Successfully following your dreams

Image Credit: Nkay

17th Feb 2020
Tags: Music News Ambition University Nkay Rap World

There can’t be many rappers who, while pursuing recording success, also pursued a career in law.

But that is what has happened to Afrobeat star Nkay, and now that he has become a fully qualified lawyer, we have the intriguing prospect of legal pearls of wisdom being heard over the propulsive thrust of sunshine-infused Afrobeat.

Nkay’s duets with friend Gil Joe 'Nobody (ft Proud Refuge)' and 'Issa No' are both on the xRhythms playlist.

The lawyer/rapper from Lagos, Nigeria explained to xRhythms how his dual career began. 

A friend of mine wanted to put together a mixtape of different artists.

“It was 2014 when I started Uni. You know how the first year can get, easy, chilled, so I was working at the time and I had time on my hands at Uni. A friend of mine wanted to put together a mixtape of different artists and he sent me about seven beats and said write something and I wrote something on it. I didn’t even take is seriously.

"There was a competition going on in Nigeria at the time with some popular gospel artists of the time. I had a friend who had a really amazing song and I sent him my friend’s song and tagged mine on, which wasn’t even complete, I hadn’t finished up in the studio, but I put it on just so he could listen and let me know what he thought.

"It turned out that after they heard both tracks they got back to me and they were like ‘yours is amazing’. It wasn’t about me - it was about my friend’s track. I went away all confused and literally, that’s how it kicked off.” 

His Afrobeat style connects with people.

Nkay is adamant that his Afrobeat style connects with people where more traditional worship music won’t connect.

He said, “I think that’s what I’m trying to achieve with my music is transparency and relatability; I want people to just get it no matter who you are or where you’re from, listen to it and let it speak to you.”