nigeria. I’m not signed to his label anymore because the contract ended in July 2013. It was a 2-year contract because I was actually signed on immediately I got back to Nigeria two years ago. I felt I just had to leave the label to start up my own music company because I wasn’t really feeling the way my project was being handled. So when the contract expired I didn’t even think of signing another one. I just left. After I left, things got really bad for me and I decided to chill and study the way some labels run their company. After doing my home work, I decided to set up my own label called ‘Nutcase Entertainment’, which I am currently signed onto. We shot a video ‘Baby boo’ and it’s really trending and buzzing.
Now that you own a record label, when is your album coming out?
We are currently working, my team and I. I have a new manager now; a new business manager, who is well grounded in the music business. He is older than me and I like it that way. I’m not the type that likes to boss people around. I like a well matured grown up person that could call me to order. We are planning to drop my album in late 2015.
What’s the inspiration behind your latest hit, ‘Baby Boo’?
I was in Orezi’s house and his producer decided to do a beat for me. He (Orezi) was in the kitchen and he saw it and screamed out to one of his neighbours, ‘Baby boo’ and that just clicked. I went into the booth, dropped some lines, and all was done in less than 30 minutes. After we all listened to it, we sat down to check for errors and think of what to add. I have just two mentors: D’banj and 9ice and I’ve always tried as much as I can to listen to them and inculcate their vibes. I am always careful in releasing songs and I always make sure I do my best.
You recorded a Christmas song three years ago with Ice Prince, Lynx, Davido and JJC. Who wrote the song?
You see, that song is the best collaboration I have ever done in my life. I was alone in the studio and I decided to invite Ice Prince for collaboration. Davido and JJC also came around, so when Ice Prince showed up we all went into the studio to lay our parts. Lynxxx wasn’t around then as he was far away in the U.K. I put a call through to him and he asked me to send him the song, which I did instantly. Two hours later he sent back the song with his voice already on it. The next day he flew in straight from the airport and met us at the video shoot. That was the easiest collaboration that has ever been recorded.
Your music videos are always unique. How do you come up with your concepts?
If you’ve followed me well, you would have noticed that my first video was shot under water. My second video was like a car race thing with helicopter shots, and ‘Baby boo’ was shot with different feels. It trended for one week on the charts. You just have to wait and see my next video; it will be totally different from the ones I’ve been shooting in the past.
What’s your take on the debt controversies surrounding one of your two mentors, D’banj?
I don’t do loans and I don’t get into debts. The only people I owe are MTN and that was because my airtime finished and I decided to borrow from them. Apart from that, I’m not into borrowing of money or securing loans.
Besides that, what can you say about the controversies surrounding him?
D’banj is my boss and I have respect for him, so I’ve got nothing to say about him. If you say something about someone that loves you, you might get hate from that same person. So I don’t cross the lines of brotherhood, respect and friendship. Whatever they say about D’banj might not be true, so I’d rather be left out of the whole scenario. No comments.
Why are you delaying your album release till late 2015?
My album will be dropping in late 2015 and the reason is because I want to drop new singles every two months and go for shows through the year. So, Tunde will be madly busy in 2015 and more collaborations will also surface in my work next year.
