One of the perks of being ‘legend’ is that when you say something (especially when it’s within your sphere of influence), everybody has to listen. Not necessarily agree, but definitely listen. In this exclusive interview with Hip Hop World Magazine, Mode puts an end to an argument currently being debated by lovers of Hip-Hop in the country at the moment.
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In between he also talks about his new album ‘Alphabetical Order’ and his upcoming unreleased project that is already generating controversy. Enjoy
Q: Mode how are you doing today?
A: Good, I just got in from out of town, feeling great. Spirits are high
Q: Where were you?
A: Enugu. I had an album release party at ‘Fountain Lounge’ Enugu. I’ve been doing quite a little bit of travelling. I did one in Port Harcourt and I was in Benin for Raypower’s first anniversary, just trying to push the ‘Alphabetical Order’ brand. As you can see am wearing the T-shirt, Mode9 and XYZ.
Q: Tell us more about the new album
A: ‘Alphabetical Order’ is a joint album, me and XYZ. XYZ being the producer, produced all twenty songs. The idea for the project was actually conceived in 2009. X came to my place and dropped some songs. I used a couple of those songs for the ‘Da Vinci Mode’ project that came out in 2010. If you listen to the song “Black Rap Messiah”, you’ll hear me shouting ‘Alphabetical Order’ on it.
So we had a name but I experienced some ups and downs. I had to go to the UK for like ten months. I worked on some other albums as well I probably did five albums in between. Some free downloads for the internet but then I think towards the ending of last year I just called him up and I was like I heard some of the old songs and they songs can’t just go to waste. I have to come out.
I told him to send me some more beats and that’s how we started doing it. At first it was going to be a free download but I got tired of all that, I was like let’s just sell it and see what happens because the fans want it, let’s sell it. So it’s a joint album Mode 9 and XYZ.
Q: What the difference between this album and your previous projects?
A: This is more Hip-Hop. You know XYZ is straight butter. He’s hundred percent Hip-Hop. But there are songs that are easy going like “Let it Go”, “One on One” with Capital F.E.M.I, and “Industry Diva”. Those songs are more mellow; for girls that don’t really like hiphop.
ln Enugu the ‘radio girls’ heard “Let it go”, and they were feeling it. We even have a little dance for the song. The album is, well I won’t say it a well rounded album. It’s not something that I expect to sell ten million copies or to be everywhere or to be in every joint for them to be bumping. If I go to Elegushi and I hear them bumping ‘Alphabetical Order’, I will be shocked.
Q: Is “Let it Go” going to be the first single?
A: The first single is “Flow for the streets”. It had a hard core video. The video got a little air play but it got a lot of airplay on Channel O.
Q: Should we expect more singles from this album?
A: Yes! “Let it go” video is ready. By God’s grace, it should be out next week. I want to put it online first, probably next week. Let it just hit them boom! Online next week. XYZ directed it. He moonlights as a producer real hiphop, but his real job is working as a video director, graphic effects with Clarence Peters.
Q: In an earlier interview with HipTV, you spoke about plans for a commercial album. When is that coming?
A: You know what I actually take that back, I probably had more Hennessey than usual (laughs). People read it the wrong way. But the truth is, it’s nothing I haven’t already done, I have already done songs like “Cry”, “Nigerian Girls”.
The only thing is that when people say commercial album, immediately they think I’m singing. But no I don’t sing, I don’t know how to sing or carry notes, I don’t do that. What I did was I featured people in the main stream. I featured quite a few people in the Nigerian main stream. Some of the songs can come as across as being commercial compared to ‘Alphabetical Order’ as real hip-hop.
But I mean I put out ‘Alphabetical Order’ as real hip-hop and then I put out my own solo album and make it the same thing, what’s the difference. Why don’t we just say okay this album am going to show a little versatility rap on faster beats.
It’s an interesting album. Dammy Krane is on it, and we went all out. I have different sides and we party too. We dance ‘Kukere’. Forget sey we be Hip-Hop heads, we do that and it’s about having fun. I don’t listen to hip hop all the time. Some time, I listen to rock. Most of the time, its reggae. Reggae is almost like my favorite genre reggae alongside Hip-Hop.
Q: So is Don Jazzy is going to be on the project as well?
A: Yes he’s on it.
Q: Is there a name for the album yet?
A: ‘AGL’. I studied building technology so I decided to inculcate stuffs that I studied into the music. AGL. Above ground level. It’s just like I’m not making music underground, instead I’m making music above ground level. Its business if people are not feeling this, give them this. I might just wake up one morning and say I’m going to do a reggae album.
Q: Are we going to see AGL this year?
A: It depends on how my fans treat me but it depends. If I can do everything and have time to finish the recording, maybe. I’m not really sure ‘AGL’ will come out this year. But if doesn’t come out this year it’s going to be early next year most definitely.
Q: In a recent interview, Vector was asked to choose between M.I and Mode 9, in terms of who the better rapper was. He chose you. Did you see the interview?
A: No I haven’t but I saw people tweeting. Why will people wanna pitch two people against each other? Lately there’s been a lot of that and you know what it does, it creates tension. Shout out to Vector that’s a real dude there, he’s a stand up dude. I embrace Vector as a dope rapper and I respect his opinion, whatever he had said eitherway you know.
When it comes to dudes like the press; yes we know you guys need the rating and everything but this is what happens when you pitch people against each other. You create subconscious rifts and sometimes the fans get affected. They’re like ‘oooh it’s war’ and it just creates that little spark. Some ‘he say or she say’ to spark some beef out of it. Hip-Hop has always been competitive, but sometimes people take it too far.
The old video that we did, “Spazmodic” Terry and I. They were in the video. This was 2007. We shot it in Jos. Ice Prince, M.I. or Jesse Jagz, they were all in the video, having fun. I know the next question you’re going to ask is who do I prefer. (laughs)
Q: We were going to ask you actually. So M.I. or Ice Prince?
A: I can’t just say one name, there are pros and there are cons. I like them for different reasons; both of them can sing , both of them can carry the hooks, both of them can make good songs, both of them can follow, right now I like them for different reasons.
But lyrically M.I. He edges not by a very wide margin but yeah.
Q: Anything else you’re working on apart from music?
A: Music is my life. I don’t think I want to do anything that is not music related. Anything else I want to do has something to do with music.
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