Successful music producer, Sossick, doesn’t hold back on issues. In this interview with OSEYIZA OOGBODO, the entertainment guru speaks on how the sudden and shocking death of his artiste, Dagrin, affected him as well as how he fared in the hands of another of his artistes, the controversial Maheeda. Excerpts:
You’re very popular as a music producer and you produced that classic hit, Ife Wa Gbona, for Tiwa Savage. Why haven’t you guys worked together again since then?
Yeah, Tiwa Savage, we were close at some point when she just came into the country and started recording and everything. But, after a while, you know she now got signed to Mavin, and Don Jazzy is in charge, you know. So, that made it a bit difficult to work with external producers. I mean, since her CEO is a producer as well, and that created some form of distance, and a bit of strain and all of that. Besides that, everything is still cool.
The guy that was also on that track, Leo Wonder. People expected big things of him, but it seems like he faded. What happened?
He was somebody that, at that time he was with me, I suggested we put him in the song with Tiwa and he did well, he delivered. But you know sometimes, people cannot handle fame. They think they are ready for it, but they are not really ready. In his own case, I can’t really pinpoint like what really happened but I just think may be he wasn’t ready for it the way it came and he didn’t know how to probably handle it.
But did you stop working with him? You said he was with you.
Oh, yeah, because from that point on, you know, when you do something for a person, it gets into his head. So, that’s the way it is with artistes. Once they do well, quote and unquote, they want to go and do things on their own and I can’t hold anybody back. But we’re still here.
Yeah, Tiwa Savage, we were close at some point when she just came into the country and started recording and everything. But, after a while, you know she now got signed to Mavin, and Don Jazzy is in charge, you know.
You also produced the evergreen album, CEO, Chief Executive Omoita, by the late legend, Dagrin. How did you feel that day, that moment you heard about his death?
Well, it’s not something that I want anybody to go through, and stuffs like that. But then it’s not something you can also easily describe. It’s very depressing, especially when you feel like your work is just starting to make waves and everybody’s connected to it, then it just seems like it just cuts out a part of your story. I can’t really put it into words. But I was in disbelief and denial. That’s how I felt initially. It was depressing as well. Very
depressing.
Now let’s come to the basics. Did it affect you any way in your career?
In all the ways. I’ll not lie, I’ll be honest with you. A part of me did not want to accept that reality. That’s where the denial came in. I kept thinking, okay that maybe at some point a miracle will happen and all that. So, I just kept waiting and waiting and during all that period, I couldn’t really work. I wasn’t able to focus. I just kept thinking: is this how this life is, what’s the point? Depression would set in, you would just ask yourself what’s the use, and time will pass, and it took me a while to actually get really, really serious again, to get back into the game.
Dagrin died in an accident and about three years after, you also had an accident. Did it flash through your mind when the accident occurred that you were also going to die like him?
When I had the accident, you know, of course, it was with that fear that oh, wow, was it meant to be, that are you supposed to go this way as well? Yeah, that question lingered in my mind. And you know, I’m African, I’m
Nigerian. So, I also wondered: was somebody trying to wipe us out and all that. But obviously, God had bigger plans for me and He showed me mercy. So, I pulled through mine.
You also worked with the girl, Maheeda. She’s sort of controversial and all that with her nude pictures. How do you feel about her and her own way?
I don’t really know. Working with her was an experience. I learnt a lot of things, you know. Basically before then, I was someone who was just in the studio almost all day, all night. My whole life was about the studio, you know, I’ll sleep there, wake up there, eat there. So, I didn’t really have the experience of people, I didn’t understand that there were certain kind of people, and how to handle them. I was just into the music. So, my social skills were not like too polished and all that, to be honest. So, working for her led to one or two things, but that’s in the past. As I said, I learnt a lot from that, and I use it now, you know. I apply it now these days. My eyes have seen a lot; so I’m wiser now, I’m more experienced.
Do you support her nude style?
Well, it’s not my own style or pattern, but then if that’s what she wants to do, she should live her life, as long as it doesn’t affect who it shouldn’t affect, because people are out there. The young people look up to us, they want to learn from us and all that. But then, again, as long as she’s not harming anybody by it, if that’s the legacy she wants to leave, it’s up to her.
What does the future hold for you?
For me, as long as I keep working, you know, it’s just a gift. Whatever I do, all the things I do, it’s just a gift that God has blessed me with. Sometimes, I wonder myself, how do you even do these things? How are you so spontaneous? How do you do almost anything you want to do? And I just realise it’s just a gift that God has given me. I feel like, at this point in my career, you know, I feel like I’ve only given 15 to, maybe, maximum, 20 per cent of what I’m actually capable of. That’s how I feel. So, I still feel like I still have a whole lot to prove. I feel like I’m just getting started. So, I work like I’m just starting. That’s how I work every day. So, in the future, if at this level I feel like I’m just starting, then the future is unlimited. I can do anything and I’m gonna do everything by God’s grace.
