Listening Sessions S03EP010 - Ft Ric Hassani

(upbeat music) I didn't start blowing up when I started making better music. I said blowing up when I started coming in better version of myself. I tell you. Hello guys, you're welcome to the Listening Sessions podcast. It shows about the music industry, its players and the game. My name is Ovin Agu, music business man, and your host. (upbeat music) All right, Listening Sessions podcast season three, we're here again. My guest today is the swavest, singer, songwriter and performer in all of the land. And indeed, they find you into man. Please welcome Rick Hassani. (clapping) Thank you for having me, man. - Well, thank you so much, man. You know, I said to my guys, I said, "Look, we need to be ready because this guy strikes me as someone who is going to be here right on time." (laughing) And I wasn't wrong. - Yep, yep. - I was there wrong. That is not that his behavior. (laughing) - I think it seems like, I think with me, I don't like waiting. So, I mean, you can't do it to somebody else. You know what I mean? I really don't like waiting. So that's why I'm always on time. Always on time. - Awesome, awesome. I think it only makes sense for us to talk about the pandemic. How was 2020 for you? - It was great to, I'm telling you. I mean, it was alright. Most of the time, I'm at home anyway. So it's just, okay, there were some events that I had to do outside of the country that I couldn't do anymore. So the pandemic broke. I mean, it was okay. It was okay. That wasn't a recorded my album. My sophomore album, the Prince I became. So yeah, but the only thing about, let me say this now, like the, the only thing about that album and that period was because we had to stay at home, I was my feelings elowed. (laughing) - I love the songs and the album. I'm very deep for no reason. So yeah, that's gonna be downside. - When you say your feelings elowed, I'm just thinking because it's like, that is your default place. You think about love elowed. - Yeah. - Yeah. - I'm a deep guy, I'm a deep guy. - I'm a deep guy. - Is the love theme a hack? Is it a potent theme in music? Are you more likely to make a living and make a hit when it's about love? - Yeah. Okay, for a couple of reasons, one, that's what really excites me to talk about. I like talking about relationships. If I'm just relationship with people, relationship with God's spirituality, I really like talking about this kind of stuff. And two, the biggest songs in the world are love songs. The biggest songs of all time are love songs. You know, so it just makes sense, you know? - Yeah. - Awesome, awesome. Before we, man, Rick had told me the most beautiful story about his parents. We're not going to go into our love. - No, we had the best conversation before this "Ak Shok" conversation started. I'm telling you. - Exactly. - I'm telling you. - And I'm always saying, man, we always end up having beautiful conversations before the mic is turned on. Why? You know, then you should turn it on. Next time you should just turn it on. And then, you know, the person walks and you just start, you know? - Exactly. And I find that in studios, this also happens like, at that time, when you feel like the first thing you vibed was just perfect. - 100%. - 100%. - I don't know. I'll tell you a story. There's no song I did. The first take I did was the best take. And your mic was not on. - Hey! - I wanted to run my bro like, he was like, oh, he forgot to turn on the mic. He thought I was just rehearsing. I'm like, rehearsing. What do you mean? - Oh, no. - I'm telling you. So you know what I was like, I don't know why. I think there's something about, you know, there's something about only your mic's cassette goal. That's just puts a pressure on you in the sense that way. That only your mic's cassette goal is it, okay, your mic is on now, okay, action. It just makes you want to prepare, you know, and put up a wall in some kind of way. And you're thinking about everything you're doing and your mannerisms and this and that. You know, but when you're not thinking about it, that's when you're the freest and that's when you're able to express. That's why people are paid to perform after on their mask as a set goal. 'Cause it's hard. - Yeah. - The greatest sports guys in the world are the highest people that they want that can still be free after on your mask as a set goal. When the greatest artists and the greatest performers are the ones that can still be free, when they say, okay, start performing. We call on Beyonce. If you can still be free in that moment, that's what you're paid for, that's genius. It's easy to be free in rehearsal when nobody's watching. - Yeah. - It's easy to be free in those moments. When they say action, now let's say what that is real. Let's say what they can control that freedom. When you can control that freedom, that's the power right there. - Lovely, lovely, lovely. Wow. Rick, what does success mean to you? (laughs) Wow. Why did you ask me, why did you ask me this question? (laughs) Because, because man, you are, in my eyes, you are a success story. This is a cultural and through industry. And it's really hard to get to this point where you are Rick Hassani. You know, so I just want to know what it feels like or what it means to you. - You know what I think about success is, success is really a kind of internal freedom. That's what I'll say. Because I always say this to people unto myself. - Yeah. - I didn't start blowing up when I started making better music. I started blowing up when I started becoming a better version of myself. I'm telling you, like I started blowing up, let's say from, let's say from Gentleman, right? But before then, bro, bangers that I've made, bro, like I've been on time, my love, we have gone to Cameroon before that period. And they were all dope songs. But Gentleman, in my opinion at that time, was one of my weakest songs. But the reason why I feel like it took off was because I was free in that moment. I was like, you know what? Let me just sing it high, won't it? I don't really care if it doesn't blow up or if it doesn't get me my next Malawi concert or whatever, let me just do what I feel like doing. And that's how it just took off. So that's why I feel like success really is internal freedom. - Mm, awesome. Don't you think that the work you did prior to Gentleman helped in some way to boy it onto success? - Okay, actually, yes. Actually, yes. Yeah? - Yeah. So now that you have mentioned Malawi, I know you have said this story a lot of times, but it's still one of the most beautiful music stories I have heard. So Don's Dance Baby. (laughing) Come, he's starting from there. - Yo. - Okay, so I made Don's Dance Baby Dance in December 2012. So I made the song, I put it out, nothing happened. I didn't blow, you know? (laughing) So I went back to just trying to get a job and writing this exam and that exam and trying to work in this bank and that bank. For like two years. Then about 2014, 2014 December, I got an email from some white guy that said, "Oh, hello, this is Rikasani. "We would like to call you to headline a concert in Malawi. "You know, it's supported by CNN, "supported by the Malawi government." Me, I'm like, "Yeah, you can all scum me." So this is this car, this is two-pid world, do you miss it because I'm an upcoming artist? You want to come in? I just didn't reply. This January, the same thing in 2015. Since I were waiting on you, we need you to headline the concert. I didn't reply. February, we had line the concert is you, it's Uhuru at the time. Uhuru was like, you know, Uhuru now. - Yes, that's not. - It was like the biggest thing. Uhuru and Toya, that lazy, that lazy, I just want to be a tea. Toya, lazy, so we want three of you to headline it is three days. So you headline the last day. I said, "Hmm." This one's thing that makes two-pid. This thing, like there's no way that is, like I just didn't believe it. So then I said, "Oh, we can sign it please." Like we need to have no define. So we can start booking your flight. Okay, just send us your account number. So now I didn't believe it, but I mean, if somebody asked you to send your account number, you send it now. - They have no answer, they default. - Even if you're getting as it says, send your account number, you send it. It's just something you do by default that you want. So I sent my account number and they asked me for, like a short code or a swift code something. I like that I've never done an international thing before. Swift code, something, something. I sent them the code. "Oh boy, if you see a lot." (laughs) I said, "What?" This is real. Now, me calling reply, they guys say, "I'm so sorry, I've been so busy. I've been on tour in just Spain." And I'm just seeing the. (laughs) "How come we have get this show popping?" So that was how they called me. - For the show. And sure enough, I went to Malawi. It