After so many controversies attached with The King of Music, saheed Osupa akorede A.k.A Saridom P, he has decided to explain to the public.

HE goes by the name, Saheed Akorede, but his stage name is Saheed Osupa, by which he's known and appreciated by his teeming fans, home and abroad.
Today, in many down-town drinking joints and music outlets, it is common to find him a subject of discussion on many lips. While most of them give him thumbs-up for his uncommon philosophical lyrics, he gets hard knocks from the feeble-minded for what they are quick to term his unfashionable 'dress sense.' Yet, not a few agree that his rising fame, lately, is powered by his singing prowess and strengthened by his uncommon repertoire of traditional Yoruba proverbs and idioms.
The Ibadan, Oyo State-born cerebral composer went down memory lane in a chat with this reporter on how his career took off about 27 years ago. Said he: “I started way back in 1983 at Ajegunle, a Lagos community. Then, we started with a kind of competition. There was a man (now of blessed memory) who used to organise a competition for upcoming Fuji artistes and the rule of the contest was that contestants must sing songs that no one had sung before. And there was always a trophy for the winner. That was how I started. Then, I later waxed an album entitled Fadisco. The title was coined from Faaji and Disco. That was when I was known as Saheed Osupa Omonla.”
The artiste who literally got his break via Master Blaster and blew out of obscurity on the scene in the masterpiece, London Delight, however, attributed the intense rivalry among Fuji musicians to the bandwagon syndrome in the genre of music, which he said could only be put on check through creativity by practitioners. “Well, in a situation whereby there are too many people, definitely there will be difficulty. However, to stand out in the crowd, you have to be unique and creative; but sadly, many of the upcoming artistes today are not creative.”
Not a few music buffs stunned by his Yoruba lyrics would wish to fire a poser on how he came about his grip on proverb-laced compositions if by stroke of fate their paths cross. His answer to this came handy during the 45-minute chat: “It is natural. But then, I inherited the rich Yoruba idioms from my late grandmother who influenced me greatly as a child. I always sat beside her when she was alive because I loved listening to her all the time. I usually asked her questions concerning knotty proverbs and idioms and I received favourable responses from her. She was such a wonderful woman. At times, if I wanted to make her talk, I would annoy her and she would scold me with her usual Yoruba proverbs. I've always been using proverbs and idioms though it wasn't as deep as it is now; but I guess it has to do with my age. Then I was younger, but now I'm mature and so, my lyrics should also be very mature. As for my unique composition, it comes naturally. At times, I record them on my phone to get the real tone because I may lose the tone, if not stored. Apart from using my phone, I also write them on paper. Most times, I like to be left alone whenever I want to compose new songs and the inspiration will come. As I'm talking to you now, it may come. It could be through our discussions or my personal observations. But the inspiration that is constant to me is always spontaneous. It comes in my day-to-day interactions with my immediate environment.”
The recent face-off with some of his contemporaries over the use of King of Music title bestowed on him by Fuji music legend, Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, which put him in an eye of the storm and the interesting way he weathered it is no longer news. Although, the crisis gave him a controversial image in town, Jacky as he's also called by fans and admirers, detests it: “I'm not a controversial artiste. I think it is very unfair to say that Saheed Osupa is controversial. Some people are just being jealous of my success and this is why my detractors brand me as being controversial. I don't like praising myself, I'm a gentle guy. I don't like cheating people and I don't like to be cheated. If you cheat me I'll fight you. I grew up in Ajegunle with the likes of Daddy Showkey, Daddy Fresh and Baba Fryo. Guys from Ajegunle are known to be rough and tough because we didn't find it easy while growing up. You would fend for yourself. It's even pretty difficult for parents to feed, let alone feed children. Though it was relatively easy for my family, I just had to join my friends in the streets as a mark of solidarity. I left home at the age of 12 to join my friends. My mum looked for me everywhere till she found me at Tolu in Ajegunle and brought me back home; but I would run away and on and on till I discovered my talent.''
