Lagos, Feb. 7, 2023: Talented Nigerian record producer and songwriter, Chisom Ezeh aka Rexxie sits with Chude Jideonwo to discuss his creative process and his evolution from being a producer to a recording artiste.
On his journey to music production, he shared, “It was the point when my mum wasn’t feeling too well, and that period I wasn’t getting much cash from home and I had to do extra, and music was the only thing sorting the bill.
My mum had tuberculosis at that time, and no attention was on my side. Although, it (my music production journey) had started from YABATECH, when I came to Lagos. I saw the way everyone was into the music thing, and I felt that I had it in me too.
My mum is more of a handwork kind of person. She was a seamstress; she makes clothes. And she understood the importance of what was going to help the next generation because you can’t compare handwork and going to school. She saw me doing that and she was like, ‘what can I do to help you?’. She saw that passion and I told her I wanted a sound card and she bought it for me”.
Rexxie also shares on the process that helps him create genius sounds, “My production starts from scratch. I am not the kind of person that gives the artiste beat to start freestyling to, the words the artiste is saying inspire what I am pressing.
Although there is a team thing- following plans and everything on the side, the decision comes from following instinct. And that instinct is helping some, it’s affecting some. I look at the space and I look at how people like Blaqbonez, Portable, are still striking the market. They are following their instincts and now everyone is seeing it as a promotional strategy now, but those guys were really just doing the thing. You might see more people doing like them but that doesn’t mean they are being like that”.
He also shared the experience of his transition from just Music Production, to recording his own songs, “It blessed me. Imagine the hierarchy between the producer and the artiste. You see producers crying everywhere saying they have not been paid, but when you own your song, the difference is clear. I am on a different line from other producers. Everyone was saying it was hard. Yes, it is hard, but the solution was what I looked for and role models like DJ Khalid. He’s just that guy that does it that way, but on a bigger spectrum.”
“I am at the point where I am trying to develop myself for the next phase. Because when you unlock one door, you see why you should unlock another door. From being a producer to being an artiste, now I’m feeling like I want to perform my song, I want to be able to find a way to be that person. I am learning DJ-ing, building confidence to be able to hype and face the crowd. I am at that stage where I am trying to evolve to be the life of the party guy”, he added.
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