Bio
JJC defies
categories. Is his music Nigerian hip-hop? Latin with an African
twist? Afro-Garage? Yoruba pop? The Nigerian-born producer, songwriter,
rapper and DJ is all of the above and more. One of the most versatile
and original artists to come out of the UK in a long time, he
is about to show the world that categories are there to be broken.
Join the Faji (Yoruba for "party") - JJC style!
As well as
being the founding member, main songwriter and producer of UK
R 'n' B / hip - hop group Big Brovaz, whose smash hit “Nu
Flow” reached Number 3 in the UK singles charts, JJC is
also committed to bringing modern African music to a wider audience.
He is the host of the bi-monthly African Vibes (World Tour) music
show on BBC Radio 1's digital, black music station 1Xtra, where
he showcases African hip-hop, Afrobeat, Raï, hi-life, kwaito,
Juju and lots more.
With
“Atide” (meaning "We have arrived/We are here"
in Yoruba, his native Nigerian language) JJC now unveils his own
African music project which allows him to concentrate more on
his Nigerian roots. His first solo album is an exciting, fresh
blend of African flavours and hip-hop beats with unique Anglo-Yoruba
vocals - and a prominent departure from the more US hip-hop and
R ’n’ B-influenced sound of Big Brovaz which he produces
under his alias Skillz.
Born as Abdul
Bello in Kano, Nigeria's third biggest city in the North of the
country, he chose 'JJC' as his alter ego, a term that is used
to describe naïve African newcomers to countries such as
the UK. "It means 'Johnny just come'. It's a tag for people
who've just come from Africa and who have no clue about, in this
case, England, how to speak English properly, how to get themselves
around. It's the most common insult that African people get by
other Africans."
Music has
been an important part in his upbringing: "I grew up [in
Nigeria] with my dad listening to country music, especially Don
Williams, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Then I started getting
into Nigerian music like [Afro-Juju by] Sir Shina Peters and [Afrobeat
by] Fela Kuti, and later Michael Jackson and pop music."
As a producer, he is also influenced by American heavyweights
Dr. Dre, Timbaland and the Neptunes. "He's the most inspirational
producer I’ve ever worked with", says Randy from Big
Brovaz, "he puts his heart into the beats.”
JJC is a
charismatic live performer, but stresses, "I'm a person that
likes to create and experiment - being stuck in the studio is
something I really love. When I finish in the studio, it gives
me the confidence to go on stage. Stage is good but you need the
songs first, if you don't have the right materials, you ain't
gonna go nowhere, you can go on stage and jump around as much
as you want."
Arriving
in England aged 14, JJC started getting heavily into hip-hop and
rapping. He began producing music at Dick Shepherd School in Brixton
where the music room became his escape. Together with a schoolmate
JJC formed a group, performed at numerous talent shows, and eventually
set up Big Brovaz, initially a production company and hip-hop/R'n'B
collective. Whilst the majority of the Big Brovaz crew grew up
in South London, some were born in countries as diverse as Jamaica,
Nigeria, USA and Uganda - thus representing the true multi-cultural
spirit of London. JJC notes, "growing up in South London,
we grew up with everyone else, Jamaicans, Africans; after a while
it didn't matter no more - you were there, do something with it."
In 2001, they released "Watchin' U", a compilation album
showcasing all of their artists through their own label.
Without any major label or distribution backing, they sold 2,000
copies on the street. Cherise, 2000's MOBO award winner for Best-Unsigned
Act, went on to release a solo album through East West, and in
October 2001, the collective released “Let’s Do It”,
a single by Out 4 Just-iz (featuring JJC), through another label
which brought more critical acclaim. By 2002 Big Brovaz had evolved
into a tight-knit group, signed with Epic/Sony, and scored one
of 2002’s longest running chart hits with “Nu Flow”.
Their follow-up single “OK” was another Top 10 hit
in the UK. “Nu Flow” is currently a Top 10 hit in
several other European countries, including number 1 spot in Sweden.
No doubt, the future for Big Brovaz is bright.
At
twenty-five, JJC is now moving on to the next chapter in his career
with “Atide”. The album is being independently marketed,
promoted and released by Big Ballaz Entertainment, a label he
co-founded, and it is hoped to reach a wide, multi-cultural audience.
Heavily featured on the album are the talents of the 419 Squad,
JJC’s new crew, which consists of seven young Nigerian singers
and rappers. Two of them were born in Nigeria - S.O. Simple (18,
Lagos) who shines on “Ewajo” and Masta Plan (23, Iperu)
- while the others - Smokey (24), Jujuman aka J.U. (25), King
A. (23), Flu (22) and Shady Blue (22), were born to Nigerian parents
in London. The term ‘419’ refers to the infamous Nigerian
advance fee fraud (the 419 scam is named so after the Nigerian
statute that
makes it illegal). “Atide” includes the track of the
same title, a Latin-flavoured Anglo-Yoruba anthem produced by
BJ and Mike Soul (producers of Beverley Knight's single "Get
Up"), which has already created a buzz at pirate and specialist
radio a few months ago, and is currently featured in Stephen Frears’
latest film “Dirty Pretty Things”. The track’s
addictive chorus is performed by Cherise from Big Brovaz. (On
the album fellow Nigerian Tayo Asida, aka Flawless from Big Brovaz,
is helping out on a couple of tracks and the hidden track features
the whole Big Brovaz group). JJC’s fusion of African music
is fresh, fun and, above all, very varied with elements of salsa
(“Malemicita”) and Afro- (UK) Garage (“Gbenue”),
and while tracks like “Jekalo” and the life-affirming
“Majaye” contain traditional elements, the album as
a whole goes far beyond what’s usually described as World
music.
Lyrically,
JJC concentrates on the perspective of young Nigerians outside
their native country and he addresses, for instance, the ethnic
and language divides among Nigerians (i.e. Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo,
etc), a topic that is gaining even more relevance in the light
of recent events in Nigeria. He also touches on the fact that
some young Nigerians in the UK 'want to be Jamaicans' (“Gbao”)
- "We are all Africans", JJC remarks. The songs have
a light-hearted approach to many more serious issues which will
hopefully appeal to the millions of Nigerians at home and abroad.
Straightforward party tracks are part of JJC's repertoire, too
(“Where’s The Faji At” and “Birthday”)
His unique rapping stems from his belief to be real to himself.
"I find myself speaking half English, half Yoruba and if
I write a song I'm gonna do it half English and half Yoruba. When
I first started rapping that way, it was a joke – but friends
suggested that I took it seriously seeing how real and different
it was." Even though most people won't understand all of
the songs’ lyrics, the mix of Yoruba and English does work
well and because of the way the words are constructed and the
energy behind the performance you'll have no choice but to enjoy
the experience (NB: For your first Yoruba language lesson, check
out “Kilonshele”, and while you’re at it
listen to “1 2 3” which takes you to Morocco, and
features Rocko Moneigh’s
Moroccan - English rapping).
JJC
would like to invite you to listen.....The
Faji starts right here!
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