Gbajimo Ajibola Taiwo better known as Lauda is a rapper, singer and songwriter. Lauda started rapping when he was in 100 Levels, he decided to start rapping in his mother tongue with the motivation he got from late rapper Dagrin since then he has carved a niche for himself by delivering indigenous rap in his mother’s tongue (Yoruba).
In an interview with Simple, Lauda aka Rapper Tio Common talked about his EP “Rap Time and Chance,” and his perception about the Nigeria music industry.
Read excerpts from the interview below;
How did you come up with the name ‘Lauda’?
The name came into existence some years back, I have been called different names in the past coming up, before the artiste career but when I was in school some of my friends used to tell me my voice was too loud, I am louder and eventually the name stuck and I picked it up as Lauda.
Tell us about your EP “Rap, Time and Chance” and how you came about the name?
As an artiste you know you have to keep releasing singles and I was doing that. Along the line forces of nature and something’s came into place starting from stories that concerns me, my journey with music, along the line I have been affiliated to some industry top dogs on different platforms from Hennessy Rap Artistry to Mtv Base Cypher, to Slimcase Rap Show, which gave me a wider audience.
There’s this particular bible verse that says time and chance happened to them all. A particular story that once something is ordained to happen, it will happen. I believed this was not just mere doing its something worthwhile so I had to come up with the name “Rap, Time and Chance.”
Which song means the most to you personally?
The lead single titled ‘Survive’, is a story about my career and my hustle. I wrote that song out of emotions, passion, and there was an occurrence in the line of my career path that made me write that song.
Thank God I’m here, surviving this even though these days the hip-hop community is not that heavy like it used to be, but I’ve been able to tell my story.
What’s your perception of the Nigerian music industry?
One thing that is constant is change, change is very constant and things keep evolving. If we look at the sphere now, the whole industry, as a hip hop person, I do rap, hip hop now is not gaining that attention like the days of MI, Dagrin, when it was still very heavy. Now, the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy – the Afrobeats era because of that I have to be more creative and diversify and blend in too so I will be able to reach out to more audience.
You can also watch full interview here;
