Unveiling STACO I AM, Nigeria’s most resilient new voice on the block

Nigerian music industry is home to thousands of people: composers, singers, instrumentalists, producers, and businesses like distribution companies, record labels, A&R companies, etc. that guarantee the financial reward of creativity. While it is very true that a handful of artistes, including Ruggedman, Seyi Vibez, Ayra Star, BNXN, and Oxlade, broke the mold without being part of any standard structure except the digital space, many up-and-comers are still out there jostling hard for the little space labels and guaranteed structures have for them.

Like they say, the beauty of existence is always in not knowing what lies ahead or how events will unfold. We just believe, hope, and act in accordance with our guts that things will be in our favour. This really explains the sojourn of a guy from Enugu Ezike, born with a “wooden spoon” but chose to walk the path of the mighty, however lonely. Ladies and gentlemen, Nigeria, Africa, join yours truly, Yamilenu Bamgboye, on a jolly ride with Stanley Aelred Chukwuka Obuja a.k.a Staco I Am-- Nigeria’s most resilient up and coming artiste. Have fun!

How did you know you would eventually do music?

It’s a call for me. It’s what I’ve been doing since I was a kid. Before I started creating my own music because now I’m focused on mine, I could learn any new song very easily. At some point, I wanted to be a reverend father because I was an altar boy. One day, I asked a seminarian if a reverend father can be a musician. He said yes but what type? I said hip hop, reggae or have dreadlocks, he said no. And that was it for me. I just said it had to be music then and I dropped priesthood.

So uhm… I came across what you did on one of the days in front of TBS on the island. You were in the street performing right in front of few people: some were waiting for a bus, others were passers-by or in their business place(s). What motivated that bold and conscious move?

Well, the thing is as an upcoming artiste, and an independent artiste in Nigeria who has no sponsor, I’ve always thought, “How can I get myself out there?” “What do I need to do, to get known since I don’t have the financial capacity to use influencers to promote my music and all that?” So I said, “I’ve got to do everything my own self. I’ve got to take my music to the people and perform to them, play to them. Let them hear it.” I needed some motivation and I said “How can I just get up and go and be performing  to people on the street?’’ Then I said to myself, “Have it in mind you were paid to do this. Then go and do this like you were paid #10 million to do it.” So that’s how I started and then set out with two of my people, and we just go to the street. I’ve been in the game for a while and recently, going through the content I’ve been putting out, I noticed this type of street contents actually had a kind of impact that is capable to put me out there if I continue. I did another one too at Tejuosho, under bridge, Yaba. I’ll just keep doing this and share on social media until I’m out there.

What reactions or feedback have you got so far?

The reaction I get from the people on the street is that my music is good, they vibe to it. They enjoy my vibe. And on the social media, the comments I get is great too, but I’ve not got a major platform like let’s say “Tunde Ednut” or Instablog etc, repost me before to see what outcomes I can get from there. But Obama Naija saw me at TBS and posted me. I went through the comments on the post and they are encouraging. They say I’m good, you know. The response is positive. I don’t want to restrict myself. Anybody can post me, anybody can write about me. I just want to be out there first. I want people to see me.

I know it’s always about exposure for up an and coming artistes. What other major steps have you taken?

I am trying to build something for myself. You know as a musician, you don’t just wait for everything to come from the outside. At the end of it all, you are the business. Things you don’t make happen won’t happen. So, I’ve tried to create my own event or concert which I began in 2023, STACOFEST and the turn out was massive. It was my first but the turn out was like I was already blown. it was really great for me. I wanted to do the second one last year but due to my dad’s death, I couldn’t but this year, I will be doing that and it will be more massive than it was the previous time.

                                                       

Your music is classed as hip-hop, Afrofusion or what? How would you describe it?

My kind of music is special. I will just say it is a genre that can allow you do every other genre why still being yourself. It doesn’t limit you. It can be all in one. It brings other genres into it. So that’s my kind of music. I can do all kinds of music why still retaining that uniqueness of my personality such that when you hear it, you will know that this is Staco I Am. So I am not limited to Afrobeats. As long as it is music, I am there. I am an Afrovast artiste. That is the name I give to my kind of music and personality.

You’ve put out a couple of songs, some in Igbo like “Ikanka”,”Sungboro Ka Su” Why do you use Igbo?

