He is most popular as Mr. O. And although he is from the Niger Delta, it is not a nickname for another disgruntled militant. Onome Ovwori is a seasoned artiste with marvelous dexterity on the keyboards. He calls the genre of music he does Contemporary Afro Jazz. (more…)

NEO is a four man group doing rock music in a naija way, and boy, are they talented? UDR catches up with these talented trio as they tell us all that needs to be known about their music, life and journey so far…. (more…)

Ashionye Ugboh-Raccah is a talented singer and actress. Asides establishing a career in music, she has had good shots at acting featuring in Mnet’s Doctor’s Quaters and Tinsel and recently Lilian Amah’s Jungle Ride which fetched her an AMAA nomination for most promising actress. Underdarock’s Habeeb Lawal interviews this strong, amazing diva and initiator of the GIRL POWER movement. (more…)

Keith Elam a.k.a Guru of the legendary Hip Hop group has died yesterday. May his soul rest in peace. Guru was 43 year old. Guru apparently had Cancer but wanted to fight the battle privately. I had the opportunity to meet Guru a few times and he was always so polite and so real, never arrogant or act like a legend even though he was.
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He is young, dashing and multi-talented, his name is Josbert Mofe Duncan, CEO of 5ive Entertainment, the artiste management company that manages reputable artistes including Nollywood damsel, Stella Damasus. Underdarock’s Habeeb Lawal took out time to chat with this hardworking, resourceful and charmer of a guy whose personality is just as gripping as he looks. Enjoy!
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Last week Fade Arewa of underdarock.com brought you Deenola Designs. We had an opportunity to chat with Deenola Designs and discuss the inspiration and upcoming collections from Deenola Designs. Check out our interview with the fashion design team.
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On the 29th of May 2009, Cos Canino of UnderDaRock did an exclusive interview with Hip Hop icons Guru and Super Producer Solar. This is one of the last interviews Guru did before his recent sickness leading to the coma.
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Maybe you did miss him in the 2006 edition of the reality tv show, amstel malta box office but surely you couldnt have missed him in the award winning movie, “white waters” where he blew us all away with his brilliant performance. Born in a family of three in which he is the second born, the multi-talented dude who studied Marine Sciences at the University of lagos gives us a glimpse into his world as he tells Habeeb Lawal what certainly makes him tick.

Oc Ukeje

1.Five words that best describe you.

Good-looking,gifted,relational,determined,grounded

2.Whats your philosophy of life?

There’s a place called forward

3.The greatest misconception that people have of you

That everything is a bed of roses.

4.Five qualities a good actor must possess

Dynamism,depth,delivery,diction,good hygiene.

5.Five nollywood actors you admire (male and female)

RMD,Joke Silva,Genevieve Nnaji,Desmond Elliot,Norbert Young

6.Bad habit you would like to stop

Err…biting them nails…

7.What car do you drive?

A chevy optra

8.Your favourite movie/movies of all time

Gladiator,legends of the Fall,Man on fire

9.Favourite perfumes

Davidoff Good Life, Kenneth Cole Black, Dunhill

10.Countries that you have visited

Cotonou,Ghana,Czech Republic,U.A.E,Germany

11.Highest point in life

When I aced the AMBO competition in 2006

12.Lowest point in life

When I lost my dad

13.Five people closest to your heart

My mum,my bruv,my sis,Eric,Josephine,Banky,Lala,Chidi,Boma…sorry!can’t be five!

14.What you wont be caught dead wearing

Any size slightly bigger than my frame…or a blouse!why?!

15.Crazy thing you have done for love

Love is rational these days….

16.Best compliment a fan has paid you

Keep doing it for us…

17.What quality puts you off in people

Proud folk generally

18.What attribute do you like in people

Being down to earth

19.If you could change anything in nollywood….

The scripts that start off the movies at all…

20.Your biggest role model of all time

Will Smith

21. Favourite item of clothing in your wardrobe

Jeans…you can’t go wrong with it anytime!

22.If you were to come back to this world as an animal, what would you be and why?

Lol!err…possibly a poodle!

23. Your ideal woman

A down-to-earth belle that knows how to abase and how to abound…and never forgets either extreme.

24.Two things you dont like about yourself

Can’t imagine any!lol!

25.Your favourite hangouts in lagos

Don’t have any.

26.Any nollywood/hollywood star/stars you ever had a crush on, names!

Scarlett Johansson,Keira Knightley

27.Educational background

University of Lagos,Akoka…B.Sc Marine Science

Federal govt college, ijanikin.

28.Long term goal.

To be standard to emulate in showbiz.

U.D.R: Describe yourself in one word
Tinuola: Tenacious.  

 U.D.R:   What motivated you to pursue music career?
Tinuola: It really started in High school being part of the drama and cultural club. I got my stage freight over with there. It really did prepare me for what was yet to come. However, I  didn’t embark on music right out of high school. It really kicked in after 9/11 while still modeling. I was living 2 blocks from the World Trade Center when the disaster happened. It was right after that I decided to slow down drastically in modeling and take up music again. I felt a bit rusty in the beginning but with time I got into it. It also helped a great deal to have a mother playing the likes of Bonnie M, ABBA, Fela, Grace Jones and the likes growing up. I was always surrounded by music. I was a happy kid growing up. My new album “Addicted” basically encompasses all things I love to do in general be it love, sex, shopping et. al. It’s a nice feeling to let things out and say out loud for all to hear, I did just that with this song. And now it’s getting of hits and downloads on iTunes and Tinuonline.com

U.D.R:   Have you overcome any difficult challenges, if so how?
Tinuola: I think growing up and attending a tough Nigerian high school prepared me for the worst things in life. As a result, I don’t find anything difficult. I hated my schoolmates and never wanted to share any of my things with them. They were cruel sometimes and I enjoyed punishing my seniors by not relenting on giving them my buckets of water as they so insisted on making their juniors hand them over for nothing. I went to an all girls boarding school in Nigeria. It was tough as nails and I have that school to thank for making me tough and ready for the daily rigors of living the adult life in the music business today and in New York City for that matter. I learned to grow a tough skin and prepare myself for those that may not love everything that I do in life. Now that I think about my childhood school days it cracks me up. Gosh, silly what kids do!

