Tems On How Uganda Jail Changed Her, Cooking For Drake + How She Flirts

Tems On How Uganda Jail Changed Her, Cooking For Drake + How She Flirts

Episode Transcript

(00:09):
Can we have a one time properwelcome for Thames in the building today?
What's that baby? It's good,I'm good. This is Thames is only
her third time in New York andyou have not done New York properly.
From what I understand, that issuch a shame. You know why,
because I feel like everybody I alwaysmeet from Nigeria, different places or whatever,

(00:31):
but there is a synergy of theylike New York and there and there's
a vibe. So you you,you have to be a chaperone the proper
you know, the right way.I really love New York like it reminds
me so much of like back home. It's the pace is the same.
Yes, quick quick, you havehit the gate crazy. It has been

(00:54):
insane, like mind mind bl Ibet how much as your life changed in
the past few years? Oh howmuch has my life changed? Well?
When I released my first song,I couldn't afford to upload this song and
my Auntie helped me upload my songhow much as that was twelve dollars and

(01:19):
I didn't have like an international card, so I called her to help me.
From America. What year is this? This was twenty eighteen, five
years five years and now like everythingI wouldn't even say that I wanted to
do. This is just beyond anythingI thought. Yeah, like I'm just

(01:40):
going along for the adventure. I'mjust like, Okay, you know,
I guess this is happening. Thisis but you wanted it so bad.
I have read things what you said, Like I remember in your interview I
think it was the Interview magazine.You did an article and you said that
you was like you would have diedfor this, like you really wanted to.
Yeah. I would have died tomake music, not necessarily to be

(02:00):
big or to be famous, orlike I would have died to just make
music for a living. Because backhome, music isn't a profession that is
respected. Is that right? Yeah? I know when you're doing music,
is like why are you doing music? Like no parents wants their child to
do music because they think because it'snot going to go anywhere. It's just

(02:23):
not exactly. And it's like andthen there's so many talented probably musicians everywhere.
It's like, go to school,be a doctor, be a lawyer,
be a profession that we recognize.And when you say music is like
what and so that's that's how peoplelook at you know, music, So
you had any at any point thatyou consider being a lawyer, doctor,

(02:45):
any of those things. I tried. I really tried. I tried to,
you know. I went to schooland I tried my best, and
I got a job after I gotlike a I got like a little job
trying to make something of myself,and I just after a few months,
I was just like, this isnot I'm going to die in this job

(03:07):
on it like and it's going tokill me. So I need to do
what I should actually be dying for, which is my passion exactly. Wow.
Yeah, and then it happened,and then it happened fast. And
if you even think about the pastfive years and then everything, and then
the additions that you probably didn't evenexpect, the Oscar, the Oscar you

(03:28):
are, the Oscars, the Grammys, the just all of it. The
charts, the it's crazy. Yeah, it's crazy, it's really actually crazy.
I didn't I didn't know or payattention to charts. Like before I
released music, I didn't know whatI didn't I was like, okay,
playlist, I didn't know what thatmeant, like it's all new, it's

(03:53):
all new, good for you.And then what about the fame part.
How's that going? How are youdealing with that? Well? I find
it so funny. I'm I'm I'mlearning, you know how to just like
I don't find the fun in it. I guess yeah, yeah, yes,

(04:14):
that's good. Yeah, because peoplecould get it, could weigh you
down if you let it. Iguess. I guess. I don't really,
I don't really pay attention too muchto like things. I just I
just find it funny when like peopletake things so serious I do, or
that I say, or that youknow, anything happens. It's like a
whole thing. I'm like, Wow, you guys are really serious. Wowybody,

(04:36):
everybody's typing think pieces on there forwow. I don't like wow,
not a think piece, Yeah,I'm so serious, Like wow, I
feel well, it's just chilly.And you know that happens to artists though,
as they get more famous and famous, some some people like lean into
it, and then some people likeeven if you think, like Rihanna,
she used to be wild with sayanything, do anything, And I feel

(04:59):
like as that fame creased, sheyou have to be like a little people.
They get more protective of there becauseeverything you say is it comes,
and so then some people handle thata little bit differently, like whatever.
So it's interesting to see how you'regonna I think you're gonna be fine.
Yeah, nah, should be fine. So far, so good. Take
me to some of those big moments, those times. Take me to like

(05:21):
to like lift me up. Youmake this song? Yes, I made
this song. I wrote this Imean, yeah, that was insane.
Was there? You sent it andthen she did it right? There was
no where you weren't together in thestudio doing this song or you're not supposed
to say not this song. Thissong is just really crazy. So they

(05:48):
came to Legos and I was toldI was doing the soundtrack, and but
how did you even get picked inthe first place. I was told that
the actor and the actresses on setor like playing my music, and they
were telling Ryan the old times hasto do it, turns has to do
it. Have you ever ever wrotea song like that in your life?

