What is Pan-Afro Electro?
It’s like a fusion between Detroit techno, minimal African percussion and traditional house music. It’s all about the sophistication and simplicity of an arrangement that makes it Pan-Afro Electro. The electronic part is the Western contribution and the minimalist Afro rhythms are the African part. Together it makes unusual but special tunes.
What can Bangkok expect from your set?
Honestly, it might sound arrogant but I don’t have a “bad” song in my record box—and if we have a good crowd, I can sure keep the energy moving. I’m not going to play just one style but move around with lots and lots of energy. Expect great music, Bangkok.
How long have you been DJing?
As far as I remember, I started DJing when I was 11 years old, but I won’t tell you how old I am now. It was sometime in the 1980s.
Have you been to any gigs in Bangkok?
Of course, many times. From gigs on the islands to RCA, from the clubs to after hour parties. Personally, I think gigs here lack of variety. For example, RCA has a particular sound—there’s a big room with commercial dance songs and commercial hip-hop. Whereas when you go to Bed or Q Bar, which are smaller, you have more variety—you could hear trance, electronica and different kinds of hip-hop. But I think there are more choices out there and changes are coming soon.
What was your best gig so far?
As a DJ, I would say the best was at Club Yellow in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve, 2003. That was my best party, so far.
Who was your inspiration to be a DJ?
Good question. Umm… I was born in Nigeria and there was a DJ performing there on TV called Alex Condi. He was very cool and he made people dance. There was nothing else but him, playing the turntable. It was a strange concept. As a kid, I used to think he was a god. That made me want to be a DJ.
If Bangkok were a type of music, what would it be?
If Bangkok were music, it would be some kind of high-energy music or trance. You can feel the high energy everywhere.
Some say hip-hop is just a trend for now that will go out of style soon. What do you think?
Nah. Absolute nonsense. Every kind of music changes its style. That’s like saying rock n’ roll is going to go away. It just evolves.
What’s good about a DJ career?
Every good thing I have came from DJing. But if you’re talking about the “sex, drugs and rock n’ roll” thing, I don’t do it anymore. If you have some girls waiting for you in every town you stop in, when you have to go back to play in that place again, you are going to have big problems. I just focus on the music, that’s all.
