Williams Orioha aka 2shotz ,some years back, was a name that meant so much to so many on the music scene. Just when it seemed the rapper had the world of music by the jugular, he faded into thin air.
Many still wonder what happened to the rapper: Has he ever left? What happened to his music and his career? These and many more questions are answered by the rapper who only recently released a video of his latest hit ‘In My Room’ featuring Ruffcoin:
For some time now, we have not heard from 2shotz, where have you been?
I have not actually been far from the scene, I am still in the scene doing the same thing that I do. But the fact is that, people are carried away with the music of now. Everyone is busy listening to Davido, Wizkid and the likes. I have no problem with that.
Things like evolution should occur. Sometimes, when people say, you have been away for some time, I always tell them, I have not. Everybody is still in the game, it is a big business I could be eating from one small angle and I am cool there.
What do you mean people are busy with the artiste of now?
I said it because that is how they say it. That is what I hear people say. Every artiste is an artiste. I don’t think that because you reigned some ten years ago you should be referred to as ‘old school’. I am not old school, I am still very much in the game.
Has someone told you that before?
Yes and No. Because I am not really that kind of artiste, I am an artiste that evolves with time and goes with the flow. You would not say that Shina Peters is an old artiste regardless of the years he has spent in the industry.
He has his own niche and audience. I have not heard any banging song from Shina Peters for a while but you would not deny the fact that he still goes for shows. So, you would not call him an old artiste. But, our categorization in Nigeria is that he is old because he has been there like ten years ago.
Sometime last month, you were spotted somewhere in Lekki, what were you doing there?
I had two projects there then. There was a movie I was working on then, the title of the movie which has been released is, `Estate Runs’.
The movie had Ace, and Annie Macaulay, was one of my girl friends in the movie. Even Halima Abubakar was also there. I was on that and I was also working on a musical video there as well. The title of the video is, `In my room’, where I featured Ruffcoin. The video is out now.
What is the idea behind the musical video, `In my room’?
It is just a soft tempo type of song. It is just about me talking about being sensitive to a woman, admiring her and acknowledging her womanhood.
The video started with a gamble were I had a cameo appearance with Sodjie and then MI . Myself and MI were two big men in the video, he was a chairman and I was also a boss in the video. So, we were gambling and he came with a girl whom I won over and she became mine. That is the whole idea behind the video.
But, are you really sensitive to women?
Yes, I am sensitive to women because I have a wife.
Before you got married, what was your relationship with women like?
Who does not love women, I don’t think there is any man that does not like women. You should therefore be sensitive to women. But what you should know is that, you can not please all. There are some who will come and eventually become your enemy, some will come and become girlfriends and ex-girlfriends. Others will come and be your very close friends.
For 13 years now, you have been in the Nigerian music industry, how would you describe the industry?
It is what we are trying to make it look like 13 years back. At least, there are important things we have now that were not there 13 years ago.
Now we have the structures and the audience. Now that we have the structure and the audience, the other evolution will follow suit. I noticed that there are lots of enmity going on in the industry.
Before now, I knew that it was fun for artistes to be in the studio together, it was fun for artistes to hang out together. There is no love again and that is why I would say that the music we made then made a lot more sense.
Because you can relate to anything any other artiste puts up. And we had the story or content behind that. What we are enjoying now is no longer the content of the story, it is just the beat. But now I can say that we have structure and audience.
Are you saying that then there was no structure and audience?
There was no structure, there was no audience. Back then, you would not listen to a 2shotz or buy a 2shotz album. We had no audience or show, hardly would you see where a hall is packed because an artiste was headlining the show.
Foreign artistes were never hustling to come and perform in Africa. We never had people tuning their radio to listen to Nigerian music or looking for an interview with a Nigerian musician. We never had people dancing to Nigerian song.
Which record label are you signed to now?
I have my own entertainment outfit called, `Umunna mu ooo’ Entertainment outfit. I am the only artiste on the label right now.
Are you working on getting more artistes to the record label?
Right now, it is just all about me because it is what I want. I used to always displease myself to please other people and it held me back. Now, it is all about me.
Which of your collaborations would you say is most memorable?
I would say that the most phenomenal song I did was the collabo with Timaya, Incase you never know, which was produced by Terry G. That song actually took me to a lot of places. It is my reference point till date.
So far, how many albums do you have?
I have five albums so far. My two best albums so far is my first and fourth album.
Has there really been any scandal that has affected your music or lifestyle?
I have had scandals, you know 2shotz is a controversial artiste. There is always one controversial story or the other about me. For the past one year, it seems some people are trying to dig out dirt about me but 2Short is not the kind of artiste you can put down. Get it right, I am just like an army.
Is it true that you dated Beverly Osu?
I would not say that I dated her. We were just friends. We were cool kicking it and she did a video for me.
As a rapper, what do you think makes a good rapper?
I would say, rhyme, rhythm, articulacy, flow and punch line.
13 years in the industry, do you think you are where you are supposed to be?
No, I have not gotten to where I am supposed to be. I do not know where it is but I know I have not gotten to the place. I have not gotten what I want. I have not gotten the respect and the ‘thank you’ for what I did to make the industry enjoy what they are enjoying now.
I started the serious pidgin and the old Igbo rap movement. I also connected artistes to Alaba market. Personally, I know I have not achieved what I wanted. I always keep telling myself that I am not done yet.
Who would you say is the best rapper in Nigeria?
I would say it is MI.
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