“WHEN IT COMES TO MY PERSONAL VALUES, I NEVER COMPROMISE; I HAVE MY KIDS LOOKING UP TO ME”: INTERVIEW WITH RAPPER-PROPHECY

Hi, Prophecy. Thanks for obliging us. Your name sounds intriguing even though not trendy; so let's start with that. What inspired such an intriguing name?

(smiles) Thanks for this opportunity, Favour. I’ve always wanted to be a conscious rapper and based on the kind of music I listen to and lifestyle that I live, I brainstormed on suitable names for my career and then chose Prophecy. That’s because Prophecy is different; it depicts the fear of God in me and my values. 

Talking about personal values as a rapper, how do you prioritize your personal values and beliefs when it comes to choosing projects or collaborations in the entertainment industry?

I’m very selective when it comes to collaborations. First, I listen to your music and if you don’t have a message, I don't work with you- no hard feelings; it’s just the boundaries I’ve built to preserve my values. Although, at the early stage of my career, I worked with some big sharks in the industry because all I was looking for was attention. But later on, I chose my path. I focused on being who I wanted to be and that has been my guiding light in any projects or collaborations I sign into.

I see…Y'know, sometimes, it can be tough to maintain personal values, especially in an industry where it takes succumbing to the norms to attain fame or ‘make it’ as we say. Can you give an example of a time when you had to compromise your personal values in order to succeed in the entertainment world?

When it comes to my personal values, I never compromise. I’ve always believed in what I do and that this is the right way to do it, so I never compromise. Yes, I’ve received a lot of criticism. I’ve heard a lot of complaints about my style, but I refuse to change because I know where I'm headed. I see myself as focused and to me, it boils down to knowledge. If you don’t have content in whatever you’re doing, I don’t respect that no matter the fame. Some people kiss asses and do whatever it takes to get to the top even when it’s against their values. I’m not like that, I just can’t. So I stand strong and will never change my values for anybody because I believe that’s the right thing to do. 

Interesting. There's also the part where you could be seen as an outcast because of the distinctiveness of your values from the norms of the industry. Have you ever faced any backlash for sticking to your values and how did you handle it?

(chuckles) Right from time, I've been an outcast. And when it comes to backlash, I handle it by staying away from such people because I know that there are people who really need and want to hear what I have to say. 

I know what the industry is about. It’s been conditioned to be about girls, money, homosexuality and all that but I don't need all of that. I have my kids, cousins, and the young ones looking up to me, so I stay aware and apply consciousness with knowledge and the fear of God. And I’m okay with that. 

That’s a strong reason you’ve got to stay put in your values. So tell us, Prophecy: Why do you love what you do and what has kept you going with your brand of rap even when it's not yet amongst the industry rave right now?

First, I know I’m good at what I do so I keep doing it. I believe in God and he has been great to me. I’m more concerned about getting my message across than the money. If I set a goal, I smash it and I can’t stop doing good.
I also hype. Hype is like a side hustle to me. I didn’t really fancy it at the time but right now it’s very trendy so I’m taking it seriously. Having said that, I also use hype to express myself in the absence of rap. I watch the things I say as well and don’t hype all those regular kinds of hype. I still stay conscious even with the hype.

What does your rap centre on?

My rap is all about positivity, creativity and extraordinary energy. I call it the street gospel. I always have a message to pass across to reach out to the young ones and struggling youth. It’s like motivational speaking but I put it into rap. I can even tell a story through rap. My message overall is based on reality- what I go through and what I see happening to people. I also believe my rap influences people positively cos I’ve seen a lot of young people who started rapping because they heard me rap. If you’re really conscious, you’ll definitely love the kind of rap I do. I hardly talk about materialistic things. I hardly talk about cash, girls and all that. And even when I talk about girls, I put it in a positive way without talking about some raw stuff. For example, I have a rap titled Minds*x. It haven’t been published yet but it goes like this: 

We can have mind s*x/

We ain’t got to take our clothes off yet/

We can burn an incense, just chat relax/

I’ve got a good vibration/ b4 we make love let’s have a good conversation

Amazing! We hate to let you go, Prophecy but before you go where can intending collaborators and lovers of rap reach you? 

Yeah, they can find me on IG: @2000nprophecy; Facebook: Rapojukwu prophecy; and Tiktok: @prophecy1mc for now.

Thanks again for your time

My pleasure.