U.D.R: who are you inspired by?
Tinuola: Growing up listening to the likes of Grace Jones, Fela Kuti and Nina Simone thanks to my mom was fantastic! It helped forged songs on my album such as “Not The Devil” was derived after a very disturbing confrontation with a friend and “My Life” was written after arguing with a family member. “You Want Me” came about while feeling aroused on one given day and just picked up a pen and wrote about it instead. And of course “Shoeholic” was written while cleaning out my closet, rearranging my shoes only to discover some pairs I hadn’t  seen in a long time and also bringing back memories of what I had gone through in acquiring them. I soon started singing to my shoes but was quick enough to record it on a recorder to have it on my album. It all began as a joke but it stuck just like that. I certainly didn’t think the video to that particular song would become the success that it is now. It is now playing on airlines, cruise ships, in store play, music TV station et. al worldwide and least I forget, a viral hit online where it actually all started. It’s amazing the power of the internet these days. I wish it was that strong when I came out with my first album in 2003.

U.D.R:   What do you feel makes you different from other singers and designers?
Tinuola: Drawing from my everyday life and using myself as a scapegoat for testing anything I put my name on before bestowing it on others. 

U.D.R:   What message does your music say to others?
Tinuola: To be free spirited, speak your mind and be at ease with yourself, with your soul and mind. The truth does set the mind, body and soul free. Everyone should try it. It is definitely very different, edgy and free spirited. If there is one thing I picked up from Fela Kuti’s style of music it’s the free spirited nature of it. I like to sing and write without rules and tradition commonly found in the music industry. I didn’t write with the intention of targeting one particular region of the world. Music is art, like beauty it is within the ears of the beholder/listener. I simply wrote and sang about things that happened in my life at given time, nothing was made up. 

U.D.R:   How did you react the first time you heard your music on the radio?
Tinuola: Stunned! My first album it happened on WBLS in New York and the new album “Addicted” happened while on vacation in Italy last year. It is an out of body experience which is hard to explain. 

U.D.R:   What do you think your fans out there should know about you that you haven’t mentioned?
Tinuola: That I get very teary eyes when I yawn and that I am far too deep in love with food. (laughs)

U.D.R:   What do you hope to accomplish? What are your long term goals?
Tinuola: A nice house perched on a white sandy beach in Thailand with fresh fish right out of the ocean grilled on an open fire to my taste. I am so in love with that country now I don’t know why.

U.D.R:   How do you spend your free time, when not performing, or designing?
Tinuola: I love to cook! I find it to be very therapeutic and makes me focus and think. Other vices includes traveling and designing by just doing tons of pencil sketches of things that might never be fruitful. I just draw and paint endless lines. It helps me to focus.  I pace myself, quite the contrary to what people think. I make time for everything I do by just letting my mind choose what it feels like doing next. I don’t force myself to do anything its not in the mood to do. Creativity is all in the mind, one must “pamper” that mind and let it roam freely by letting it choose and not the other way around. This is how I pace myself.

U.D.R:   Do you see yourself as a role model to others? How?
Tinuola: I am not perfect and don’t want to offer myself as a role model to or for anyone. I make mistakes like everyone else and don’t need to be under a microscope. So I regretfully have to refuse the crowning glory in that department. I am sure there are many others willing and already doing the job. It’s not for everyone. I am far too free spirited to be a role model.

U.D.R:   What project are you currently working on, we should look out for?
Tinuola: My book. It’s all thanks to those endless number of emails I received about my shoe collection as a result of the Shoeholic video being so popular on youtube now almost a million hits. I was approached to begin writing a book about it to answer all of their curious questions and I thought why not? More updates will be posted on facebook.com/tinuonline. The book will revolve around shoe collecting and details about my collection and some juicy stories about my friends. It’s basically a tell-all book which I’m certain you will enjoy. It’s very gossipy, over the top but true eye brow raising hot stuff. I’m hoping by spring 2011 it will be released if all goes well. You know how things can be with agents and publishers. It is a new world for me, but I heard it’s much like the music industry, a lot of dog eat dog. So God help me. I am praying we have a good banging out party for it to bring all the fabulous guys and girls out and talk about it. I am praying next year spring-summer. A big amen to that.

U.D.R:   Do you see yourself more of a singer, designer?
Tinuola: Oh good lord. For me it’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child. I find both vocations to be very dear to my heart. I do them whenever I am in the mood. I don’t follow anyone’s schedule. 

U.D.R:   Do you have anything else to add, for those interested?
Tinuola: I am involved in an online tv show which will be on outrageousview.com sometime this year. I have fans worldwide to thank for all of these opportunities coming in everyday. There are many other things coming up but not allowed to talk about them yet. However they will be announced in due course on facebook.com/tinuonline where my work updates are published and I spent time chatting with friends on varied topics as well. And for all you genuine shoeholics out there I’m a big supporter of a fabulous page facebook.com/shoeholics. Come out and play with other ladies or gents talking about shoes and their love for shoes. (laughs)

U.D.R:    how do we keep up with updates on what Tinu is doing? Do you have any websites?
Tinuola: My music and other upcoming projects are on www.tinuonline.com and my lifestyle site www.tinuola.com

U.D.R: Thank you for taking the time out for this interview.
Tinuola: Thanks a million for having me. It was my pleasure as well.