(06:10):
Like, I mean, that feltso big and so like international. I
think it felt big because of,like you know, I mean, because
of what it was for, becauseit was Black Panther, it was the
return and it was you know,the memorial of Chad Boswick and you know

(06:31):
it's Rihanna, and you know,I think it was big because of that.
But like I have many songs,it's not your favorite song. It's
not my favorite song I've ever written, No, but it's it's definitely like
it was a moment for sure,Like did you feel it in the time,
Like did you? I don't know. Sometimes when the world and I

(06:53):
sang it, so I didn't feelit. I mean I did feel it.
I did feel it, like interms of like the writing aspects,
yeah, yeah, and when youknow at the Oscars, I did feel
that, like, wow, thisis something I'm part of, which was
was the big outfit at the askersof the Grammys was a little black black

(07:15):
and the poor people behind and firstof all, I'm so misunderstood, like
literally people, and first of allthe people behind me. It was so
it's a sweet old guy and beforewe sat down, he was like,
you're so beautiful. Can I takea picture with you? And then we
walked to our seats and realized hewas behind me and he was like,

(07:39):
no, I'm fine, I'm actuallyokay. And after that whole thing,
he actually wrote a letter and heposted it on Facebook that oh, this
sweet girl actually loved her dress andwe could see okay because he was trying
to like calm everything, and Iwas like, oh, this is so
sweet. But also I was supposedto change and I didn't have my phone.
I didn't have anything, so allI could do was just sit like

(08:01):
pay attention because I had no phone, So all the things that were going
online I didn't know until I left. So that was like, how many
hours of things coming? All Icould do? Wait, are you telling
me you're sitting there? It didn'teven occur to you that nobody could see
behind it? No? No,it made I mean what could I do?
No, you can't do nothing.Once I sat down, they were

(08:22):
like you're going to be on TV, so you can't get up, Like
you have to sit down here.You can't go upstairs, you can't.
I didn't have my phone, Wecouldn't get my stylist to quickly go to
the bathroom. Literally everything that wassupposed to happen just like it. It
was great but ended up great,Like it was such a looking beautiful.

(08:43):
Yeah, it was really good,and just you know, being there seeing
Rihanna performed Lift Me Up at theOscars. That was great. I was
like, wow, this is crazy. You know where I was four years
ago, Like so, yeah,that was really lovely. But yeah,

(09:03):
I just thought the whole thing wasfunny. People were like so angry.
I was like, are you guys? I really upset? They're not really
upset. It's just people who havenothing to talk about online. I just
want to like a big deal aboutnothing. I found it so funny.
I was like, oh, okay, well, how are things back home?
How is the fame translated? Likewhen you go home, do you
have you experienced? Yeah, you'vebeen traveling so much you haven't even really

(09:26):
I have. I mean every timeI go home wherever I'm staying, people
around me or people around just alwaysknow I'm there, like, oh she's
here, she's landed. Yeah,I kind of. I mean I can't
really go to the grocery store hereeither. But I can't go back home.
Oh my goodness, it's no grocerystore. You can't. You can't
go anywhere. You really can't,Like you can't you can't hear no,

(09:52):
not with this coat in the fullgland. But like if you put like
maybe I have tried that, andI was still spotted. But I don't.
I don't like to. I'm notdisguising anymore, so I'm always going
to be dressed up when I'm goingout. You're like, I'm not going

(10:13):
to down. I'm not gonna liketry and hide, you know, unless
it's absolutely necessary. But yeah,back home, you can't go anywhere because
you aren't you cook. Don't youcook like a cook? You cook right
because you have to go to thesupermarket. I mean, I mean sometimes
you know, it's not for cooking. It's just like maybe we're going out
and we're stopping somewhere to get somethingand then it's like, oh, okay,

(10:37):
what's you know. Nigerians are verylike what's happening here? They're very
like interested in drama and things likethat. Is it like a big tabloid.
It's like you know what I mean, it's like here's this TMZ or
this was like I don't know,is that is its? Yeah, the

(10:58):
Nigeran blow. But they're like mostlyonline. They're not it's not crazy like
paparatz like ruthless, That's what Imean. They're like showing up at your
house and things like that. No, no, no, that's good.
They're not hardly yeah, because inLa. No, it's not it's not
that crazy. It's not that eventoday was crazy. Like we came out

(11:18):
of like I did an interview earlierand we came out of the building and
TMZ was there, and like there'speople, you know. They started asking
questions and I just I found itfascinating, like this is what y'all do?
Was going on? I didn't knowabout what did they ask you?

