MI'S ABAGA'S @LOOPYMUSIC1 IS A YEAR OLD

Loopy Music home to Ruby, Loose kaynon, Threastone and Dj Lambogini is a year old today and we are so excited.

We caught up with the Ceo Loopy Music, Mr. Dapo Ajeniya in an interview. 

   Enjoy!!!

What is the Loopy dream?

The Loopy dream started out with MI, his brother Jesse, Ice Prince and a few others some seven years back in Jos. Their goal was just to put out good music. Not much has changed since then. As a business, Loopy Music's dream is to be a home for restless creative people where freedom to create your art is no barrier, whether. commercial or less commercial.

What matters more, music or money?

Driving into the office today, my radio was playing a song which says, "While I'm out chasing the sugar, somebody is gone with my HONEY."
So the real question is: is music the sugar or the honey? In everything one does, balance is essential .

What's on your playlist right now?

A label executive has too much on their playlist. I have to say though it's been nice of late, finding hip hop again.
My favorite punchline today is: "They said Hip Hop is dead, I guess I am like Jesus on the 3rd day."
So I will say I am finding hip hop culture to be back and true. My playlist includes new stuff soon to be out from Loose Kaynon, Threadstone, Ruby, fresh artiste, Enzo, (Remember you heard it here first) Chairman by MI, Pink ft Nate Reuss: Just Give Me A Reason, Macklemoore's Thrift shop. In  that order.

What's the most difficult thing about the music business?
The most difficult thing is the WAIT. Yes, The waiting room where upcoming artistes have to be before everyone has the chance to hear them and appreciate them.
Creating the music is equally hard. I see artistes toiling day and night to find the perfect beat, capture the very essence of their thoughts and deliver something you want to listen to ten years later

If your life had a soundtrack, what would it be?

It definitely would be the track Juicy by Biggie. On so many levels, my life feels like that, except that Biggie and I have different meanings for hustling. For Biggie, that was selling drugs on the road side, For me, it was getting a degree, MBA and doing a 9 to 5 (actually more like 6am to 11pm) for many years across different industries.

Biggie started the track with following lines which have little factual meaning to the way I grew up.
Yeah, this album is dedicated to all the teachers that told me:
"I'd never amount to nothin', to all the people that lived above the
buildings that I was hustlin' in front of that called the police on
me when I was just tryin' to make some money to feed my daughters,
and all the niggaz in the struggle, you know what I'm sayin'?"

But then the track goes on to say

"It was all a dream
I used to read Word Up magazine
Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hangin' pictures on my wall .............You know very well who you are
Don't let em hold you down, reach for the stars
You had a goal, but not that many
'cause you're the only one I'll give you good and plenty."

And that I can relate too. That said, I do not think there is definitive soundtrack yet, Ask me that in 20 years. We'll both be around then, right?

What's the one thing anyone considering a career in music needs to know?

 You need to believe in yourself, because it will take your belief for others to believe. I mean just keep pushing. The industry can be hard, but not as hard as joining a space flight mission or doing brain surgery for an infant. I think.

What's the worst thing an artist can do?
Leave affairs concerning your career solely to others to handle. You must always be involved, online media, image, the content of your music and your relationship with your fans.

What qualifies as good music?
Good music uplifts and it is timeless. Any work that makes people remember ten years after how they felt when they first saw your video or heard your record. That is good music.

How do you sell music that isn't mainstream?
I wish I could tell you of a secret sauce or ingredient , but no, the answer is simple: Share the music, share the music, share the music, Soon, people will listen and show appreciation. Although, today there are more mediums one could use other than radio and TV, music websites, ring tone services, niche performances etc.
At the end of day music that is not mainstream might never become mainstream. I mean that is the meaning of alternative music. However, some artistes will be lucky to ride the wave of a fade, For example, when I was growing up in Lagos, in high school, one particular year, the biggest song was M Beat and General Levy's Incredible: Jungle Is Massive. I don't think anyone in Lagos has bought such a CD ever since .

Finally on the question, i think every artiste not into mainstream music should watch the movie, 'searching for sugarman' about the artiste Sixto Rodriguez.

Does talent really matter?
Talent is meaningless without hard work. No sweat, no Sweet

What's the worst song you've listened to this year?
I couldn't even say, but I'd appreciate it if no one does a song with 'bend down low' inside again #juskiddin

What is the most difficult thing about working with Jude?

First off, Jude is an extremely brilliant artiste, producer and business person. I have worked in various industries, technology, finance, aviation and i can tell Jude's IQ matches the best have seen. The only difficult thing is keeping up with his incredulous pace. Chairmen are not known to be slow people you know.

How does the Loopy story end?
Satisfied music fans, Great global artistes, great music, and plenty billion-Naira conversations.

Be on the look out for singles from Loose kaynon and Nigeria's premier rock band Threadstone this month. 

Please visit the new www.miabaga.com website

Thank you for your continuous support.

-->