was only that one song that they knew. So I sang it eight times on stage and they kept on rocking, say, "So well." And that's really, I'm telling you, eight times. And that's how, from then on, I took my career. And when I came back, because so, so it was when I came back, the show was December 2015. - Yeah. - So it was when I came back after that show, that's, I now went to the studio and recorded "Gentuman." So that's why I say, "Take it to Malawi." - Yeah. - It was so, that's how that now came about. So I recorded "Gentuman" on December 17th, and they released it on December 18th. - Lovely, lovely. I remember this song we're talking about, not "Gentuman." And it had a video. - Yeah, of course, of course. - And Max shot the video. - Max has never been the cheapest guy to have. How were you fond of your career at this time? How did you make that video? - Brue. (laughing) - Okay, how did I make that video? Let me take that. Did I make that video? - Man, I'm trying to remember. Or sit, I'm trying to remember who I bird money from. (laughing) - It's, it is my mom, or one guy like this that I met. You know, oh yeah, that's, I think that's how I shot that video. - Yeah, that's how I shot that video. I bird money. - I bird, yeah. (laughing) - I can't remember who I'm telling you. Honestly, I cannot remember who. - What, what type of confidence made you do that? It's got to be something inside of you, letting you know, you know, we-- - To shoot that video? - Yeah, we can make this thing work. Not to shoot that video, but to even get alone from people or from who it. - Maybe we didn't go this way, so I really, remember, okay, I don't know, it's just, I really, really wanted to do music at the time. I really wanted to do music. Then I just, then I had just finished my master's degree, actually. Yes, so, and I wanted to go and do PhD, actually. So, it was, so, so now, I've never said this before. So now, I was supposed to go back in September to do the PhD, September 2015, to start my PhD. But, January 2015, the same year, was when they sent me the email from Malawi to come and do the Malawi distinct. So, it was in February that they sent me that's a lot. - From Malawi. - From Malawi. So, when they sent me the a lot, of course, you know, a lot's PhD. (laughing) I was like, we sure would like to not say events for a lot, you know? (laughing) - Hey, oh, but see, no, they might be a people at that time. No, but I'm obviously now, it's, but then it was like, hey, man, it was a lot of money and it was in dollars. - G-GET. - And so, this is what it was like. I had lined the last day of the festival. It's called Likovstas, which I could have, Likovstas Malawi Festival. So, the first day was Uhuru, the second day was Toyota Leez, and the last day was Rikasani, bro. So, you can imagine like, the same money they paid, and uhuru, they are four of them. - They paid four of them. - It's the same. (laughing) - They paid. - They paid me, so, oh my, it was so, it was so, no, but that's outside. It's not like the money. I mean, like, it's just, it was just the, the indication that, I mean, this is a real thing now. Like, people are actually paying me to come and, and they're trusting me to do this, do this festival. So, that means that it's like, I'm really an artist now, you know? - So, yeah. - Yeah. - Wow. So, um, you went there and you discovered Rikasani is huge here. - Yeah. - Oh boy. - It was crazy. Let me tell you, so I get, I get to the airport. So, when I get to the airport in Malawi, there is, you know what, you come out to the place where you see those taxi guys saying, to come and take taxi or rent a car or stuff like that. I saw news stations, that they were like, like 50, cameras, news people. So, me, I thought it was for somebody else. So, I was telling me I'm a guy, and, (laughing) I was telling me I'm David. - I wish we would move out, let's just shift so we're trying to take out boxes and move. 'Cause we thought they were, but as we were moving, they were also moving with us. So, I think when I'm like, David with tweets, it's, (laughing) it's like, (laughing) it's like these people are here for us too. - David say, Rika, you sure? I see. - And I said, okay, let's move it. And I said, no, this thing's for us. And again, they now came closer to Rikasani. And I'm like, (laughing) Oh boy. - That was the first time in my life. Like, so it's like, imagine me just being an upcoming, upcoming artist in Nigeria, nobody knows who I am. I'm going to write exams. I'm queuing up in front of like, Elf or, or, Chevron trying to write this exam for, to be an employee or staff. Nobody knows who I am. Don't have any money. All of this, somebody pays me hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars. So, come and pick, sing and headline a concert. And I get to Malawi and they are newscasts. And I'm like, the act trial president or something. Like, it was the contrast blew my mind. Blue my mind. Like, it's like I was dropped in the dream. You know, and then it was like, man, you need to see the cars that came to pick me up. And I was just like, wow, like this is incredible. So, then on, it just really changed how I started looking at myself and looking at things. Wow. (laughing) This is insane. I mean, the funny thing is still kind of happens a little bit now because oh boy, like when I go to other countries, bro, hey. (laughing) It's, it's gone. - You know what I mean? Like, I go to Colombia, it's insane. I go to Honduras, it's insane. You know, and then it's not as insane in Nigeria. So, it's still kind of happens. It's something I'm still working on, 'cause I really like to be just as big here. - You are. (laughing) - No, but bro, outside my insurance, like I'm really trying to, I mean, you can check videos or something. It's just me, I hardly, I'm just hardly post all those things, but, but yeah, yeah. - It's insane. - Right. So, Rick, for our listeners who don't know this, you were formerly a rapper, known as Rico Slim. What prompted the pivot from Rico Slim, the rapper, to Rico signing this swive singer that we know now? - You know the thing about me rapping. I'd always been a singer, always sung. I was in the choir when I was six and a half, seven years old. I used to sing so proud in the classical choir. I used to wear a robe and I was in classical choir from when I was six to when I was 18. So, singing soprano, my voice is very high pitched. So, when I went to secondary school that time and everybody's trying to do music, all the guys were trying to rap, because the big artists then were 50 cents G units, Eminem Lloyd Banks, Dr. Dre. So, if you're a guy and you want to be an artist, that's who you have to be. You can't be a saline deon. - You know. So, I had to learn how to rap, just so that I can be part of the cool guys. So, I didn't really, I had to learn this. It's not something that came naturally to me. I just did it because I was trying to be accepted, but singing always came naturally to me. When it now came down to, when it came down to, okay, Rick, what do you want to do for the rest of your life? I was like, see, let me just sing. 'Cause this singing is what I know how to do. I had to learn how to, I can't keep on faking this team. So, I just started singing. A lot of people would say, oh, I mean, I mean, sing, I mean, rap pattern and sing that, like, scales my friend's scales will be singing. Like, when I rap, like, I rap like a rap, I sing like a singer. I don't sing like a rapper that sings. I sing like a singer. And I was saying that, see, I've been a singer since. You know, I had to learn how to rap. I was rapping like a singer. I was, you know, that. So, yeah, that's, that's, that's, wow. So, you just talked about all these interesting locations, places where even a lot of bigger, for bits, artists and not being invited to or even celebrated Honduras, Colombia, Mauritius, you know. And then in some of these locations, you've even had artists cover your songs in French and Portuguese and all of that. Do you know why your music is appreciated in these places? Okay, first of all, it's honestly really good, honestly, 'cause it doesn't make any sense. Like, I'm not signed to a big label in Colombia. I'm not, it's so how, you know what I mean? Like, we really want to calculate it. It doesn't add up, you know what I mean? So, it's really just good. And two, from, honestly, from the start of my, of me creating my brand, 'cause this brand, I had to sit down and create this rica-sanit, I had to sit down and create it from the beginning of me creating this brand. I wanted to be an international artist. I was not creating brand so that I can be dragging a cool till I be telling everybody. (laughing) I'm telling you, honestly. Because at that time, I believed that I had tried to break into Nigeria. I said, let me do it, maybe the other countries, maybe. You know what I really had tried. 