(11:39):
Did you answer? They were like, do you feel pressure to to release
two top what you've done or somethinglike that? Oh you know, did
you feel any kind of way thatthey said you were pregnant? Or do
you feel it's because you're famous?And I was just like, I don't

(12:01):
know any kind of person that Ismile every time, like things are like
that's good. Yeah, Like Ijust find it funny like things like that.
I'm just like like, are weis? This is good? Am
I in my playing prank? Like? Where where's the prank? Like?
No, that's real life. TheThe TMZ will jump out on celebrities any

(12:22):
if you're any of those shows inNew York, Yeah, sorry, no,
in any of those Like if you'redo any of those talk shows,
they're always outside they wait for you. They got cameras, they got questions,
they're gonna ask you to be pregnant. Why people think it was pregnant?
I have no Was it a shirta bad shirt day? Did you
have like a bad you know?I went to a fashion show and I

(12:43):
think the top, the top Iwas wearing was talked in to leather.
That's so disrespectful to a woman.And I was holding the code, how
like I was holding the code.Maybe I forgot to suck my to,
you know, to hold it.Maybe for a second I forgot to.
It could have been a food baby, because because we were eating so much

(13:05):
that day. Yeah, so Ijust I think there was like a two
second clip. I mean, that'swhy I gather that. I saw like
one clip and I was like,this is still not enough. But I
didn't know what's happening until like twodays later. And it was because my
cousins and my mom like messaged melike, oh, you know, this
is definitely a lie. I'm like, what's going on, what's happening?

(13:28):
What's this? And then what's this? What's this like? And then I
went online. I'm seeing pregnant,pregnant. What's happening? What's going on
from where, like from where it'sjust like now you guys are joking some
things I read about you. I'mvery curious about well number one of the
dress. We talked about that numbertwo you got locked up, You got

(13:48):
arrested. I got arrested. Andthere was during COVID, right, you
guys broke some role to be whathappened. We didn't break the rules,
but it was basically like set up. It was. We went to Uganda.
Yeah, I had a show inUganda. It was during the COVID

(14:09):
year, but they had opened thingsup. They had just had like a
rally in Uganda and people were goingout. It wasn't on lockdown, but
it was just like the aftermath.It was just just after like they had
opened stuff and the organizers said theyhad the permits. They sent us the

(14:30):
permits. Everything was cool and wewent there and there was this particular artist.
I'm not sure now what his rolewas, but he was just basically
threatening Nigerian artists that they shouldn't,you know, come And after the show,
the police came. They weren't unifthey weren't in uniforms. They just

(14:50):
knocked on my hotel door. Wewere eating lunch or dinner. My manager
and I and they just came andsaid we should follow them, and my
manager was like, okay, he'llgo with them, so he went with
them, but they came back upstairsto pick me up, so it was
like who called them? So lateron I just found that there was some

(15:11):
like weird, something weird. That'sscary though. That was so scary,
like I spent like two nights inprison and Uganda. That's horrifying that I
thought I wasn't going to come out. I thought I thought like that was
going to be my Maybe I wasseeing this for a reason, like maybe
this is for me to help thesepeople in this prison. Like it was

(15:33):
crazy. I'm not gonna lie that'swhat you were thinking. Yours were settling
in. No, No, Iwas settling in because for me, I'm
very adapt real quick. And asI was walking in, I started to
cry because I was thinking, theygave me my uniform. The uniforms stunk
and they don't wash it. Ilike an outfit too. Yeah, I
mean this is after I'm this newswag of mine is after I did that,

(15:56):
because before I was I was calmwith my dressing. After I was
like, nah, I'm gonna wearanything anything I want. Oh so that
changed you, That changed it reallydid. It made me stop caring about
so many things because there's so manyother women in there. They were there
for nothing. Oh my husband andI had a fight. He called the

(16:18):
he called the police on me.Oh my brother didn't want me to inherit
the land, so he called thepolice. And he's keeping he's paying them
to keep me in prison. Youknow you were in there building with the
women that was inside. I meanit was a small room. It's a
room maybe as big as this,and there's just there's nothing. There's just
it's a floor with you. Theygive you a blanket, they give you

(16:41):
tissue, and you're just on thefloor and sad. No bed. Wow
you're there two days? Yep.Do you know for sure you're going to
get out? No? I didn't. I couldn't. I didn't know.
I didn't have any ears on ground. Nobody told me anything. I just
I mean outside people were like freeterms and free or my layor you know.