At that juncture, the reporter fired another poser about how he once allegedly beat up his music godson, Muri Thunder, during a row with arch rival, Alabi Pasuma and others. He said: “No. I didn't. What a lie! It was all part of the propaganda of my adversaries to discredit me. They are fond of framing all kinds of stories against me because they really don't have a tangible evidence to fight me. They are only being envious of my success because they haven't got my kind of style, finesse, composition, delivery, talent and above all other things, my ruggedness. I don't drink or smoke. I only chew gum on stage which I use to ward off distractions. As people have seen now, no amount of such propaganda can stand my unique gift which has made me the toast of lovers of good Fuji music. There was a time they even said I did not go to a tertiary institution. Well, this is another opportunity to take you journalists on an odyssey of academic background. I attended St. Mary Children School, Abokuru, Ajegunle and Amuwo-Odofin High School. Later, I studied Business Studies at The Polytechnic, Ibadan where I bagged a National Diploma in 1992. In 2001, I studied Computer Networking and Programming at American International University while in the United States. But the basic thing is to be able to read and write well. Thank God, I can read and write and I speak English language fluently. At least you can see that for yourself.”
He spoke about his role model: “My role model in life is Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister because of his maturity and evergreen composition in his heydays despite hordes of propaganda hurled at his personality by his adversaries.''
While he did not deny hitting a goldmine with his previous three-in-one work, Endorsement, reputed to be the best-selling Fuji music album ever, he revealed his earnings and what he did with it this way: “It fetched me millions of naira and it is one of the highest I've earned as royalty on an album as an artiste. I used the money to build the house I commissioned in Ibadan. I bought the uncompleted building for N12million and I carried out extensive renovation just to make it alluring. I spent about N50million on the building project. I bought some security doors at N800, 000 unit price and I purchased about 23 of such. So, you can see that it is not a small house. Though I won't leave Surulere where I reside, I just want to use the house to make some noise in town and tell my fans that their love for me and my band is not wasted. I have choice properties in many other places. I've just completed one in Ajao Estate. It cost me N50 million. Apart from other houses that I built in various parts of Lagos, efforts are in top gear concerning my 52-building estate project somewhere near Ikorodu. But I must confess that my fans have been wonderful. Even the Chrysler car I bought, I don't usually ride in it. You'll often see me in the Lexus SUV. And because of what the Holy Quran teaches me, I don't boast about what God has given me. I've not cruised in my Hummer SUV for more than three times; it is parked in one of my houses. I bought the car for N8.5million when a friend insisted that I must ride in some of the best cars in the world because of his love for me.”
Apart from being a musician, Osupa has had a fairly impressive outing in the movie scene with blockbusters like Agbere Oju and Eni Eleni among many others. His romance with the theatre according to him preceded music career “I actually started with acting way back in 1981. My contemporaries include popular actor Sikiru Adeshina aka Arakangudu and one Awo-Aiye. I have also worked with Black Wahab aka Emulewu.
There is no gainsaying the fact that any genuine Fuji music fan will, today, have his latest four-album effort, Mr. Music, in his shelf. The philosophical albums with edifying lyrics, which were released on the stable of Lati Alagbada Records in October last year, have reportedly sold millions of copies. Perhaps this accounts for his ever-rising popularity among lovers of the genre. Hence, he has continued to take his “musical crusades” to every nook and cranny of the country.
It was a huge success story when he stormed Campos area of Lagos in November last year. The crowd was simply unprecedented as people gathered to listen to “good music.”
For four consecutive times in a month, late last year, he was the main man in Mushin, a Lagos community that used to be the exclusive stronghold of Pasuma. The shows included Mushin Day, and the marriage ceremony of the Olu of Mushin, Oba Fatai Aileru, was the last. His performance, till today, has left no one in doubt about his towering influence in the genre. And it underpins the fact that Fuji music lovers now go for the sensible among songs.
Just in November last year, he was the sole choice of members of the Music Advertisement Association of Nigeria (MAAN) when they stepped out in colour to celebrate their anniversary at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
But how does he rehearse with his band men? Hear Sunday Oluperi, his gifted lead drummer who recently bagged the Drummer of the Year 2009 from the Yoruba Music and Films Association (YOMAFA): “My oga is a genius. Most songs come to him on stage with ease.”
Perhaps the fact that Osupa won the Best Fuji Musician of the Year award from the same body affirms it that he is really on top of the game, and incontrovertibly, that he has raised the bar in the genre.

I will read it later thx

ok

mama-gee:

Who Cares?

And what makes him a celebrity by the way?

i wonder o my sista! What makes him a celeb?

He's a celeb in his own rite

I like his songs,very philosophical

Ps-he sings fuji