'Cause I had a rap for a very long time. I was in some regard, a very prominent rapper. I don't go on tour with Frank Edwards. I don't choose rooftop MCs as high-met scales. Like I was picking up some steam. So, but I just wasn't breaking into the Niger market. So I said, you know what? Maybe I can try it on the other way. So, for the longest time, people felt I was a Nigerian. Even sometimes, to these days, people think I'm from Kenya or from Malawi or something. That's really how I set the brand from beginning. So when people started calling me, you know, Honduras, calling me, I was like, this is God, but still, still, still, this is actually what I wanted. Like this is how I wanted it to be, you know. So, yeah, those are the three reasons. Wow. (laughing) But I see a lot of parallels between startups and anarchist career. You know, the same startups die within the first five years. What was the first five years of your career like? And how were you able to keep your head above water? - Man, again, it's just go-do. (laughing) I'm telling you, I really don't know how. I really have no idea. Because those years, between squatting in some club studio, God bless him, squatting in some club studio, and going back to protocol to apply for job in a CES bank. You know, I was trying to get, 'cause I didn't have any money, I didn't use it, wasn't picking up. Somehow somehow gentuman happened and it's really just God. I really can't say anything, honestly. It's really just God. And a few good people, a few good people, one of my best friends, Sam Ali Gwe, he's somebody who really puts himself, he literally laid himself down just so that I can get here and continue to be here. So God bless Sam Ali Gwe as well. - Nice. Was this around the time Sam Ali was making gospel music? 'Cause Sam Clare. - Oh yes. This was just shortly after he had made a Simis Abum. - Oh. - Yeah, remember Simis first Abum? - Yeah. - Oh God you, I think that's what it was called, "Green, green city like this." So that was how I met Sam Clare because Cindy went to Corona University. I went to Corona University. So we knew that album from Corona University. So I was like, "Yo, once I graduate, I need to go and work with this guy." And when I graduated, it was when I went to meet Sam Clare and that was when he started working with Whiskid, Scales, Vector. Yeah, M song, the guy called, I don't know where M song is now. So yeah, so I was there in the studio for many of Don't Dole, you know, Bakurwal, you know, Molo Noon, I was in the video for Molo Noon, they love him. - Oh, I see! - They also did a Molo Noon, they love those songs. I was right there, yeah. - So seeing Whiskid is like on a whole new tip now. - Oh boy. - It's incredible, bro. - Did you think it was going to be that year? - Of course. - Of course. Whiskid. - This team, Whiskid has no no these teams since. Then Whiskid calling prophets. Or Whiskid calling old man. Yes, old man. If Sam Clare for watch the center of the YouTube, they're the same thing. Whiskid called him old man. These things that Whiskid used to see with his mouth. Guys, I'm not saying anything. That's why whenever, whenever I see maybe Citi will come for Whiskid, they'll still go, you put them, see, Whiskid is not a human, but he's not, I'm telling you, he has known who he was long before he became who we are seeing now. I'm telling you, he has no no these things since. Very, very, he's just, he's just his experience. You know what I'm saying? I'm telling you. And that's why he's very relaxed. If you see him, he's very, he's like nothing but us, and nothing actually but us him. Cause it's like he has reached a kind of realization about who he is. And he knows now that nothing can change who he is and who he'll become. So he's relaxed. He's like now, if a person can tell you now who you're going to become and then you, you find out that you become one kind of Elon Musk, kind of Jay Z kind of guy. You can relax now. Of course. Person who you have to be yourself, you can relax. This is what I know. I know how you end. You're a bastard, you're a bitch. What's wrong with you? That's how to read, that's where Whiskey Rich reached since, this is a 2009. Yeah, this 2009. Even before he did, don't know before he did do songs. So it's really him. I'm not surprised at all. - No, it's beautiful to see. - Ah, hello. - Does it, how does it make you feel some type of way that people might feel like Afrobeat is all that Afrobeat is like the music of Nigeria. Knowing that we have Braimo, we have SDC, we have Riccassani, we have all these other people. You know, it's a, - No, but Afrobeat is the music of Nigeria. Like it's the biggest, it's the most influential. I mean, from times of Tehla Kumon, it's sometimes they can feel like it's the only thing. - Yeah, but yeah, but they're other types. They're other types of this Afro-R&B, this me, you know, like, so we're all just trying to make variants of Afrobeat. Even all the other extra styles are really from Afrobeat. So the styles of Afrobeat's inside of them. So I don't mind that at all, you know? I don't mind it at all. - So, - Okay, so do you find yourself under pressure to make Afrobeat's music? And would it be such a bad thing if you did? - I actually have made Afrobeat's. It's a song I have called here with Ricardo Banks. It's actually Afrobeat's. But why I don't feel the pressure is because I don't know how to make Afrobeat's as well as I know how to make Afro-R&B. - Yeah. - So I don't, I'm still learning how to make Afrobeat. The artist that can make Afrobeat's, they cannot make Afro-R&B. Put them in the studio with me. They're not at the end. They don't go know how to do them. They wear a good do-am. - Yes. - And vice versa to put me in the studio with them. But what's in my one thing? You know, so I'm still learning how to make. Honestly, I'm really learning how to make Afrobeat's. But for now, what I know how to do best, bro, R&B. Put me in the room, I'll sing anybody, R&B. I'll sing anybody. - Yeah. - I'm doing it. - Yeah. - So still on these genres, and especially the way they are in Nigeria, isn't the level of recognition you get to be expected for an artist who's not quite in the pop mainstream? - Hmm. You know the funny thing about this thing, bro. The kind of music I make Afro-R&B, was it time it was the biggest music in Nigeria? There was a time when you're not the girl I used to know, was the biggest song in Nigeria. - Yes. - And that's the ballad. - Exactly. - R&B. - Ulufumi is R&B. Angel of my life. - R&B. - Yes. - You know, so there can be a time, I'm pushing to become that one guy that brings that fight back. You know, I was even speaking with Paul Play, and I was like, "Buck Charlie, I want to bring this fight back." Like, how did you guys do it? I'm telling Daria, I was like, "Bro, how did you guys do this thing?" Because I really want to bring it back. And I pray that there are a couple of us to that trying. Like, for example, I'm so in love with Tijan. His voice is so incredible. I've ever heard from him in a while. I hope he comes back soon. But there are a couple of us that are trying to bring that R&B back. I just hope that God allows me to be one of those guys that brings that Ulufumi, Angel of my life, vibe, back. I'll be very, very happy. - You're well on your way. I know that eventually you're going to, I mean. - Thank you. - You will, you will. I know that for sure. So, Rick, Tegan of CEO of Maving Records was on the podcast recently and he said something I'd like to quote. He said, "Niche artistry gone in for mainstream success. Is that the way you look at your career too? Or is it possible?" - Here's the thing, right. I've not really seen myself as a niche artist. - Okay, okay. - I don't think I'm a niche artist. - Oh, my niche artist. There are a few people that like my work, but it's grown everyday. I'm some, I'm not a niche artist. I'm an artist, I'm Rick Asani. Like, you know, all the, a list artists, they all have their difference in a way. Hey, I have my own difference in a way. - Yeah, yeah. - They are niche artists. They are some artists that, like for example, I feel that there's just some kind of niche artists that are just see around. I'm not trying to put anybody in the box, so you know what I mean? - Yes, yes, yes. - I'm really a niche, like. - That's not how you see yourself. - I'm just seeing myself like that too. - It's a market, please. - Because I'm on songs. - I'm on songs. Okay. - Niche artists, they can, they operate best when they are in a particular place. And they have their kind of fans and they all, you know, just alike and you know the whole idea is that. That's niche artists, but you can't put me anywhere. I think riggy, I think this, I think, you put me on the songy perusy, put me on the songy Ricardo Banks, put me on the songy Wajee, because you use vocal skills, you know what I'm saying. Put me on the gospel songy, Frank