“Sham Pain” - am just a regular dude

Posted on 19. Sep, 2009 by Omega Eee in 120 seconds

He is one of the most mobile Nigerian Artiste you can ever find in the world. He’s got music flowing in his vein and remains a massive name than you can imagine. In this interview, he shares some thoughts on various issues and I hope you enjoy it cause you can never know him more than he has provided. He also talks about his new album and his love for his country Naija. Read his view on Lil Wayne and other stuff.

So, who is Sham Pain?
Sham Pain: I am just a regular down to earth dude who has the same issues as everyone else in life.

Streetnaij: How long have you been in the music industry?
Sham Pain: I have been doing music it seems for my whole life there is not really a period i can remember not doing music, it has always been a natural part of my existence. But I wrote my first song at the age of 12 years old and performed it in my school a week later in front of 1,500 people! After this experience I knew this is what I wanted to do in my life.

Streetnaij: Why did you get into music… I mean what’s your greatest inspiration?
Sham Pain: Well actually I love to write and put my thoughts on paper so it was a natural progression that lead into writing songs then getting into music. God is my greatest inspiration I have seen too much, felt too much and have overcome all with God’s help.

Streetnaij: You planning to remain in France or you planning going back to Nigeria?
Sham Pain: Well you know for the past 10 years I was living in Dallas, Texas USA and have only been in France for the last 3 months (July 2009) on and off but this music business takes you worldwide and it is hard to know where I am going to be in any 2 week period. I have lived out of a suitcase for so many years that I feel it impossible for me to live in any one country for too long without traveling again, for me this is the norm. Nigeria has a lot of EASY issues that need to be fixed but the ones in power are just delaying the process. I would love to get into politics after or help with Nigerian/African affairs which I know I could really make a difference. I would be like the Hip Hop Fela Kuti LOL!

Streetnaij: How many songs have you done so far?
Sham Pain: I have written many songs in my career but thus far this is my 3rd album installment I am bringing to the world which is entitled “Recession Proof”. There are 12 songs on this album and all tracks are (((BANGING!!!))). I have made remixes and also sung on tracks with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Fabolous, Young Jeezy and T-Pain and been on several major mixtapes in the USA hosted by top DJ’s.

Streetnaij: Anything cooking in the studio?
Sham Pain: Well right now I am just working on putting out this album, so the masses can get to enjoy it. All the studio groundwork has been completed and the next stage is getting out there on the road so people see me live, this is my strong point. Getting “African Butt” music video which is the first single onto the major TV/Cable networks in Nigeria and also working hard to get it into Global markets is also another task I am currently undertaking.

Streetnaij: do you sometimes feel under pressure to deliver as a result of the competition?
Sham Pain: This is where I differ from other artistes, I do not see competition because I am a Fan of music. I love music, so whether or not it is my song playing and i like the song I will contact the artiste and let them know I love the song. This can be experienced on my personal social network sites like FaceBook, Myspace etc.. I am forever giving other artistes props and reaching out to them, whether they return the favor or reply is irrelevant to me (99% never do reply and ignore). All I can do is be me. Competition has never really fazed me because when I write something it is not written from the perspective if other people will like it, it is written from my heart for ME, so if other people connect to it I take that as a blessing and a bonus. An artist who allows himself to be consumed by competition enters a race and will find it difficulty every time to win but because of how i am I am in competition with nobody except myself this means I come to the stadium to watch and enjoy but never enter the race. I am at peace.

But there is definetly a lot of hate and jealousy going on in the music industry but i do not take part in any of that negative play. God made me to be ME and I think I am the best at being ME. Nobody can be me and I cannot be somebody else.

Streetnaij: Since your entrance into the industry, how’s life been? Has it changed you?
Sham Pain: Well I really do not hang out with music industry people I still have the same friends i grew up with so my life is basically the same. I think one can be consumed within the music industry and its falsehoods and just mess up totally. My feet are always grounded and I have not changed at all.

Streetnaij: What song do you think is the best you have ever done so far and why?
Sham Pain: Well I love the new song I made on this new album “Recession Proof”, it is entitled “Naija Hustle” and I actually wrote it just after I heard Lil Wayne “insult” Nigerians talking about “tougher than Nigerian hair…” in his lyrics bloody insult LOL!!! gotta love him

I was like OH HELL NO!!!!… I gotta come back for ALL my Nigerian’s WORLDWIDE, so I wrote “Naija Hustle” and it is about how we Nigerians KNOW how too and invented Ballin’ we invented Party. It was written to bring all the tribes of Nigeria together, uplift and represent all of Africa as you will hear in the lyrics. So far this song has got mad love from Nigeria to USA and across to Europe.

Streetnaij: Are you under any Record Label?
Sham Pain: I have my own Record Label “gRock Records Intl.” but yes I am still an unsigned artiste I feel. I personally do ALL the marketing and promotions outside of Africa by myself and within Africa it is handled by “gRock Records (Africa)” by “Mr. Breezi” CEO of Marketing & Promotions.

Streetnaij: Do you intend coming out with an album soon?
Sham Pain: Yes the latest album is called “Recession Proof” and will be released October 1st 2009 (Nigerian Independence Day). I wanted to release it on this special day as it is monumental for me to do this and I feel so proud for my album to drop on this date.. green, white, green all day!

Streetnaij: So, how do you spend your spare time?
Sham Pain: Well by profession I am a Software Engineer, I make Information Retrieval systems such like Google, Yahoo or Youtube styled software. I program in many data connectivity computer languages such as.. SQL, PHP, JAVA, ASP etc…

Streetnaij: You know when you trying to get your work out for DJ’s to help in promoting it, how do you find it since you operating from France?
Sham Pain: Well I have only been in France for the last 3 months on and off and not sure even if I am staying here because as I write this I already have my plane ticket to go back to Dallas middle of October LOL, but now it is a level playing field as far as getting music out to DJ’s. I have all the main DJ’s direct contact information so i send them my new tracks all the time.

Streetnaij: What Nigerian artiste would you like to do a collab with?
Sham Pain: WOW! the list is endless… I would love to work with JayRu he is from my hometown of Ibadan, then there is Femi Kuti, D’banj, Wande Coal, 9ice, 2Face, MI, Rugged Man, Klever Jay, KZ Johnson, Tila Man the list go’s on and on… we don’t have time to list all LOL!

Streetnaij: Lastly, what’s your message to those out there?
Sham Pain: Just to support ya boy Sham Pain, cop the album “Recession Proof” and come to my live shows when I am in town… enjoy life, don’t think bad of people, don’t be a hypocrite and just be good to others… PERIOD!