(17:06):
Inside I was just I was justhopeful, you know, I was
just like waiting. There's no likemy phone call. Can I make a
call. There's no, cause that'scrazy. There's no cause you can't make
a phone call that's money. Andit's Uganda in Africa, so it's different.
It's different out there, you know. So the best thing you can

(17:26):
do is, well, I don'tknow how long I'm going to be here,
I might as well make friends.You know, there's there's always a
leader of like there's always someone incharge of the girls. Are you trying
to find the boss? What?They found me? Because it's a small
room, you know. Once Iwalked in, everybody just turned and looked
at me, and you know,everybody was whispering. They don't speak English,

(17:48):
like lots of them don't speak English, so they're just looking at me.
And I was like, god,what if I don't I can't cry,
I can't cry. And I juststarted winking. Like I would see
people like looking at me like sointensely, and I would just start I
just started winking. That was myway of adapting, Like that was my

(18:14):
way of you know what, Imust show these people. I'm confident.
I must show them that actually you'renot doing anything to me. So I
I started winking. I was likehi, Hi, being extra like hi,
Hello, yeah, yeah, Isee you. Yeah, they're just
laughing. They were like, whois this person? I made such a

(18:37):
noise, Like I was so confident, Like I just walked in. I
just started winking at everybody. Istart. I sat down in my corner
and I just started like people wholike point at me and point at them
too, and wink at them.And I was like, no, like
cases. And then the leader,the leader of the person that's in charge
of the girl, she came tome and she was like, okay,

(19:00):
so this is my name. I'veforgotten her name and I shouldn't have.
And she was just like these arethe rules, Like everybody has to abide
by them. If you don't,they lock you up. There's this toilet
stall where they lock you for dayswithout food, without water. They just
every every evening they will be pouringwater on you. They just lock you

(19:22):
in this store. Like if youif you like, you have to kneel
down. If you're walking, youcan't, sorry, you can't stand up.
If you're unless you're going to thebathroom, you have to kneel down
to to talk to any officer,any anybody must kneel down to speak to
them. You cannot speak to themface to face. You have to kneel
down. They do it search everymorning. You can't. You eat only

(19:47):
once and you eat porridge, ohmy god, like porridge like your rice
porridge type thing. I didn't eatin prison. And I was sipping water,
pour water like in a cap andsleep it. That's what I was
doing for two days. Like youmust have been when you got How did

(20:07):
you get out? So they cameand you you must go out, so
diplomatic, like my my manager's dadhad to go to Abuja to meet the
president. He had to, likeeverybody was calling. Everybody was calling Uganda,
the Ugandan president. He knew aboutit. It was and then they

(20:30):
just kind of like the day after, two days after, they just one
day in the evening before they closed, they just said, oh yeah come
and then I was taking I waseven I was carrying a child because the
women have their babies in prison obviouslybecause nobody's good, so their baby.

(20:51):
So I was taking care of achild. We were playing and I was
even going to carry the child outbecause you can, you can take you
can have you have play time.So he said no, I should drop
the child, no with her momthat I'm not coming back here. So
I was like, okay, everybodybye. That was my god. Those

(21:11):
poor women that I still kept incontact with some of them after. But
it's hard as well because there's somethat I don't know where they are.
I know all of them are outnow. The ones I spoke to,
including the person that was in chargeof the girls, she's out too.
Wow, that is a traumatic experience. That was crazy. That was I

(21:36):
think after that, I stopped caringtoo much about what people think. Everything
happens for a reason. It does. It does, even though you know
sometimes you'd be like why, butit usually shows sometimes at some point.
I remember them though. It makesme, It gives me context every time
I'm enjoying water, every time I'menjoying bed. I remember when I came

(21:59):
out and I saw it. Isaid, wow, this bed. People
don't have bed. People don't havea bed to sleep on. They're sleeping
on the floor. Day. Whenwas this How long this was in twenty
twenty? Yeah? It might haveprepared you for this next round twenty twenty
one, twenty twenty, okay,yeah, it might have prepared you for

(22:21):
this next round of like fame andyou know, this big life that you
have now just to keep it intokind of perspective. And I think so
because after that, not that Iwish that for anybody, but after that
incident, things just started moving.Wow. Yeah, that's wild. That
is a terrible experience. Does anybodyever apologize? Do you ever get like

(22:44):
an apology? Oh? No,I mean I think where I am now
is enough apology. It's in rewardfor me, you know. I see
it as something that was meant tobe. You're flying all over the place,
flying, man, I'm a birdright now. Honestly, I'm just

(23:06):
doing whatever. I feel love foryou. How How does I know that
you made this? And then there'sthe Drake lunch or dinner that you made
this? You made this? People? Bring this up, right, listen.
We have to bring this up becauseI find it fascinating that you were
in that kitchen. I wasn't cookingfor him. I was cooking for my

(23:30):
people too. I was cooking inany way. But it's in Drake's kitchen.
No, no, oh, Ithought it was at Drake's house,
my house. I was cooking.How is that chicken rice? So is
there a recipe? Because it seemedthat that it was good. It's good.
I have. I love chicken stew. It's almost like a brown stew,

(23:52):
but it's spicy and it's like fresh. It's like with raw, like
you fry tomatoes, you blend it, you fry. Then there's a lot
of there's a lot of things,a lot of things. You fry.
You boiled chicken, then you fryit, and you used to stalk and
you it's a lot. It's delicious, it's so do you think that I