Edwards, I'm there. - And you've heard songs they are on Lamide? - On Lamide? Files. Put me on the, put me on the, I've heard your rap song, you better like it. So you can put me on the room with Paul. And we go rap our, I feel so free. Nobody could talk to me. Niche artists, I'm Rick Hassani. I'm not a niche artist, bro. - Lovely. - I don't see myself like that. - Lovely, I like that. - And people, after this interview, people should go and check it out. I have songs with songs with perusy. Go check it out. It's a song. It's not a niche artist trying to do a song with, it's a jam. I have a song with Ricardo Banks. Jam. I have a song with a Jebohos last bro. Niche artists don't do songs with a Jebohos last. - That's true. So that's the thing. - Lovely, lovely. So you, you, you, talking about Jebohos last. P.H.C.T. has been a major talent pool for the music industry, producing quite a few mega stars in the last couple of decades and, and and and and much earlier. Of which you are one of them. You know, so what is it about this city that makes it such a fertile ground for creativity? - We have drive. Tell you. Serious drive. See, we have serious, more drive than any other, I'm telling you. The only problem be say that drive, if does, everybody has drive. So now why people head the jam wayway for protocols? - Hmm. - That's the truth. Legos or maybe other places now. The lead singer knows this place. The backup singer knows the backup in the do. When he's in that situation, I mean, backup singer. This is my lead singer. Which you see protocols. Does the backup singer is his own lead singer? The backup singer that I suppose is in all two is his, his also is the main is the song in his mind. He's the lead singer. The so that's why it has to be jam day. You know that, but now with maturity, you know, artists are learning how to, that's why for a long time from protocol, it's just with only one artist who just blew. Then, you know, cause there was no camaraderie. For the longest time, if you're not, don't come, might see you are not from protocol. Or if you're not, you might, but now all of us can exist. Branda Boye, Omalee, Ajable Hostas, pretty boy though, Rickassani. All of us not the ex-boy. - What do you mean by do is pH? - Oh. - They didn't know. Wonder Bansen, you know Wonder Bansen? - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Soon I did, now so that's why a lot of us now are, cause we're trying to fix that thing. - Yeah. - Cause the ego for the drive, they're playing to you. They drive their playing to you. And you guys have nothing, protocol, it's no worry. Now that we are figuring out how to coexist. So no problem with it. Problem with it. Talking about this pH, dog-edness and drive. What are some of the craziest things you have done in a bit to get ahead? - Okay, so I had opened multiple social media accounts. I had like 20. (laughing) From. Just Ella boobs, you know, like maybe a hot girl with both say hi, I'm Ella boobs. Oh, I'm Sheila, tell me on. Or something like, I opened 20 of my fuel source shame of myself, but I opened 20 of it, at least 20. You know what I used to do? I wake up every morning and I would maybe tweet at, now then tweet I was still, you know, I'll tweet at Rocketman. And I'll say, hello Rocketman, do you know Rickassani? So I'll tweet that every 24 hours a day, seven days a week, do you know Rickassani? So then Rocketman, we're gonna try from super, I said, they won't reply. But then, then, yeah. And then, they knew the name. So then, tinsel was so big. So Gideon or Kiki was a big, I don't know, he doesn't know these two this day. Gideon or Kiki was big, one of the biggest people. So I used to tweet him to do Rickassani. I can't remember what's artist. I think maybe wear them, see or someone say, who is this Rickassani? You always tweet me about what's your, for those two, I will block you. And they'll block me on one of my 20 accounts. And I'll use the remaining 19. - The Rikassani? - The Rikassani. I wanted to bank it, said, "Blam me, I'm bank at very good friends." I wanted to bank it, Zuner Rikassani. So I not had a friend, Laura, who was a red carpet host. So she was gonna, she was about to interview Gideon or Kiki. So she calls me, she was like, I was like, he was such a rick, he was like, "Rickassani, she's about to interview Gideon, "Kiki, he's my friend, but she doesn't leave his no my friend." I didn't know him at the time. I said, "Yeah, yeah." I said, "I mean, just ask him if he knows me, "just ask him about me." This was on live television, I think it was MVS or something. She was like, "Oh, how are you doing?" She was like, "Okay, so what about Rikassani? "Do you know Rikassani? "How are you? "So how are you guys doing?" He was like, "Rikassani, Rikassani." Yeah, yeah, you know what? I know that guy, such a great guy. What does he do? He's saying, he's such a good singer, wow, I love, such a good, I was like, "Police, yeah, yeah, police, "you got great guys." He said, "Yes, great guy, you know, Rikassani, so incredible." And this guy had no idea. But he just knew that he knew the name, 'cause for the past four months, every day I've been tweeting on him saying, "Do you know Rikassani?" And that's why a lot of people know my name, but they don't really know what I look like. Do you know? I love you in Nigeria. If you say Rikassani, Rikassani. Yeah, I know, I'm sorry, I'm Rikassani, I know I'm now. I know I'm, how do you know him? You don't really know what I'm saying. So those are the craziest things that I did. I used to be, I tweet, "Ah, tweets everywhere." That's even how I got MI2 to want to sign me. You know, tweet at MI and tweets. Say hello, my name is Rikassani, I'm a singer songwriter, I'll go. Lovely, lovely. So now we hear that we have close to 40,000 songs that have been released daily. It means that it's a tougher job for artists to get themselves out there. What can they do? No, but I, it's just to prove. (laughing) 'Cause it's only God that can, there's nothing God can do. Oh boy. See, I'm gonna lie for you. Even me, even to this point, there's just so many new artists now. They are so good. Sometimes I go this to do, I just play home with them, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, for me, who is like a real vocalist, right? Now, the popping style now is that, you're, it's like, you're gimmicking vocalization. You're not really singing. You didn't, you didn't, you didn't, you didn't, you didn't, you didn't, you didn't, you didn't, that's how people sing now. That's what it's like, that's what, that's what it's vocals now, you know? Wow. No disrespect to, I mean, this is also a solid, because music is art, right? There was a time when a painting had to be as precise as a monolisa. Then there was also a time when a painting, if you can just, and oh my God, it's art. So I feel like, I feel like music has gotten to that place where, before it used to be, I believe in you and me. I believe the way it could be. Like that was singing, right? But now it's, (laughing) You know what I mean? But it's beautiful. You know, so it's so hard for me now, because to me, that's gimmicky. You're not singing now. You're not projecting, you're not using your head voice, you're not using your falsetto, you're just, you know, you're just, you know. So it's so hard for me now. So I'm still trying to figure out, figure it out, because if I call my vocals now, we'll be like, I just guys sing, I just guys, old school. It's old school. But I can't, I cannot bring myself to sing like this, because from my own, generally like, it's gimmicky. I make trained sing, like, I saw a fanatician in the choir since I was six years old. How do you expect me to be doing? (laughing) Yeah, sort of thing. Which is pretty much the same thing with, with what I was talking about. It's like, that you were doing and what the meagres are doing now. Some people might feel like, "Ugh." You understand that kind of thing? Now you know how J.Z. felt now. (laughing) 'Cause it's like, bro, I rap, I really rap. And y'all just coming out here doing all these things, but I really rap, you know? So it's like, what's he gonna do? But luckily for me, at least I've been able to, in my time when, you know, vocals were still, you know? Mm. You know, I've been able to make it kind of mark that, okay. You know, you know, regressant. But for a lot of vocalists now, they are displaced, bro. They don't know what to do again now. They cannot come out now, because it's gimmicky vocalization nowadays. But they are not gimmicky vocalists. So it's hard for them now. Hard for them. Wow. Imagine, bro, imagine if, okay, well, let me not say, 'cause I believe J.Z.Z. Mine is a classic song, the timeless song. And if he came out today, still gonna be a smash. And if you know what I mean, but a lot of other songs that I've done, if they came out now, it's too go anywhere. That's why I'm