Well, I do that to pass a message. “Ikanka” is a song that is full of message. “Ikanka” means when you get old. So the song is passing a message to the people. You know, we all are in this life and sometimes, we take this youthfulness of ours for granted forgetting that sooner than later, we will all get old and the youthful vibrance and energy will no more be there. So I’m trying to like ask the youth to enjoy their youth. I am not saying do all sorts of rubbish but enjoy your youthfulness. Be happy you’re a youth because tomorrow you’re old and this is how you’ll be walking---like an old man. The whole song is not in Igbo. The chorus is in Igbo. This first verse is in English and the second verse is in Yoruba. It’s just Igbo, Yoruba and Pidgin. I like to mix it up in my music sometimes.

Was there any time you felt like walking away from music?

(Laughs) You know music, that’s one mistake most of my colleagues make. If you want to do music for the monetary part most times, you’ll give up before the time comes. But for me, it’s a career and it’s a call. If you just go into it for the career purpose, the career will not pick up immediately most times. So I choose it as a call. I said to myself, “I am ready to do this for a lifetime so that if the blow, the business aspect doesn’t pick up, I won’t have to give up”. This is something I want to do. I want to be a musician for life whether the blow comes or it doesn’t come, I want to stick around. But I’m praying for the blow to come and I know it’ll  come. God will reward the effort. But nevertheless, many times, I actually felt like giving up because it can be very frustrating. It’s not easy but it requires persistence.

When you started, what was your sound like?

Like I said, I can do all kinds of music but earlier before I created Afrovast, my first sound was…I don’t know what I’ll call it but I sounded like a foreign artiste. I sounded really foreign. The title was “Lonely”. It was produced by Mr Clem. He produced Burna Boy’s “Omo” and also produced Vector’s “Early Momo”. That’s how I started then I switched to trap. It was more like the easiest thing for me to do. Once I hear a trap beat, I can just create a song immediately before Mr Clem started advising me to come down, like do something Nigerian, something African. In all of these processes, I started finding that I could do this, I do trap, hip hop, or anything.

“Ikanka” seems the song that has changed the game for you and brought you more fame, how do you feel?

Well, “Ikanka”, people love it but if you ask me, I think “Pickin” is more popular than ‘Ikanka”. it was “Pickin” way back in 2023 that really put me out there and even birthed StACOFEST. It’s about how hard the economy is and people should do whatever they can to survive so far it is not bad. It is on every platform and it’s my song with the biggest streams right now. It’s amassed over 100,000 streams without any paid adverts but just Facebook posts and contents.“Ikanka” is just the latest. It’s not the biggest yet but considering how it has started to gain momentum, it might become the biggest.

How else do you promote your craft?

Well, I’ve gone to a lot of shows without being paid. I’ve also gone to a few that paid but most of my performances have been without payment. I don’t really lobby for shows like most of my colleagues. The organizers of shows always reach out to me to come perform at their events. That was then. I’m limiting that. I don’t want to go to any free shows no more except it’s offering me something valuable in return. I have had bad experiences, yes but I don’t give room to be treated anyhow anymore.

What lesson has your journey taught you?

It’s taught me life and it’s still teaching me life. There was a time I used to think life is just about being happy but it’s not about that. I’ve learnt that life is about finding purpose. Life is about alignment.

If a younger version of you heard your music now, what do you think they would say?

They will be impressed because I’ve improved greatly (laughs) and I’ll continue to improve. Most of these songs you hear are not done in expensive studios. They are done by upcoming producers like myself. I give them my ideas sometimes, I say this is how I want my song to go.

Have you ever been approached by a label?

I have thought about labels. I love the influence that record labels can bring into the life of an artiste and I love their power. No artiste that wants to become a global star wouldn’t need a label but I haven’t approached any yet. None has approached me as well. Maybe after my concert this year or I may just leverage on distribution deals. It all depends because every growth matters.

What truth would you want young artistes to know before they come into the industry?

I thought music was easy before I started. Music is not easy to do especially when you are an upcoming act without any strong background like that. If not that I have a side business, the growth won’t be spontaneous. What I want artistes like myself to bear in mind is that don’t do music alone especially if you don’t have any sponsor like myself. Get a side hustle or hand work where you can be getting something to eat. Music doesn’t start paying immediately. It’s now I’m beginning to monetize it. I organise my own concert, sell tickets and tables. My first show generated millions as an upcoming.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on an EP presently. Subsequently, I’ll be releasing an album. Also, my concert, STACOFEST “02” is coming up in August/September and I might be releasing the EP at the concert.