(24:14):
had anything to do with the featureand then all the stuff? Do you
think that if it was bad,it might not have gone the same way?
No, it was already locked in, right, it was already locked
in. You know, girl,anybody you can't Drake is such a savage.
The story can't come out that therewas any kind of association with Drake
without people assuming that he was insavage more. But I already know that
you have said that he was agentleman, he was a Yeah, I

(24:40):
mean I did. Yeah, heknows he's a savage too. If he's
watching Drake, I'm not saying nothingabout you. He doesn't know. He
knows he's a savage. But youhave no fears of that. How are
you guys like, are you comfortablearound like you a girl's girl, like,
are you comfortable around guys? BecauseI'm sure they all at some point
try to shoot shots, right Theguys problem is, I don't really I

(25:00):
don't realize when they're doing it becauseI assume the position of his sister friend.
So I'm very like when I speak, I'm not flirting. I'm not
trying to be like, oh,so, what you up to tonight?
I'm just like you know, whenI when I see why w y D,

(25:21):
I'm just like, oh, well, I'm just about to go to
bed, or I'm just you know, in the studio working, okay,
I want to check you. I'llbe like cool, you know, well,
you know, I'll bring my producer, we can work. I don't.
I don't that you're dodging all theshots. Probably like I feel like

(25:42):
I've been dodging it for so longthat I genuinely don't know when it's happening
until like it's in my face andit's like like they want to look.
I like you, Okay, I'mtelling you. I like you. I've
been telling you since that I likeyou. Don't you I'm like, oh,
really, I didn't know this.I didn't know you were liking me

(26:06):
or well, you know, forme, you're a friend. So oh
your friends on them terrible? Theyhate that. Yeah, I know they
don't like that, but I dowant to be a friend unless I don't,
unless it's like yeah, or actuallylike this person. So then I'll
be like, well, you know, I call everybody my G. But

(26:27):
if I call you my G andI feel like I'm feeling something, I'll
still be like, oh, yeah, my G, but you're not my
G. How the hell are theysupposed to know if your signals is mixed?
Well, because I will tell them. I'll tell them. My G
is just how I talk. Ilike to I like to aeo you I

(26:51):
like to ao. So then howdo you flirt? Do you have a
flirt game or you're terrible at it? Like if you do like them,
what do you do? Like?My problem is I am zero one hundred.
If I'm flirting, it's like woof, it's like it's like we go
together. It's like it's like toomuch. It's like really intense, and
it's either that or I do nothing. And if I'm doing nothing, it's

(27:14):
different things. So that's why Ilike to do that zero two hundred because
I always feel like I accelerate thingstoo much or over maybe I'll look someone
to like, you know, inthe eye, and there's that thing.
Oh my goodness, we're having amoment. Meanwhile, I just I was
just playing. I'm just playing withyou. I didn't mean to like over

(27:34):
like, you know, look atyou. Yeah, that's really funny.
I don't know why. I'm alwaysgonna have the image of you in the
cell winking at everybody. It's totallyfunny in my mind. I'm like,
Wow, to me, you're actuallycrazy. What's what's happening? Now?
We have a new song. You'redirect directed the video, which is exciting.

(27:57):
It's the first time doing that right, first time? What even makes
you think I could do that?I have visue for that. For me,
I feel like there's nothing in thislife that I should not be able
to do. Life is short,and you know, I've I met with
a couple, you know, directorsbefore I did that. And with directors,
they take your vision, but theyhave their own vision in mind because

(28:21):
it's their work. They want toshow what they want to show in your
video, so you can't they can'treally like put your vision to life in
the way you want them to becausethey have their own like agenda. So
that's the problem with direct. Youknow other people and there was no time.
They always take long back and forth. I said, you know what,

(28:42):
I woke up. Let's do it. I will write the treatments.
What do you need? I've research, Like, it's not easy. How
do you How do you begin towrite your first treatment? You have to
like Google writing a director, Ijust closed my eyes and I write a
story like I play the song overand I'm in a dark room. I

(29:03):
play this song over and over again. I close my eyes and I did
dream a video. Wow, andthen I write it as I'm daydreaming,
okay, on the water, lookingout talking to the sky, writing it
down first scene, second scene,when this song's come. That's how I
do it. Yeah. Wow,you think you'll do that more? Probably?