so, the, even with "Don't Defry Are You," the reason why it took off so much aside the musicality of it is the idea, the story. Yeah. So, oh my god, "Don't Defry Are You?" Nobody has ever, it's a reality. The realitability. The realitability. That's why I'm blue this song, bro. Because I'm really singing. The love I gave you. I'm really singing. You know, it's not gimmicks, you know, but if I didn't have that story, who would have been like, what was this guy singing? Why is he singing? He just gave us one vibe. Let's just, let's just vibe. You know, of course not. Now vibe, no people need to do that. Now vibe, bro. So talking about "Don't Defry Are You," you have now joined the elite group of artists who have had their songs banned in Nigeria. Yes. Congratulations. Congratulations. I was so happy like I've made it. What impact did the band have on the songs that I have? Honestly, honestly, it had both good and bad impacts. I'll start with the good impact. Okay. It's made the song more known quicker. Not more known, just more known quicker. That song would have been known either way. We'll have taken a little more time. Come on, it's fun to fight. Who will not want to play? Like there's nowhere you play that song. People won't be like, what song is that? At the point of your album, the album "Art Became" and yeah, it became the symbol for "Art Not Fight Are You" So, if. If CCC is that. If CCC? That MBC. MBC, sorry. MBC. (laughing) MBC, some people say, "MBC made the song more popular." No, it just made it popular quicker. If MBC hadn't banned that song, it would have gone number one. I've never had it number one. I was going for. I literally said, we sat down and said, "Don't defy it, it's gonna go number one." 'Cause I've never had it number one song in the country. If they didn't ban that song, it would have been. 'Cause radio stations, 80 top, they were playing it back. The minute I dropped that song, they were playing it back to back to back. Because it's such a great way to start your show as an OEP. It's a conversation starter. If you come to work that there's an OEP, you don't know what to say. If you play that song, you're going to have something to say. And if you want people to call your station, if you play that song, they must call you and say, "What song is that?" "Oh, it does song reminded me of my ex, my friend." And before you know it, you have a hot radio show. So every. I was getting to it, everybody was playing that song. And if they kept on playing it, more people would have shazam the song. They want to know what song it is. The shazam numbers would have gone up. And the general numbers would have gone up. And it would have gone to number one for sure. Because for like almost three weeks, it was the most talked about song, bro. Everybody was talking about it. Oh, no, I remember. In offices, in everybody was talking about it. I'm so sure of the idea. Yeah. It was a huge, huge, huge topic. I mean, some people were saying it's such a vowel song. People were saying it's such a. You know, I never had that kind of engagement before. So that's the bad side. If they didn't ban that song, bro, I would have had my number one. And I saw it going up, but it stopped at number 12 or so. I was like, "Oh." Hmm. I would have had my number one song. And then there was no other song or no other thing out at that time. That was really that term. Yeah. It was just a very inciting song, you know? Yes, yes. So, yeah, I remember that. And this same period, I remember on Twitter, someone said some not-so-flat-trained things about the song. And the way you. your feedback, the way you took it, your comments, had everybody like this. Yeah. I loved it. I was impressed too. You know, so. When it was real, that was a real. There were a couple of club backs, which was a club. Was it that there was one about them? The most famous one I think is about it, lawyer. Yes, yes, there was a lawyer. And you just. I would say if you say a club back, but you were just. You said this before I. The message was. The message was insult and actually. Yes, yes. But here's the thing about. in people that insult people. He said. If you open your mouth. and your mouth smells like. Sheets. It smells like sheets. That means. You have sheets inside of you. So, it has nothing to do with me. It's not me. Like, that's just how you express yourself. That's just how. You know, to him, it wasn't even insult, you know? He was like. I thought I was just saying. But in my mind, I'm like. So, I'm not going to fault you. I don't know your own experiences growing up. I call from a very respectful household. Very respectful. So, it's very hard for me to. It's very hard for me to be disrespectful. I sometimes. I try. Because I don't know how to be like that. Him, he has his own experiences. So, I'm not going to reply him. in a disrespectful way. I don't even know how to be like that. So, I'll be applying me in the way that I know how to. Like, more bro, like, it's not that deep. Like, this is a song. I feel the song is genius. You can go and check out other of my songs if you like them. But to say this song is not genius. I don't. I don't think so. I think I said something like that. Yes. People are like, "Oh, you're so calm." You're like, "What's his comments going to do to me?" That's. I don't know. I don't know. We could be very good friends. I don't know him. So, why would I. Go and be, you know, trying to point. And it's also a thing of self-awareness. It's like the whiskey thing. I'm really at the point where to some extent, I really know who I am. There's not much that can't touch me anymore. I'm serious. There's not much that can't really touch me. There's not much that will be said to me that make me feel less of. Yeah. It. I will just laugh. You know what I mean, sir. Is there something about the whole situation that an artist can learn about. Feedback? Honestly, I feel like. All those feedback things is also comes from insecurity. Come from insecurity. It's like. There was one time somebody was telling me. Somebody. I think Insta Blah. Okay, so I. I have a push. So Insta Blah somehow got the news. I've had this cover the longest time. So somehow Insta Blah got the news. And they put it on my head because somebody has a push, blah, blah. So some people were like commenting on saying stuff like. Where did he get the money from? What kind of song is this thing? Is it just come on to the fight? I know it's funny to me. How will it offend me? Since 2014, I've been doing concerts in Malawi. I've been going to Honduras. I've been going to. How was. So you, Yabby, will you now take away my push? It won't. What will it do? So it's funny to me. When you already know who you are, a lot of things are just funny. Like I was saying, in fact, when I was telling you, he's so broke, he said, "I'm not broke now." So how will it. So you saying this thing about how will it make me. It's like me coming to tell you, "You have mad." I saw your yellow WhatsApp, too. Yesterday, it's two people, three boys. Yellow WhatsApp, too. You know that you don't have a yellow WhatsApp, too. You go for a long drug. No need. You don't even have a yellow WhatsApp. You go just laugh, see? This guy is just funny. You were walking. That's how I honestly have just been laughing. If you see me online, it's so funny. A lot of things are so funny to me. And I don't mind. Lovely, lovely. So it's really just knowing who you are. Just knowing who you are. Even in my past, most small, funny, funny quarrels, I just realized that it wasn't even them. It was just my own insecurity. To say, it really be know who I be, eh? That's enough for being anything. You know, for a reason it's everything but that's. I couldn't even follow the person that jagged with us who, as what's. So it's just, I didn't know who I was. So now I don't study who I be. Bro, it's very hard to shake me. Very, very, very hard. Nothing moves me again. Lovely. Still on your self-mastery, you said or probably in three quotes, "Chain your life". This is the quote. The greatest of people are those that align their personality with their purpose. What did the quote mean to you at the time? I was first of all speaking of opera, me and Oprah in the same sentence. Let me just say the same sentence. Because I did the soundtrack for the video, "Yellow Rose Movie". Yeah, I was coming to that. She was, she was funny thing. So when they sent the. Because of course they sent down some money and stuff. But the money had her name there. Oh, you don't chop money. The bank was like, "Hello". The money's a comment, you say, "I saw one, what do you say that's you are doing? What's your own fun?" But anyway, in your bank and you see the name, they're like. So yeah, that was pretty incredible. Big shout out to David O'Yellow, great friend of mine. That was God again. I don't know how that happened, all God. Yeah, that quote changed my