Dampte: The Tinkolo master… “its my time”

Posted on 31. May, 2009 by Omega Eee in 120 seconds

The name “Dampte” is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian music industry. His new single “wine your Tinkolo” got to the top of the chart. In this interview, Streetnaij brings you the life of a music star that is fast moving into the top rank. He shares his life in General with you all like never before. I hope you find it interesting cause you can never know him better than this.

Streetnaij: You welcome to Streetnaij
Dampte: cool… Thanks

Streetnaij: Who is Dampte as a person and as an artiste?
Dampte: Dampte as a person is just like every other person out there. I was born in Lagos Nigeria. Nevertheless, you cannot separate Dampte as a person from Dampte the artiste. Basically, am just Dampte trying to get knowledge, trying to learn things and trying to teach people things.

Streetnaij: How did you come about music?
Dampte: Well, basically music is in the blood. I can go way back in the days when I used to listen to my Mum and my Dad while they play songs (precisely Christian songs I should say though). There were all these rhythms and melodies that I kind of liked. These things got me interested in trying to sing. I joined the church Choir too but then I just found myself in it. There is really no way how it happened. I really cannot tell. I just find myself writing and then, after a while I went into the studio. That’s how it is.

Streetnaij: What’s your greatest inspiration?
Dampte: My greatest inspiration is the struggle we all go through every day (you know what am saying). I try to look at it this way, why do things happen? Why am I me? Why am I not that other person? Why is that other person who they are? Why are they not me? So my inspiration is just trying to be above that next person … you know. That kind of motivates me basically.

Streetnaij: I’ve heard your track and the video “wine your tinkolo”. It’s actually made Nigezie top Ten. How did you feel about the way people are responding to it?

Dampte: Actually I still think the song “tinkolo” has not reached its potential yet cause, it’s not like any other dance track that I listen to. When I listen to songs, I try to get a meaning out of it. Most songs out there right now its just out there, they are just beats and rhythms, that is it. But “tinkolo” has got a lot of message its trying to pass across. Its just not that regular club banger and people are really responding to it. I mean, I like the idea of people voting it on Nigezie but am still looking at the song reaching its maximum potential. You know, let people understand the lyrics, the delivery and stuff like that. Yeah, I love the reception so far I must say.

Streetnaij: So, with “tinkolo” gaining enough attention now, do you feel under any pressure to deliver when you working in the studio?
Dampte: Tinkolo has put me on a map you know, its put me in the place where every time as you said, am now under pressure to deliver. There is more pressure I should say, not just because of people’s expectation but for my own self. I feel like I now have like a benchmark and I cannot go below that level no more. Everything I do right now has to be top of the range. So, yeah the pressure is there with “tinkolo”.

Streetnaij: You were formerly in the US. Why did you switch to Nigeria?
Dampte: While I was in the US, I was studying. I wasn’t born in the US and am not a US citizen. Am a Naija citizen if you know what am saying. In the US, I was just out there studying, having fun and all that. Basically, when everything was done, all I could do was work and earn my dollars and stuff but that was not me. I wanted to do music and Nigeria became a pasture for music. Hence I just had to come back.

Streetnaij: How is life in the fastest growing music industry in the world (Nigeria)?
Dampte: Yes boss: Like you said, it’s the fastest growing music industry but lets use the word entertainment. it’s the fastest growing entertainment industry in the world right now and being part of it is just like a blessing to me. So many people want to be part of this and so many people are struggling every day. I can tell you, as we are on this interview right now, there are lots of people in the studio trying to record that next banger. So, its not easy but, we are still going to try and keep it up.

Streetnaij: So, when are you stepping out with your long awaited album: any title yet?
Dampte: I don’t know if you heard my single “wapa” just yet but, my album am hoping will reach the stores by August/September. That’s what am looking at but it all depends on a lot of things that I really cant control. I want people to be ready for me. I just don’t want to feel that because I have a hit single “wine your tinkolo” and also “wapa” then, am on the map. I don’t want people to think because of those two hit singles, am ripe enough. I want people to really really want to have me on the map. So, when my album comes out, they are ready to receive it.

Streetnaij: What track is your favourite or is your favourite track not out yet?
Dampte: My favourite track or tracks I should say, They are not out yet. Like we know, in the entertainment world, and basically everything we do in life is not about what I want, but what the people want… you know what am saying… My favourite song is this song called “hustle”. The words to the chorus is like, street life got me doing things I don’t want do. I keep on hustling and that’s like my favourite track right there. I promise you, you will hear that very soon. Its going to hit the airwaves or precisely selected people for what we call album listening so they can give me a feedback on what they thing about it.