(29:26):
Right? Probably it's better when you'rethat, when you have that much
vision so you can control it.Yeah, But is it more work because
then you have to also like watchthe footage direct everybody, tell everybody,
the lighting, all that you doall that. Yeah, it is more
work, but you have help.You have like producer, you have like
the creative assistance that like show likethey're looking at the screen, so if

(29:52):
something is off, everybody is lookingat it like, nah, this lighting
is not good. Let's quickly switchand I'll see it's okay, cool,
Let's do it, you know.So it's like I'm doing everything myself.
But it's hard. I'm not gonnalie. I've been all I could.
I didn't sleep for like a month. Wow, I'm up with the editor
every night. It's because you loveit. You clearly love it. I

(30:15):
do love it. Yeah, Ilove work. I love like art.
I think that's why I do thismore than anything, more than fame.
If I'm if I'm not able tomake my own art, I would rather
not have all this. That's thatcomes first. Yeah. Wow, So
where do you go with that?Like what do you'd see for yourself?
I don't know five years, Likedo you have like long vision for it

(30:37):
or you're just kind of creating asyou go. I mean, in five
years, I I will still bereleasing music. But I'm also one of
my goals is to expand. Iown a company called Leading Vibe, and
I'm trying to expand into an enterprisethat supports people from Nigeria and people from

(31:04):
Africa and female producers like me,and I really want to be in the
studio with with like people coming up, young young girls coming up, young
guys. I want to help peoplewrite. I want to help people,
like feel like I want to bein the studio. I want to be

(31:25):
a helping hand because I feel like, especially in Nigeria, you don't have
training. There's no such thing asvocal. I mean, there's vocal training
now, but nobody taught me howto sing or taught me how to write
this song, and sometimes you needthat. Yeah, so how did you?
You just figured it out as youwent. I just loved it so
much that I was, you want, like an ask, just doing it

(31:47):
without any I didn't even know ifit was wrong or right. I didn't
know if I was singing wrong orright. So I was just singing.
Even like formatting a song and thingslike that, nobody's ever taught you how
to do that. That's wild.I just thought, Oh, there's a
course I don't. I don't singin choruses and verses. I sing in
freestyle. And then I noticed,oh, so this is the format everybody's
using. I'm sure there's a chorussomewhere in here, and I started realizing,

(32:12):
Okay, this is chorus material,this is course. So when I
freestyle, I allow myself to feeland experience the freestyle, and when I'm
done, I play it back andI realize, that's the chorus, that's
the verse. That's pretty great.But do you have like vision for other
things, because even directing I wouldimagine, like I don't know, I
would, you know, I wouldlove to direct other people's videos for sure,

(32:37):
really I would, because I think, I mean, at some point
I think it would be an exclusivething maybe for someone I really really like,
who is that person, who's thebiggest, Like who's your biggest Who's
the that I would love to directfor? Or just that you're a fan
of who's bigger? Oh? Inlife in life, in life, Shadday,

(33:02):
Shaddy means everything to me because she'salso Nigerian. Yeah, and I
mean she's British b and and she'sShadday. Yeah. Well I could see
that now, I can see herinfluence on you. Yeah. She and
she don't come out a lot too, so she out that's the life I'm

(33:23):
trying to be living. Like she'smaking her music, like she there's a
studio I was at the like twomonths ago. Shadley records at that studio
and she still records there. Butshe's just I mean, well, maybe
I don't want to. You can'tspeak on her behalf. I know I'm

(33:46):
not speaking on her behalf. ButI heard that she still records there and
she's still making music. I couldsee that though she does come out.
Your attempts shot day collaboration would befire fire, That would be insane.
Do you have goals for collabse Isthere people that you'd like to work with
that you haven't yet like that,you know, Yeah, Frank Ocean,

(34:12):
he's one of my like very challengingpeople to get a hold of, because
I do, I do. He'sone of my He's one of my inspirations.
Frank Ocean, Kendrick, you shouldhave probably that at the interview magazine
thing. You didn't know, youknow, no, no, no,
I mean, you know he knows. You probably learned from a lot of
the collaborations you've done, right interms of being able to talk, how

(34:35):
to put songs together, and justthe business. And I mean the more
you you collab with people in studio, I feel like when you do that,
you learn yeah, because you seeanother artist process and it's like,
oh, so this is how youwrite. I don't really like see I
don't I don't tap into that,but like it just does something to your

(34:58):
mind just opens Are you ever amazedto it? Like just with when you
think about how many artists from africarare doing so well and afrobeats and the
explosion of all of that, yourtiming in the world and being an artist,
like you couldn't have picked a bettertime, you know, because if
you think about people older than you, maybe who even had who had talent

(35:19):
and just couldn't Like it's not weirdthat people think, maybe you say in
Nigeria that like being an artist islike why it because history tells you that
it's you can't have this type ofsuccess and it's like you came at the
right time and the right when theworld could accept it on this bigger scale.
I don't know, do you everthink about that and the timing of

(35:39):
it and how long will this dayforever will it grow? Because then there's
always speculation of is this just awave? And then the wave is going
to go away? And then whathappens to all these amazing artists, which
would be terrible and unfortunate. Imean, I don't see it to be
that, but that is a thought. I mean, with the labels and
people spending money on stuff, it'slike, is this a moment in time

(36:01):
or do you think what do yousee? I guess with the future of
it, and do you think aphrobBeyeah, I think it's taking a shape
of its own for sure. Globally. I feel like just the way the
world is, the way life is. Eventually, at some point in life,
there's always going to be a newa wave wave. But I feel