life. And that was the quote that actually prompted me to. Actually stop rapping and just get on with my singing. Oh, okay. Because look at me now. I mean, very soft. Jensu guy. Yes. I look like a Jensu guy. I sound like a Jensu. I'm from a Jensu home like, "Why am I rapping? Who am I rapping about?" You know what I mean? It's such a contrast in personality. A rapper, you have to have your bravado, you have to have your. And the best in the room when I come through, you have to have that courage. Because rapping is your speaking and inciting people to do things. You're just speaking. So you have to have confidence. At least if you're singing, they can be incited by, "Oh, I love how his voice sounds." For rap, it has to be what you are saying that is making people like you. So if you don't know what you are saying, you have to be very confident. So my strength is not confidence. My strength is vulnerability. That's my strength. That I'm vulnerable. That I say, "Baby, I love you. I will die for you. It's not vulnerability. That's my strength." So does the complete contrast in a rapper? A rapper cannot be vulnerable. You have to be confident. Even in your vulnerable moments, you are still confident. Think about it. The greatest rappers of all time are very confident people. Jay-Z, Drake, Kendrick Lamar. I'm the best you have ever seen. Now why rap the ways they raise the bus to their self? Because they feel like they're confident. But my own power is my vulnerability. So between singing and rapping, you can express vulnerability, vulnerability through singing. That's why I said, "Oh boy, this rap painting is not me. My power is vulnerability. Let me express it through music. Let me express it in the tone of my voice. Oh, I love how he sings. Anytime he sings, he just makes me, "Oh, I just not detain. That's my power." You know what I mean? So it just boils down to aligning your personality with your purpose. That way, you constantly live in your purpose. Because it's your personality. It's how you are. So you always live in your purpose. And you always live in the way we say, "No, no, no, no." It doesn't. So yeah. Wow. Rick, anybody who knows you at some point must have been impressed by your courage, your dressing, your look, your, you know. Like I said, you're a swath. So you have a very distinct brand image. How useful has your image been to your career? Shall I tell you why my image is this way? And I've never ever said this before. I am this way because of my father. I have so much respect for my father. God bless you so I lost him in February. So much respect. My dad carried himself with so much respect. There's nobody that didn't respect my dad. He wouldn't do that didn't like him. They respected him. Because he always carried himself so well. I will be a mad person to disrespect my dad. So if I'm carrying myself well, my brother is not because of anybody. If I'm composing myself well, it's not because I want to blow. It's not because I want this person to like me. I want that person to think that I want to say, don't just say, I'm doing it because of my father. I say, I hold onto my respect so tight. Nothing can cost me my respect. If you cost me my respect, I will not do it. Just because of my father. My father worked very hard and I saw him work very hard to maintain that respect. He turned down a lot of things that would have brought him a lot of money. He turned down a lot of places and just arrangements that would have. This respect didn't small robots in life giving him risks. He turned all of them down. Show so he can keep that respect and keep that his name. Which I say man, I now carry. So for me to see my father work that hard to his dying bed. I now command disrespect myself because I want to sink. No. You're going to have to kill me first. I'm telling you, let me tell you, sometimes I go for shoes. If you spell my name wrong, I will go. It's not a team of pride. It's just I come for a show. You spell yourself Rick Hassani, RIC, H-A-W-S-A-N-I. You just spell it with two eyes or three N or we take K. Sorry, but this is my name. If you can't spell my name, I can't be here. You don't regard me enough. If you carry money pay, Beyonce for shoe. You go spend nonsense for a name. For what? You carry one million dollars, two million dollars. With all the respect you get, eh? You go look at that fly assistant times. When you release the flyer as a supermoto. Of course with respect you have for her. So if you just pay me money, pay me money. Just say it's the right thing. Please, I can't let me just respect myself. Let me wait till I earn your respect. Then I will come to your shoe. Please just take the money back. I've done it many times or bro. Even times when I did, I broke. I broke. Then pay me one penny. This is way back then. If like 400 key. Broder, I've returned 400 key before. Because I went for the sound check. They spelled my name wrong. I went for the sound check. I was there on time. And I'm always on time. I was there on time. I waited for hours for them to set it up. Wait in there. Some other popular artist just comes. And I'm telling you half of when the result check up. They say, "Welcome. Just wait. We'll have more popular artists just come and they just let him through. He's more popular than me. Yes. Respect me. At least you will have come to say, "Americ, sorry. We know you're waiting. But let this guy just do it because he's trying to catch a flight. Of course he's, you know. I get it. He's the guy who's blown more than me. But still just respect me. In past, go to the sound check. I went, I made the bro, I said, "My bro, I'm so sorry. But I can't do this show." I've been sat here since waiting. It means you don't really respect me. It's okay. I'll walk more harder to get to this level. So that's what for now, I'm sorry. I can't do this show. I'll return your money. I did, he was telling me how to do this. He's so sorry. I said, "No, I said, "No, I said, "What can he do?" I said, "It's not even about you. It's me. It's about me. It's not about you. It's a great guy. It's about me. If I cannot do this show and be distressed, I cannot disrespect. No, I can't. I'm so sorry. I will walk harder. Oh boy. I did. They are sending the beg me. I was about 400,000 in the back. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I said, "Don't drink, Gary." So today, I'm a bad guy. But we have gotten like, that is something that others choose from him. From him. At least, a million error. This was at the time when I wasn't, I, they know Bomi were to charge more million in that time. Yes. But because of the respect that he had, because of that thing I did, he said, "No, this Rikasani, no." And then they play with this guy. Before he even, you get one and they are down first. So you ask me, my brother, I, I, I cannot. And people think, people think that income and respect comes from popularity. It does not. Respect comes from respect. Income comes from respect. You know, one of the most respected people in the industries to Baba. He doesn't have to sing anything. Because of the respect you have for him. You, you treat him in the way he deserves. Yes. You pay him the money he did, whether he's on the top 10 or not. He knew what I mean. So, there are a lot of people that have come before him. They were a lot more popular than him. Didn't they come and go? Respect lasts longer than popularity. I don't mind. I can walk around. Sometimes I still walk around my area by me, to fish here, by where my shot nica, you know, in my Porsche. And nobody knows who I am. It's okay. Sometimes I, I see people, they don't know who I am, but they respect me. Because they, because they are the car in safe. Ingo be person. Ingo be person. They will still look at me and they will still treat me in a sense of it. It's a little, I had a Baba for like, I used to go there for like, almost five months. Never said they never went there like, I'm a stuff or whatever. But he just respected me because whenever I went there, I was polite to him, polite to everyone. One day he called me and he said, oh boy. You're, now you'll be, you'll be a Pakistani. Oh boy. Oh boy. Like, in my mind, I'm like, that means he didn't even know who I was. But he regarded me so much. Of course, I cried myself in respect and I give him respect. So now, respect lasts longer and is worth way more. And if you always be worth way more than popularity, popular, you say, I don't mind. There are many others that come, I don't, I don't know, popular, I mean, no problem. Me, I have my respect. I rather have 20 people respect me than 20,000 people know me and don't really respect me. Wow. Very, very, very interested. Rick, you, we, you just talked about the movie, the movie project. Yeah, the water man. And so I'm thinking, do you think Nollywood is leveraging the global success of our music, of our music properly in pushing their walk? You know, I