December 09, (THEWILL) – Nigerian singer, rapper, songwriter, and actor Remilekun Abdulkalid Safaru, widely known as Reminisce, recently recalled his ‘first major’ rejection in the music industry.
His initial setback came when a radio station turned down his and his colleague, Alexander Abolore Adegbola Akande, better known as 9ice’s CDs, citing the predominant use of Yoruba in their music. Reminisce shared this experience in a recent interview with Zikoko.
Reminisce said, “My first major rejection was with 9ice on the Island, at a radio station, where we went to submit our music CDs for airplay, and the feedback we got was that we would never make it.
“They said 9ice was singing like Babalawo cos he sings in Yoruba.
“The other guy told me: ‘Why am I rapping like a buffoon, can’t I see Ruggedman? He said that we should both go back and look for something to do with our lives and be better.
“That was my first major rejection. I will never forget it, even 9ice, I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten it.”