(36:27):
like aphrobeasis is strong enough genre too. It's like, just because there's aphrobeats
doesn't mean R and B people stoplistening to R and B. Yeah,
people are still very much listening toR and B. Like in The Billions,
you know, it's always there,It's always going to be there,
and I feel like the same foraphrobeats. It's just, you know,

(36:50):
I can't predict what's going to happenspecifically, but I see an evolution probably.
Yeah. I don't feel like it'sa genie that you could put back
in the bottle. I feel likeit's is now. It may evolve into
different sounds. Yeah, the samething where hip hop firs came out.
It was like they were like,Okay, this is great a couple of
years, and then it's fifty yearslater, still here, but obviously different

(37:10):
evolutions. It'll be interesting to seewhere that goes. But then also what
happens is that then you know,I see they compare you to other women
sometimes or they could only be onewho's the hot one, or to do
you feel like some of that energycoming at you from like the world,
I guess, or the blogs orI think there's always going to be comparison

(37:30):
in general when it comes to likewomen, especially women, especially because of
just the dynamic with women. ButI feel like that's only if you work
according to the law of industry,and that law is that there can only

(37:51):
be one person. But I don'treally I'm not doing what I do to
be number one. If somebody elseis doing it to be number one,
do that number one go ahead myhead, because that's not what makes me
happy. I would rather not bewith number one and be miserable and be
having to keep up her parentces.Like if I get to number one,

(38:14):
sure, but that's not why I'mdoing music like That's why in that interview
I said I would die for this. That's what I mean. It means
that whatever people see as number oneis not. I don't mind losing that
as long as I get to keepmy passion and my outlets, because music

(38:35):
is an outlet for me. IfI need if I don't have music,
I'll need therapy. So if Ican't do what I do, if I
can't be true to myself, thenit's not worth it to me. That
means I'm faking everything. That meansI'm becoming a whole other person that isn't
me, just so that people cansay, oh, she's number one,

(38:57):
and nobody ever asked the question.Okay, if everybody in the whole world
said you are number one, youare the good, you are the legend.
Everybody, we we hail you,we acknowledge you as the number one,
and that was your life every day? How do you feel? Would
you be happy? Would you wouldyou feel satisfied that now everybody knows me,

(39:22):
everybody has acknowledged me, we bowdown to you. What what then?
Joy is that is that? Andthat was your life every single day?
Yeah? For some people, Idon't know. I mean, I
don't. It looks it feels likeyou wanted, but I can promise you
you can never handle Nobody can handlethat like nobody can handle that because what

(39:42):
you're the The innate desire to benumber one is stemming from a desire to
be God. You want to beGod. You want to be the one
and only in the world, andonly God can be good or human beings
naturally feel that desire. That's whythere's competition in every industry. It stems

(40:07):
from that human humid that human thingthat we love to do to compare ourselves
because we want to be on topof the pyramid. But this is not
a pyramid. The world is not. There's a hat, there's a there's
a role somebody being a billionaire andyou being a millionaire. That person is
a billionaire to do what he does. What would you do if you're a

(40:30):
billionaire and would you be happy?Like? Would you would you would it
help you being a billionaire? Wouldyou? Would you be fulfilled? Not
even happy? Like would you befulfilled in your life? Like? Okay,
a billionaire, what do you do? A lot of people that would
say I would be a lot morefulfilled, like he said, yes,
yeah, you will. You saythat, but you say that, but

(40:50):
it would drive you crazy. Andthat's the truth, because because then what
are you chasing. The billionaires thatyeah, the billionaires that a billionaires have
goals and dreams they're doing, they'rein the future. That's why they're billionaires
because the way their minds think isdifferent, and it's for the reason that
they are there. So be thebest that you can ever be. And

(41:15):
that's how you're number one, becausethere's only one of you. But for
you to be number one in theworld, the number one like the music
on the charts, the number onesinger. There's so many great singers better
than like better than me, andthe singing standard. I didn't learn how
to sing from a trainer or fromchurch. I was just singing in my

(41:37):
house. I was singing again andagain and again because I didn't have access
to that. It's not like Americawhere you can go somewhere, you know.
So there's people that sing so muchin so much better tonations than me.
But it's not about whether you cansing better or not, because nobody
can be me and nobody can beyou. So I don't subscribe to the

(42:00):
law of the world, Like Isubscribe to the law of grace, and
the love of grace states that youare you, you are only one,
and you are on top of yourwant to rule your kingdom because it's yours.
But stop trying to rule the worldbecause it's God's Oh that's good,

(42:24):
that is so good. But it'sso easy, oh gosh, especially for
like when you come into this worldand you come into this business and people
are showering you with things and tellingyou what's important and agendas, and very
easy for a young person who's notgrounded, so easy to get lost in
the chasing of something that doesn't evenreally matter. How did you how,

