Music star, Sound Sultan talks about his life, wife, deal with Wyclef +friendship with Kate Henshaw

Talented music star, Sound Sultan in this interview extracted by SHOWBIZPLUSng speaks on many issues revolving around her career, family, friendships and more.

You were recently appointed as an MTN ambassador; don’t you think it came late?

That’s what a lot of people have been saying but it has never bothered me that I didn’t have any endorsement. Everybody has his or her own time. Mr. A got his endorsement last year; Mr. B got hers three years ago, now Sound Sultan has his. So I’m not bothered by that. I was never bothered. I don’t ever work with other people’s clock, I see myself as a timeless-breed. Now that I have gotten an endorsement from MTN I’m very happy about it.

Do you feel that you are underappreciated?

For me I don’t see it like that. I know people value and appreciate me in this industry. I remember performing with Wyclef in 2008 in Calabar. He was in the hotel watching me perform and he was like “wow, you got 50,000 people singing and you didn’t even sing.” That for me is the most important thing. Some people have said Sound Sultan doesn’t get much awards but to me getting awards doesn’t mean you are appreciated or not appreciated. You don’t judge artistes just based on awards.

How do you feel about all that you have achieved so far?

It has been God. I can’t say much about it. For a long time in this industry, I have remained relevant and important. God gave me enough years to use as bragging rights and He is the reason behind what I have become today. I also attribute this to hard work and steadfastness; when you do the right things and stay on the right course, you get great results, and I believe these are just part of the rewards of hard work.

You and your record label once had a fight with Sean Tizzle, tell us about it.

The Sean Tizzle story is old now. I have already laid it to rest, it’s in the past now. Whatever thing that was with Sean Tizzle now is in the past. I have talented artistes in the Niaja Ninja crew and I’m working and focusing on them right now. I have Blackah, Young GreyC and another one named Karma and all of them are currently working on their projects.  Young GreyC has a video now and she is in the studio just recording and improving her creativity. Her album is almost ready and I am really excited about it. Trust me, when she drops it, it will be huge. She has one of the greatest voices in Nigeria. I call her “Crude Voice”. Karma has a video for “Aropin”, featuring Sean Tizzle. Sean Tizzle was in the video as well. That’s why I said the issues were in the past. Sean Tizzle is my friend and will remain my friend, nothing can change that.  Blackah recently featured Ice Prince on his song, entitled “Chicks and Drinks” and a video will be shot very soon. We have been busy working.

How many artistes are signed on to Naija Ninjas as we speak?

Baba Dee, Sound Sultan, Karma, Young GreyC and Blackah Ranks

You have spent almost 14 years now on stage, how has the journey been so far?

I must thank God first. The journey would not even be there if there was no life, no good health, no hope, no voice to listen to. God gave me talent and for that I will forever be grateful to him. It has been tough but that’s life in general. The journey for me is growth, the experience is life. Along the line, I lost my parents and I had to pick myself up. It’s just like a drama or soap Opera. There have been ups there were down sides too, there were very interesting times also.

Take us back to how you started, how was it like then?

I was just a young boy hustling for a way for myself. I had just finished NYSC so I was hustling to get some deals. I was recording a Demo at Eko FM Studios. I used to go there every day and sit down from morning till evening. I will sit there, get hungry, get sick some times and nobody will even ask me anything. But luckily I got a deal later with the man in charge.  I wrote two songs and got a free rehearsal session which I used with my band to record it. That time we were using cassettes. After then I took the tape and started performing with it at shows. But it got to a time they were not using tape to perform again, it was CD. I will get to events and I still can’t perform because my songs were on cassettes.  One day, I met Jimmy Jatt and over time he became a big brother to me. He told me he loved one of my songs and he took my tape and dubbed it on to a CD for me. That is why I always shout Jimmy Jatt’s name anywhere because he gave me my first CD. This was around 2000, 2001.

What was really pushing you then?

It was just pure passion and my love for music. I knew I had the talent, so I decided to work hard and go for it. My brother Baba Dee had already started his career and I knew that I could do it too.

I’m curious about your relationship with Wyclef, how did it start?

Wyclef is someone I respect and love a lot. I was a big fan of him even before I met him. He came to Nigeria in 2004 and he wanted to do a song with three artistes.  I was among the artistes selected and we were called into the studio to work with him.

Your last album Me, My Mouth and Eye was in 2012, how did it fare?

 It was humbling for me really. A lot of young acts were making waves and the music industry had changed massively compared to the time I started. So I was really not sure about how it will be received but the responses I got shocked me. It was my sixth studio album and people made me feel like it was my debut album. The reception was overwhelming. I didn’t drop any single from the album to promote yet people grabbed it and made it an anthem.

Looking ahead, are you still going to be doing music for a long time?

I enjoy it which is the number one thing. That is the first thing you have to do to be successful with what you do. I have a lot of young people coming up under me now. I know I won’t be here forever so I’m mentoring a lot of people to take over from me.

Tell us about your family.

 I don’t talk about my family that much, I will give little information though; I have three kids and a lovely wife. I have five siblings that I love and cherish so much, those are my brothers and my sisters. And my uncle and aunts, that’s it.

Your wife converted to Islam; what would you say inspired this and what part did you play?

She did that because she wanted to be on the same page with me. I never forced her to. Whenever you walk in life with someone, or you want to take someone as a role model, partner or whatever, don’t change because you want to change. You change because you believe in what that person believes. I leave a very positive life, a life that people should emulate, which my wife has done. If someone’s way of life affects me positively and I feel this person is representative of whatever they preach, then I will change for that reason. I think that’s exactly what my wife did. When people try to convince you into something, but they are not practicing what they preach, then it is a confused approach to influence people.

Would you have married her if she didn’t convert to your religion?

Yes, I could have. It was her decision.

That would have been weird, a Christian and Muslim couple

There is nothing weird about it. I have seen successful marriages between a Christian and a Muslim.

Having come this far, would you say you are fulfilled?

I am very fulfilled with what I have achieved so far in my music career.  I’m always fulfilled with everything about me. That’s how I live my life. If you are not contended with what you have you become unhappy and look for means whether good or bad to achieve what you want. And when you have achieved that, you will still yearn for more. So being contended is the key to happiness.

You are close friends with Kate Henshaw, tell us about that?

I’m friends with a lot of people in the entertainment industry. Not sure why you are asking of Kate Henshaw. I’m friends with Omotola Jalade and her family and so many other people in Nollywood and the music industry. I have known Kate Henshaw for a long time now. She’s a funny person and a good actress. 

STEVE DEDE - ENTERTAINMENT EXPRESS