feel like soundtracks should be taken more seriously. I believe so too. I believe so too. Music and movies are really hand in hand, you know. A lot of the times when I'm writing the song, I'm thinking about the visual of it. Like if I'm saying I'm going to meet a girl, somebody or go to me, I'm thinking of like what I'm writing. I'm seeing it as a movie. That's a lot of musicians make very good actors, if you realize. But not all actors make good musicians. You know, a lot of actors, they start doing music. You know, it just like, oh, but it's this was a musician, they're up. It's a teacher. You know, so these are things that go really hand in hand. But we'll get there. You know, it's growth now. There was a time when the music industry wasn't at this level too. It just took growth. So the movie industry too, get to that place where as they're doing their movie, they're like, oh, we need a soundtrack for this. We need to call. Because we need to call Johnny Drill to make this song, especially for this. It's a get there. Because we've seen instances where the put out the movie, yeah, it's good. But then the soundtrack ends up being bigger. And then ends up throwing the attention back on the movie. Of course. You know, so it's huge. That's even what made the Empire back when it was really hot back in the end. Yeah. That's what made it so phenomenal because there was so much music coming out of the movie as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. Rick, I had a child from Tune Corps on the podcast recently. And she mentioned how you were working with the parent company, believe. Really? Yeah. On some project. What has that working relationship been like? Is Mado. This is the things that I like low-key, pop in on people asking me. You know. Oh, boy, let me tell you what happened once. What might you have been so much on this radio show? Is this something in the air that you guys have put? No, because you know that it's a lot of amazing artists coming. Who need to learn from this thing? I'm telling you. There are people that really think that I am one of them. I'm going to be very poor because people are like, how is he making his songs? And not nobody, they really, who they listening. Let me tell you what happened one time. I went to, this was seven months ago. I feel like I'm in my guitar. So that we can just do this thing together. Seven months ago, I go for a house party. Just in this house party where they are just very woke guys. It's like I go for a house party. I have music people I insight to. So, one guy came. We are taking food from the, I'll never forget. They got constant, it comes to me. It's like how is music going? I'm like, it's going well. It's going fine. I was like, how are you really fearing? I'm like, sorry. How are you fearing? When I look at you guys, you guys are really singing everything. You guys are really getting off engagements. People don't really know you guys. But how are you, I mean like compared to other artists like Fire Boy, Joe Boy, doing so well. How are you able to, how is your income? How are you able to survive? And I said, I look at him and my guitarist bossed out laughing because my guitarist is stupid. So, maybe I'm just going to say, man, I'm just trying my best. Really, it's just God. I just give him an odd like, God is just taking him. He was like, I mean, just try, just try. Yeah, just try. I would try. So, just try your best. I really just, I just really hope that you guys really just, just get the income that you deserve. Just, I hope, I say, yes, I hope. I hope. You know. So, there are people that I really think like that too. I'm telling you, there are people that I really, really think like that. And you see, and I would say this thing again, this is what happened. Okay, 2019, I come back from a, I don't 12, from a 12 city tour in America. This sounds like bragging more please. I mean, you're here. I'm not trying to brag. I'm just saying, because people need to hear this thing. People need to live. This is, we won't need to know this thing. I come back from a 12 city tour. Honduras, Colombia, New Jersey, New York, New Orleans, Bogotá, many, many Guatemala, those those kinds of things. So, I come, I come back from the incredible shows, you know, at least like 10,000 people, big shows, you know, and this is like 10,000 Colombians. It's not like the Nigerian society of Colombia. Colombians are coming out, you know, I have to sing the Spanish version of the song, because it's Colombians, you know what I mean? It's like, come back and I do all this just, I mean, I just see that it's work. I still have more work to do. Come back to Nigeria, keep going. So, at the time, huge fan of another artist, I don't want to call his name. I want a lot of people know, huge fan of another artist. He went and he did shows. I was like, "Yo, man, let me see if, because me, I'm just coming back." So, I was like, "Let me see if he didn't in places that I recognize." Or maybe in this hall, "Did he do the Aversa Center?" "Did the Aversa Center in Houston?" "Did he do the Aversa Center?" So, I go and check and it's great and there was so much publicity behind this. Oh, he shuts down this place, he shuts down New York, he shuts down. So, I mean, I'm like, "Yo, man, finally this guy's on." You know, I check it. It's just, you know, just smaller venues, you know. Still great, still eternal, but it was a lot smaller than I expected. So, I put out a tweet saying, "If you guys are telling this guy's story, I just came back a week ago. Tell mine. Tell mine. What happened? Because now what you're doing is you're making everybody think that it's only this person that's. Big success. It's only you have to, if you want to blow, you have to do it like this to be successful. Tell mine. I'm not saying tell mine so that I can be more famous. I don't even want my own. I still want to wear my short-ten count, go and buy what I want to, but I don't care. I've told you, I don't care about popularity. It's respect, just respect me. I don't so, I wasn't telling them to. I wasn't saying that to say, "I want to be more popular." I let people know that I did this show. I had live and posted it. I'm just saying, tell it so that all that people can see that they can also do like me too. It doesn't have to only be possible. Because now you just. I see a lot of great vocalists, even better than me, but because they are trying to. They would just be singing in a funny way. And I would go like, "So boy, why are you singing like this?" "Fing the mask song." It's like, "I will reek you. This is what's hot now." Why I want to hear that? That's what's hot now. Because somebody went to. So this country and did. These shows are not. And you've publicized it. And you think that that's the only thing you can do. To tell my own story. Tell everybody's story. And then it took a lot of. It got a lot of. It took a lot of rounds. And then it goes back to people yapping. Like, "Go, he's a lie. Who knows him? Which country?" And those same people go and check the videos. "Oh, okay. We didn't know this true." "I wasn't lying." So that's just the thing. We are put in this position to. To have other people come after us. So tell everybody's story. Even if you are a blogging person that you're paid to. To hype this guy up. You also have a social responsibility to blog things to people, to affect the narrative, to change the narrative of the industry. You have that power. So think about that. While you're still taking the money from the PR companies to promote this artist, also remember that you have this social obligation to help the industry. You have to tell all these stories as well as you're telling all the kinds of stories. Wow. Love you. You didn't quite touch on your relationship with Believes, though. Oh, yes! So Believes is a. I obviously can't say much about this. But Believes is a parent company to Tune Corps. You say who that person is? Jamon Lutrukush is head of Tune Corps West and East Africa. How does somebody I should know now? Totally. I'll put you in touch with him. Yes, yes. So we work with Tune Corps for years. So Tune Corps is just a platform like this, you can just put your music on. So we were just doing independent, putting our music on Tune Corps. And it got so. And the parent company was like, "You know, like, you know, the centers and emails, we can work, we would like to work, we're seeing what you're able to do on your own." Yes. So that means if we stand behind you guys, it would even make a bigger splash. And that was so great because now the negotiation was a little different. Because now they knew that we didn't need. We didn't need. Like we've done this on our own before. We're gonna do it again. And I mean, so you guys need to come, correct? Yeah, that's what the situation was. I love it. Believe in incredible company, lovely relationship with them. Big shout out to Tune