(42:45):
I mean, where did this comefrom? Where did you get that like
understanding or that you know? Ithink it's I think I had to be
at the bottom, Like I startedfrom a place where, like lots of
people that I met after I becameterms, I had already met them before
I was TEMs. They just don'tremember me. I met them as a

(43:07):
normal you know, artists that willbe hopping in studios and be freestyling that
they just don't remember me. SoI've seen human beings, I've experienced them
from all angles and I understand that. Okay, it's not that I'm better.
I just am me. I'm unapologeticabout being I'm not trying to be

(43:29):
something. I am who I am, like I am terms I am Timula
day so like I feel like forme, it's just always having the right
people around you. Once you meetsomeone that also thinks like that, you
can just tell all my managers,the people that work around me, I
can just tell, Okay, you'resomeone I can learn from. So I

(43:52):
put people around me I can learnfrom. I don't want to be the
top. I don't want to bethe teacher. I want to be this
then, please, I don't wantto be the one that I say and
I'm going to show everybody. No, I want to learn. I want
to learn. And that's what makesme feel good when I feel like I
have learned something new today. Haveyou learned anything today? Oh? I

(44:13):
have? Would you like to shareany of your learning today? What do
you learn today? Life is notthat serious. That's why I learnt because
of the TMZ thing. Oh yeah. And as I was experiencing it,
I was really so present in themoment, and I was looking at the
woman's face as she was asking,and I was like, wow, this

(44:34):
is crazy, Like you are You'rehere asking me this ridiculous question. Yeah,
But like she's doing something though,and that's her, that's her passion.
Maybe maybe, but I mean she'spassionate about something enough to get a
camera and stand all day outside thebuilding. That takes a lot of resilience.

(44:57):
I mean, you keep coming back. Wow, that means you must
be passionate about it, about something, And it just made me like,
it makes me appreciate life more everytime I'm That's why I just be present.
You know, I'm just even here. This is crazy, this is
amazing. Well, I kind oflove it. I'm so happy you came
today. This is a gift foreverybody to remind her to be present,

(45:21):
because it is very easy to notbe present. But you seem like you're
handling it very well. I can'twait to see what's next. I know
you know what is next? Whatis it like right in the front.
Now, that right in the frontis all the music I've been working on
for the past year, which isexciting. It's also nerve racking, why

(45:45):
because I know what's I know,I know what's going to happen after and
I I'm someone that likes preparation,but I also I have triggers, and

(46:06):
I think it's just going to beinteresting to see how I apply everything I've
learned in this new stage of mylife. Like if you're going to be
able to maintain, if I'm goingto be balanced, yeah, Like,
but I'm learning, though I knowI can't do it. It's your fear
that the music's so good that it'sjust going to blow up and your life's
going to change even more. Isthat part of the fear. Oh No,

(46:28):
I don't think that's I think Idon't know. You know, the
music is is real to me,and that's what gives me solace, even
if you don't like it, evenif nobody hears it. I needed to
release that because that's my If Idon't release it, like I said,
I'm going to need therapy. That'swhere I release my thoughts, my feelings.

(46:50):
So it's not it's about you.But I need to do this.
Even if everybody said I'm never listeningto terms again, I still have to
release that music and I'm going torelease it with my chest because I have
to. I have to release it. I need to take it out and
put it out there. It's mygift and my gifts I need to multiply

(47:13):
by sharing it, and whoever takesit, takes it, whoever doesn't.
It's cool. Do you really likethat? Don't care where it lands?
Like you're okay, I can't controlit. So if you can't control it,
why brother caring? Like? Whybrother like worrying? Just do your
best, you know, do everythingyou can do your like, be your

(47:34):
best. I love that. Yeah, So when do we get to hear
it? Do we have data andstuff we're not allowed to say? Yeah,
she said, don't look at mesomebody again, team's gonna spell it?
Is it soon? Is this comingsoon? It's coming soon in like
a few months, a couple ofmonths. Exciting. Yeah, I can't
wait to hear it. Baby metoo. Congrats on everything. It was

(47:55):
so nice spending time with you today. I hope you keep this hope.
I hope you are able to maintainthis spirit in this space that you're in
as you go out here in thisworld and do all this press. Yeah,
you start dumping on you. Ihave my I have a shield of
protection, right, Yeah, whatdo you do? Is it prayer?
What is prayer? Is knowing thatyou know, when God is behind you,

(48:20):
nothing can stand against you, evenif they want to. It's just
unfortunate that that they want to.Why do they want to? Yeah,
some people just some people don't knowthat they're protected to so they feel like
they need to attack something that theydon't understand because they feel threatened by it.
Oh that's good, but you're alsoprotected. You're also here. You

(48:43):
just need to wake up and realizeso that you can join me and we
can shine together. There is onetype aretects everybody. Some people don't know
they're protected. It's crazy.