Nigeria has always been a country marked by eras.
The highlife and juju era was pioneered and shaped by blending jazz, funk, and Afrobeat, an era dominated by legendary figures like Chief Ebenezer Obey, Bobby Benson, and Victor Olaiya. Then came the era that slightly changed the trajectory of the Nigerian music industry: the Afro revolution led by Fela Kuti and juju led by King Sunny Ade. This was followed by the emergence of hip hop and the current ascendance of Afrobeat on the world stage. Like any Nigerian kid, Ozoemelam Excel, known as Bizzy E, grew up listening to these greats. He was exposed to music early on, and when we asked him how it felt to be introduced to such a variety of sounds at an early age, his response was, “Those early introductions to music in my formative years made me love music. In fact, I played piano at 13 because I was in the church choir.”
For Bizzy E, growing up in Nigeria shaped his worldview. “Growing up in Nigeria was a wild experience for me. I got to learn the complex mentality and talent Nigeria is blessed with. After the little experience I’ve had, I can truly say we are the African giants. In every field I turn to, there is a lot of competition. Don't get me wrong, I love competition. But I never appreciated it until I was forced to study medicine in Ukraine. I was forced to study medicine because my initial plan was to study at UNN, but the competition to study medicine in Nigeria as a whole is very fierce. Ten thousand people fighting for 140 spots... hahaha.”
He paused, smiled, then continued, “In fact, growing up in Nigeria made me mature quickly in music. In my teenage years, I got exposed to so many musical activities, especially in the church. I sang in the choir and started playing the piano at 13 years old. It was a difficult and competitive ride for me to learn the piano, but I did it because I love competition.”
The reward for learning hard things early in life for Bizzy E is the direct impact it has had on how he views music. He listens to a diverse range of music, and his conclusion is simple: “I have listened to a lot of records, and I feel deeply that there is a position no mainstream Nigerian artist has fully occupied yet, and I am coming to take that spot! At first, you might not understand my music, but I promise, give it time. I'll grow on you.”
Just like nobody can be a kid forever, big decision time came for Bizzy E. From learning and playing the piano in his church’s section for teenagers at 13, it was finally time to enter university, another experience that shaped Bizzy E’s outlook on life. “There is nothing more competitive than studying medicine in Nigeria, man. It’s like having 10 Messis fighting for a spot to start a match in the World Cup final. I learned patience, I learned that the world doesn’t end in your little cocoon. It’s a big world outside, so you can’t go around gallivanting like a local champion.” But as competitive as getting into UNN was for Bizzy E, what was more challenging was immigrating from his home country alone as a teenager.
“I moved to Ukraine to further my studies and get a medical diploma. Moving to Ukraine was an exciting new experience for me, especially because I had to learn a new language, make new friends, and start life over.”
“If I can move across the Atlantic, make new friends, learn a new language, and start life again, I just felt there’s actually nothing I can’t do!”
Bizzy E was mostly a pianist when he first got to Ukraine, but over time his interest in music grew. “Making friends with music producers has that effect, eyy,” he muttered, then said, “Meeting with music producers often tickled my fancy and made me start paying attention to how music was produced, arranged, and the process of making music. But I didn’t just want to start, because I believe it’s not a smart decision to do things just for the sake of doing them. You need to know your why; you need to know your leverage. And instantly, it occurred to me that my leverage could be having my own sound, my own style of music. Yeah, I might be inspired by a lot of artists that I listen to, like Omah Lay, Burna Boy, Young Thug, and Gunna, but it has to be my sound, my style, what people will know me for, vibe with me for, and relate with me.”
Bizzy E started his plan to release his first album in 2021, and one of his biggest roadblocks was finding the right people to collaborate with — people that could match his style and complement him greatly. So, Bizzy E used that as an opportunity to build his own team, dedicated to producing his music in the most refined way. “It does something to you mentally when you have to do hard things by yourself; you grow as a person.”
Bizzy E’s aim is simple: do what people can’t do well and properly, and connect with others while at it, mixing his Afrobeat influences from his Nigerian roots with his acquired European taste, spicing it up with rap. “I just rap then sing in such a way that it’s melodic, so you don’t get bored, you vibe all through. Rave Lorde Bizzy, but it won’t just be limited to that. Maybe Bizzy Marley too. Most importantly, I want to create good music and share it with a close-knit community who fully understands what it is to be Bizzy, to do things the Bizzy Way!”
Bizzy E’s music is a fusion of all the music styles he listened to growing up, and his current mission is to blend these sounds together to create a new sound unique to him. Not just to create music, but to build a community of close-knit fans that can vibe on his frequency. Bizzy E’s first official single, "LV Bag," was released in August, and his debut album, Mi2Me, will be released on the 25 October.
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