Continuing our #AtHome With PAUSE series, we talk to @oxladeofficial about music, British slang, collaborations and what’s next. See the exclusive feature below:
Interview by: @_graceymae
Photography: @lumiogunde
Styling: @wale.diamond
Oxlade! – Congrats on your EP, ‘Oxygene’, it’s doing numbers fam! Did you expect the response you’ve been getting?
I didn’t even expect the tape to last this long like…I didn’t expect people to keep talking about it for this long. Talk less of having this many numbers!
Mad! Then you just decided to drop this collaboration, ‘Slow Down’ produced by P2J out of the sky with Skip Marley, H.E.R and Davido. Where did this come from?
[laughs] Like I said, I never expected anything extraordinary to come out of the project but thanks to ‘Away’ [the lead single from ‘Oxygene’], Skip Marley and his team heard ‘Away’ and they wanted me on the remix to ‘Slow Down’. It’s one of the biggest reggae/Dancehall songs in the world right now. When my A&R brought it to the table, I was like “What do they need me for again? There’s Davido on this song, and it’s not like you’re going to gain any form of fanbase!” I feel like Skip Marley and Davido are heavyweights. Do you understand? I felt like they didn’t even need me on the song, but you know, music is crazy at times. The team that wanted me on this project had their reasons for putting me on this song so I mean, I’m grateful to be one of the guys from Africa chosen to represent Afrobeats on this particular song. That’s all I can say about it.
I’m so excited for you – before we get too deep, let’s play ‘Would You Rather?’ You just have to say A or B. You ready?
Okay.
Would you rather A) Have legs as long as your fingers or B) Fingers as long as your legs?
I think I’m perfect how God created me [laughs] [Speaks Yoruba] Fingers as long as my legs? Like? For what? [laughs] I’m cool man. O wa alright [pidgin]
Alright next question! Would you rather A) Be able to run 100 miles per hour or B) Fly 10 miles per hour?
Fly man. Flying seems easier than using your legs man. You’re just floating in the air. But yo! 100 miles? Wait, wait, wait. Running 100 miles per hour? Yo, that’s faster man. So what’s the essence of flying? [kisses teeth] Omo [Yoruba]. Let me run! Let me run, I beg! [Pidgin] I’m running that ting you know. I ain’t got no time for all that.
Okay okay! You’re a runner.
I used to be a sprinter actually. I used to run for Lagos State. 100 meters…200 meters…high jump. Track and field.
Did you win any prizes?
Yeah. [British Road Man accent] Man’s always on the gold ting, you know like. Always on the crystal gold. I’m always the first. You know the vibes! [laughs] I’ve got the medals and certificates at home.
I feel like we need to see these before we believe it but okay! Next…
Would you rather A) have a dragon or B) be a dragon?
Hmmm. I would have a dragon. I would rather have a dragon.
And do what with it?
And do as much as I can with it. I get to have the brain of a human and the brain to control a dragon, rather than be a dumb dragon that needs a master.
Did you ever watch Game of Thrones? I’m sure there are dragons in that.
Yeah! You know the vibes.
Last one, would you rather A) never have to worry about money or B) live in a world with Pokemon?
Live in a world Pokeman??? No. Never have to worry about money. That means I’ll be the richest man on earth. Plot twist!
I like that one. There’s a few islands you can buy in the world for under $1 million. If you were going to buy an Island, what would you name it and why?
Oluwanishola [laughs] [Yoruba for God gives wealth].
Them way there. Why?
We gotta go African on that ting you know! It’s just a normal vibe oh. You know those things they used to write in front of Yoruba houses? Yeah – Oluwanishola is the entry thing you see. I’m not trying to form Banana Island or none of that. Givem them Oluwanishola Island.
So, if you’re from Oluwanishola Island, what are you called?
Well me, I’m just trying to put that [name] there for representing Africa. There would obviously be an English name. It could be Oxy Island.
So no name for the people? Okay, that’s a hard one. Let’s move on. Now, your fans are called the Oxygenes. Did your fans name themselves or did you give them that name?
They named themselves. Yo! My fans are wild, trust me.
Are your DMs popping?
Yo. Per second.
Damn son! What’s the wildest thing you’ve received in your DMs?
Is this interview is PG-rated? Well, …someone said, “Oxy, your voice sounds like sex and I would like to have it with you.”
Bars! Bars for days!
Nah like! That one! I had to check her page. Like “who you? Where you from?” Y’understand! That was some bars there.
What pick up lines work for you though? What’s the one line that has never failed?
Never failed? I just send a picture of the chick to her from her Instagram and I’ll be like “You have no right to be this fine” or “you have no right to look this beautiful”. “Who gave you the right to look this stunning?”
Okay, last question about the girls, cos we do have to speak about music. What’s the most cringe thing a girl has done?
Erm…one girl asked me for my boxers.
And did you give them? [laughs]
Why would I? [laughs] What would I wear home? I don’t understand. She was so precise about the object she wanted. That was so scary…
Energy. Energy.
That’s not energy! Abeg, abeg, abeg. Energy has limits.
Corona has cut off everything for 2020 but you’ve got tons of music out now to tour with. Spotify shows that your top locations as London, Amsterdam, Paris, Toronto and Montreal. Out of these 5, where are you most excited about performing next?
London! I mean…I love London with everything in me. I love London so much!
Are you ready for a London slang quiz? We’ll do this and then we’ll wrapping up!
Omo! I will fail oh but we move!
[laughs] Why would you fail? You’ve been watching Top Boy, you’re about it.
Aight. Let’s go, let’s go! Run it up.
What does it mean to ‘lips’ someone?
A)To talk to them
B)To kiss them
C)To gossip about them
To lips someone? Spell it? Kiss I guess…
Ding ding ding! That’s correct. Well done. Well done. E ku ise [Yoruba]
It’s bad man tings I know!
Of course, you’ll know this one. What does “allow it mean?”
A)Fix this
B)Stop That
C)Let me
The options again please? I think it’s C, ‘let me’. Wait, wait, wait. It’s between ‘Stop it’ and ‘Let me’
Allow it fam. What’s your final answer?
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. I don’t want to fail this one. Like, I don’t want to fail it.
Ding ding ding. Better. You got it right!
You get me!
Correct, correct. What does “clapped” mean?
A)Well known
B)Injured
C)Ugly
Like she’s clapped? Errr. It’s also close ‘bait’.
Do you want it in a sentence? “The last girl to comment on your photo, she’s clapped fam. Don’t go there!”
Oooh. Then it’s A: Well known…
You’re ridiculous. Before we go? Last message to the Oxygenes, to your fans, what can we expect for 2020?
2020 started with a bang and the bang keeps going to the end! So like I always say, I never promise features but any time you see one, just enjoy it. I have loads of works I’ve been doing, sleepless nights for you guys to enjoy quality music and I promise not to let you guys down. All you guys need to do is keep believing in this boy. Keep supporting his brand and keep spreading the gospel. Thank you so much!
Socials are @oxladeofficial everywhere correct?
Everywhere. Snapchat is @box_ox. Snapchat is for people over the age of 18 please! Over, I beg, I beg. Love and light…so we don’t blind anybody’s kids.