Corps. They've been a huge part of my career. Nice, nice. Happy to hear that. Rick, I heard you somewhere say you invited Fireboy over to your studio to write songs with you. I really think that's a dope mentality, you know. And that whole core, core creating thing. What are the gains and challenges of core writing? Hmm. The gains is just. You get a lot of different perspectives on the music you're making. You know, if I was going to write songs that I've written that are just me, it appeals to certain kinds of people. Maybe because of my accent or because I constructed the word. So, you know. So now, if you're writing the song and you want to appeal to a lot of people, it's only very, very few times that you can write and just appeal to everyone all the time. If you're writing certain kinds of songs where you want it to be such a worldwide song, and such a song where it can appeal to different people, it's good to have certain kinds of people write certain sides of music. Just so that when I enter that flow, enter that bounce, it sounds like, you know. For example, I had somebody from Honduras, core writing a song on my album called Rain. So it just has that. Some parts of the song have that vibe. So that's why it's just able to work in those areas. Because this guy is talking like, oh, so this guy is saying how. So I had to get those rights as to just. So of course it has a lot of huge impact. So basically the music is more beautiful when we're more pissed back. Not really, not really, not really. No, but it's just. Yeah, man, music is so special that you never know. Nice. You never know. Love you really never know. Lovely. You put together. You had this beautiful show. I saw this set. I thought it was utterly beautiful. And so many flowers. Totally in line with the Rick Hasigny brand. Because I could never have imagined, "Rick Wesley, the rapper in that many flowers." You obviously have a great relationship with Red Bull. How did that work in relationship start? And how can artists put themselves in such brand relationships as well? I mean, it was really just a friend of mine. It was a friend of mine that I had known for years. He used to work somewhere else when we met. And then he now started working with Red Bulls. It was a real thing of, "Yo man, bro, this is thing happening. What you think?" So that's how that started. So it wasn't really a thing of. I went to Red Bull or Red Bull came to me. It was really just. This is the honest treatment. People would say differently, but this is the truth. I just had a friend there that wanted to look out for me and say to me, "That's how that started." But Red Bull is a great couple. I mean, without me, there'll be what they are as me too. Without them, I would be a good sony. But the partnership, it's good to see. It's very. Oh man, it's really incredible. I just hope they do more things like that now with other artists. Rick, I've taken so much of you. Of course, son, you know what I'm saying? I was watching everything. So, okay. By the way, Nicky Jam. How did you get him to be on your record? Man, it was just. So when I went to Colombia, I had my interpreter that followed us around. Chris. At the time, I really didn't know who he was like that. And she did because I mean, it's Colombia. I didn't really know who he was. It was Chris that sent me a message. He was like, "Yo, Nicky Jam is playing my song on. I think he was on his boat." When I was a video, it was vibing to the song. Nicky Jam is playing your song. I'm like, "Okay, now he's like. Who's Nicky Jam?" He was like, "Oh my god, it's the big of. You know, like. And then I go and check him out. I'm like. Oh man. This guy is huge. He's huge. So I posed his video. And then I just tagged him. Of course, I didn't expect him to reply. Because I'm like, "Let me just tag him so that people can go to his page and see who he is." And he was like, "Oh my god, bro." I love your song so much. I'm going to put on WhatsApp. I'm like. Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't know WhatsApp. And then. And then. With this we came with a good fans. So that's how that happened. That's lovely. So, Rick, what is one key insight that you now know about being successful in this industry that you wish you knew much earlier in your career? I wish I. I wish I relaxed a lot more. You know, I'm a very spiritual person. And. I believe that. And I know, which is a fact. Our lives have already been done. All that is happening to me now has already been done. So, when the Bible says, "Your life has. It's already been lived." The Creator has already seen it to the end. The whole thing. So, it's just for you to live it. For his own pleasure. You know, so I wish. Because then, back in the day, I was very nervous. What if this didn't know, Pope? Or I have to. No, I have to do this. I have to. And then anybody that's. I thought it was standing in my way. I'll go change out from saying, "No, you have to. " You know what I mean? But understandably, like they all understood, I was just. But I wish I just relaxed. What would really be would really be? You know? So, I wish I'd. I relaxed a lot more. That's that soul out. See, every other thing is secondary. I don't want to start saying, "No, I wish I did my song like this." Which the. No, the main coco is that. If I was relaxed, I would have known how to sing it from the start. If I was relaxed, I wouldn't have tried to rap. Why was I rapping? So, and I think that's really, really, really life in general. Yeah. Just relax and commit yourself to. To what you believe in and the higher power. Just relax. You know? So, um. Does. Does relaxing and committing yourself to this higher power in some way does it not play down on the importance of that actual hard work? No, you could still work. It's. It's um. Working, it's um. Almost there. You need to work just to even keep your mind running and keep yourself sane. Sometimes work is not really that you want to work hard. It's just that you have to have something doing what you want to do sleep and wake up every day. Like, you know what I mean? There's some. There's some stuff that will come to me and say, "Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, I just want to give it to her. I do." Okay, no, you won't just pick me safe. I mean, I just get to it's that I do. Tell me, you know? Sometimes your mind has to be running. I say, "He might be." You know what I mean? So, that's what. That's how I work now. I just work just to keep my mind running. But what would be, or already be? That's why you see some artists that just be like, "I just walk into the studio and I just came out this year. It was just a hit." Well, some people will tell you, "Oh, no, you have to be in the studio. You have to work. I'm in shit." Now, what will you tell somebody that can just walk into the studio and just freestyle something and it's just a hit? The life is already done. If you really believe that it's already lived, if you are. If you will be who you will be, you know? There's nothing that I would have done that would have stopped me from being here. I'm telling you, I cannot miss my own destiny, but not that powerful, bro. I can't do it. And it's not that I would do that would stop me from being well, be tomorrow. Now, what's more than I said? Who can do what's to me? When I can't even do it to myself. That's the time. When you have that realization, bro, it's not even pride. It's just acknowledgement. You relax. And I feel like this is where Whiskey was back in the day. I've seen him with state to get like this before. This way he was back in the day. If you were active in the industry that time, they always say, "Oh, he's so proud." He's not proud at all. That's how come back? He's got that. He's not proud. People say, "But people read that self-belief, self-acknowledgements, as pride." It's not pride. It's just. But I know who I am, bro. Anything I want to do. I could just do it. I know what I can't take. Or call me for X amount. I know I'm not taking this. I just. I don't want. I don't feel like. Like that. What do you feel like? This morning, if I'm giving you. I know about me. I just don't feel like. Go on, keep your step. That's really how Whiskey was before. Ah! No. It's very, very, very strong man. Very. Wonderful spirit. I'm telling you, spirit. It's beyond talent at this point. And beyond music. Rick, is there something you want to plug? Is there something you want your listeners to know? Is there something in the walks? Hmm. No, me. I never talk about what I'm about to do. I only talk about what I've done to inspire people. But I never talk about what I'm about to do. All right. Thank you so much for being on the podcast. Thank you. More wins. More exotic locations. More. More man. You. Thank you so much. More wins. More money. More portions. Oh yes, yes. More hits. Thank you so much for being on the show. Thank you so much.