How did you come about the name Minjin?
Minjin is actually my real name. My mother named me that and it means ‘my son from God.’ It is Asian; she used to love Asian movies as a youth, and as the first born, I happened to be the one to bear the fancy name she had in mind.
How was growing up for you?
I was raised by mother and it was fun and she didn’t even want me to make music in the first place. Growing up for me was tough, I remember that my mother, at some point, had to sell off her clothes to feed us. That was so touching and that is why she is so special to me. It wasn’t really easy, coupled with the fact that I felt like a misfit; I was different from a lot of children around, because I was only interested in music and painting and people felt that I was just wasting my time and that didn’t make my mum happy. She wanted me to have a professional career and today she is proud of me.
How did doing music start for you?
I started as a dancer and used to dance at competitions. Later, I started playing instruments; the guitar and the piano, so the love for instruments drove me into music. There is no way you will make tunes and will not want to sing to it. Then I discovered I could write. So I started writing at the age of 14 and I started professionally in 2010.
How has the journey being since then?
It’s been tough, intriguing and mind-blowing. It has also been a lesson for me. I’ve learnt about the industry and how it functions, so I can conveniently say that I know what to do and when to do it unlike when you start and you just want to be famous. When you have fame, you will learn how to manage it and how to make the best out of it.
You are also an actor…
Yes. I started acting fully after I won the High School Musical competition in 2010. And although it’s something I have passion for, I left it for a while to pursue a career in music, because music pays better. You get on the stage for 10 minutes and get paid a lot of money compared to the amount you make even after spending days at the location. But I got back into acting lately and it has been good.
You’ve were signed to Kennis Music for about four years. How was the experience?
It was good and I learnt a lot as an artiste. I learnt how it is to manage oneself and your relationship with your label, as well as how to hustle, because you need to prove a point for them to be happy to invest in you.
I met a lot of people there, the likes of Jaywon, Kennis Saint Brown, Essence, Joel, Capital FEMI, so it was nice working with people I used to watch on TV. And also working with Kenny Ogungbe himself was dream come true. I learnt to brand myself, as that is one of the things the label taught me. He is my mentor and I would love to be an entrepreneur like him.
What influenced your decision to leave the label and how is your relationship with the label now?
My contract ended and it wasn’t renewed. It was a mutual agreement and the relationship is still good. I love the label and working with Kennis Music was a dream come true. The label teaches you to be a CEO yourself; you learn the business of music and how to plan your career yourself. I wouldn’t have got anywhere without the label. So it was a worthwhile experience and someday, I intend to do business with the label.
Was there some sort of competition with your label mates, and how did you cope?
There was always competition and the competition was often with the fellow label mates, but it was only because you want to prove a point. Everyone wants to stand out and although it might sound weird because we are label mates, it is good to be competitive. It’s a good source of motivation. I am a very competitive person, but I don’t dwell on it, because I basically compete with myself and always try to beat my best. So as an artiste and actor, I’m trying to build an empire; Minjin Creations.
How did you develop the passion for painting?
I started painting when I was in primary school and I was inspired to take it up fully when I was in secondary school. A boy in my class then was really good at sketches and just seeing what he did motivated me, but I didn’t really understand the basics. He inspired me to pick a career as an artist and funny enough, he is a medical doctor now.
So I started practicing at every chance I got and I remember when I was in SSS2, although I was a science student, I went to the arts class and one day the teacher saw my painting and encouraged me to choose a path along that line and I’ve been to a lot of exhibitions since then. I even own my own gallery now.
How were the days of humble beginning, what is that memorable experience so hard to forget?
It was really tough and an experience that I often remember was when I was an apprentice. I was at NIIT in 2006 where I was into Desktop Publishing. I won a scholarship with them to do Oracleand data base administration. Unknown to me, it was a partial scholarship and I was meant to pay some amount of money which we couldn’t afford. So instead of sitting at home, I decided to at least do something.
So, I went to a roadside painter on Valentines’ Day that year, at least to learn one or two things. Unfortunately, it was not what I expected, I was ordered around and as much as we were not from a flamboyant family, my mother raised us well and we were more or less half ajebota. But the man treated me like a total apprentice; I was expected to relate with the carpenters’ apprentice there and he would send me to go and buy things, insisting that I go to where it was cheaper, even though it was far away and that I must wear my dirty overalls. It wasn’t a nice experience. I just wanted to be a better person and eventually I decided to leave and I told one of my friends that I wouldn’t come back to the neigbhourhood without bringing my car.
When did the big break come eventually?
Although he usually sent me on errands anytime he painted, I made sure I learnt one or two things while I was with him. One day, someone brought a job and he wasn’t around. I wanted to call him at first but later changed my mind. I told myself I would do it, and it was then that I realised that you can only say ‘no’ to yourself. Once God says yes, then there is nothing that can stop you. There are lot of things we can do only if we can overcome our fears. So, I did the painting really well and thereafter I started painting for him, before I finally decided to moved on.
I later met a lady who influenced how I got in for an exhibition and that was when I made my first N50, 000. I felt like a millionaire. I used to carry my painting around and there was also a time I approached a woman in Ikeja, I was 17. She was so impressed that she bought all my paintings and I paid my brothers school fees with the proceeds then. So my arts moved on from there. The lady gave me a studio in Surulere, but it wasn’t easy to maintain. I remember some people then used to give me money and food and that is why I respect Surulere, the street showed me love.
Many artistes often have one link or the other with Surulere. What exactly is it about the place?
If people say Mushin is ‘street’, then I’d say Surulere is where the street is, because it connects the elite and the poor. There are the estates, Bode Thomas and Shita, so it connects the rich and the poor. Many actors and artistes live in Surulere, yet they come to Shita to chill with the boys. So it creates a sort of connection for everyone. In fact, every artiste with a poor background one way or the other must have gone through Surulere.
You are a versatile person. How do you make it all work together?
There is a camouflage of the way I look and the things I do. I have been able to schedule my time and make it all work out. I am a very reserved person. I’m the indoor type and I just engross myself in my work anytime I’m at home.
What inspires your music?
Everything. I like nature. I like being alone to think. The music part of me awakens at night; I like to record at night. I’m a dual personality person.
People have been speculating lately that there is a relationship between you and Doris Simeon, what is your reaction to that?
She is my very good friend. And there is nothing more to it than that. I was even surprised when I started seeing pictures of us around. We are just friends.
You don’t seem to be on good terms with your dad…
We talk every now and then and I can say we are good. And I know someday we’ll catch up. I’d rather not talk about it than that.
What influenced the dreads?
I’ve always loved to keep my hair. And it’s also a way to relate with my brand. I do different genres; Soukous, makossa, fuji, and highlife, so as a Francophone artiste, it is just a way of creating a brand that is different. But I might have to cut it as time goes on.
When are you dropping your album?
It should be out next year, I am working on it, I’m trying to do my thing and I promise my fans that it will be worth the wait.
Who is your ideal woman?
My ideal woman is someone like my mother; a strong woman that can stand by her children no matter what happens. She also has to be someone that can get me closer to God, as that is really important. And she also has to be endowed as an African woman.
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