Streetnaij: Yeah… We’ve got “The critic” on Streetnaij where we listen to tracks and we officially rate them and also give them a feedback. Are your songs officially available for your fans to buy like the released singles?
Dampte: Yeah, the single is available to be bought on Afrorhythm.com. People can go there, grab the single and it comes with “wapa” all on the same disc. So, they get one for the price of two. Its basically out there for people to buy and listen to.

Streetnaij: What Record label are you under at the moment?
Dampte: Actually right now am under an independent Label called “Too Much Records” headed by Sanusi Abiola. Basically we do everything for ourselves right now which is, trying to get that big break.

Streetnaij: What Nigerian artiste would you consider doing a collab with? I know you’ve done something with YQ.
Dampte: When I look at the Nigerian Music industry, I would want to work with a couple of people. I kind of feel Dbanj’s energy you know and I feel Femi Kuti and his message. Hence, I would want to work with Femi Kuti or Dbanj.

Streetnaij: You were actually rated the best radio personality for the year 2006/07. So, what are your fans to expect from your album because you were actually a presenter with “Okim Fm” in Ofa Kwara State. What are your fans to expect from a top G like yourself?
Dampte: Like I said, there is “wine your tinkolo” you might have heard, there is “wapa”, there is “hustle” which tells you how the street is. Like I said, am about the struggle. Am more like a struggle kind of artiste. Am not like a party kind of artiste. Like I told you, its what people want you have to give them. There is a track on “better life” you know, something like I need a better life. Trust me the album is a bumper package. I can tell you that my album is going to be the best ever.

Streetnaij: Streetnaij cant wait to get it and listen to it
Dampte: Streetnaij will be the first magazine or organisation to get it cause I want “The critic” to work on it by rating it and if it takes Dampte to go back to the studio and do it all over again, then that’s what Dampte has to do.

Streetnaij: How do you spend your spare time as an artiste I mean Dampte relaxing on his own?
Dampte: Men, I live a life of a baller am telling you men. Anyone who knows me will tell you that Dampte relaxing will be me sipping … this is a true story though… on Hennessy or Moet. Relaxing to me is just like chilling you know. When am chilling, I roll big if you know what I mean. I chill with my Boys. Like I said, I dont go partying a lot cause I have 9-5 and I do music hence, I have to balance it. If am not relaxing in the studio, am relaxing at home with my boys sipping Hennessy or watching movies or thinking of the next song we should do. Sometimes the feeling of going out comes and when we go out like five to seven of us, we just go out and party till like one /two in the morning if we have to. But, if we don’t have to, its not something we really have to do so, we just chill at home. That’s basically me relaxing right there.

Streetnaij: Some people do feel that if you don’t go to Lagos or you don’t reside there, you cant make it big in music. Why did you pick Lagos as the place to reside in?
Dampte: I was born in Lagos but was in Kwara State for some time. Being in Kwara State, I understood that People still don’t get it but once in you are in Lagos, you don’t need to tell people what you are after they just get it. Back in Kwara State, some folks want to see me like… what I do you know. They see me pierce my ear and they are like… what’s this dude up to. When am in Lagos, it’s a normal thing. No one really cares if you got ear rings on. You can even walk naked in Lagos and nobody cares. So Lagos is like the hot spot. Everything starts and ends in Lagos. If you can make it here (Lagos), you can make it anywhere.

Streetnaij: How are you guys handling the piracy stuff in Nigeria?
Dampte: Piracy is big in Nigeria and that’s one of my concerns right now. That’s why my album is not out yet. I need to make sure that I get everything in place. That is, getting everything on point. I have to protect myself from all these pirates. Its hard but people are trying to understand that we artistes put in a lot of work. All we do is try to get what we put in. Getting what we put in is like what we all aim for. With piracy, its like eating into not only your profit but what we have put in. Piracy is big but its on the low. Its not as it used to be. Educating all these people now on why they need to get the best out of us is the key but piracy is worldwide its not a Naija thing.

Streetnaij: Lastly, What message have you got for your fans and those in the industry?
Dampte: For my fans, all I got to say is that they should just keep it locked down and stay tuned to Dampte cause am everywhere they want me to be at. Keep watching out for me as the best is yet to come. For those in the industry, its my time now and they should just make way. If they don’t give to me, am going to take it by force.

Tags: Banky W, Dampte