Spy Shitta, whose real name is Bolanle Shitta Razaq, is an Afrobeats singer and songwriter. He was born on November 10 and spent his childhood in Abesan estate, Alimosho local government, Lagos. The gifted singer discovered his love for music at an early stage of his life. He recorded his first song at the age of 13. He released his first official single titled “Whine” on February 12, 2021 and the song has been getting a lot of buzz. It has so far been well-accepted by music listeners. Spy is confident in his music because of how relatable his songs are. He has worked with some acts including Buju, Victor AD, and many others. He is inspired by prominent artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Tems.
For this 49th Exclusive, he sits with Taiwo to talk about his musical inspirations and where he hopes to go from the release of his debut EP.
Spy, let’s start from here. Who is Spy Shitta? Just give us a brief or not-so-brief introduction of who you are and your person?
Spy Shitta is that young boy, grew up in Lagos, raised in Abeson estate, with the dream of making music and pursuing his dreams till it gets to the point that he knows he has achieved what he has been dreaming about for all these years. A young boy filled with so much drive for music, so much energy, a story to tell the world to define who he really is and make them understand his journey, his race. So that’s the introduction on who Spy Shitta is.
That’s nice to hear. So I’m curious, where did your name come from? Where did the inspiration for your name come from?
Lol. That’s funny because it was not planned. I actually used to be a spy kid in secondary school because I remember when I was in JSS3, we were like three who used to make music in class, that we even got like a bad name for it because everyone hated us for it especially the school authorities. So we figured out the plan that okay during break time, when break time is over that I’d be the one to go and check the staffroom for the next teacher that we’re having. I basically used to go spy on those teachers in the staffroom and so they started calling me spy kid from then
And in the long run, it became very popular when I was in SS3. I think I dropped a song when I was in school that year and it became very popular in school and everyone started calling me spy kid. Then after a while I had to take off the “kid” and add my surname there because I just wanted it to feel special so that’s why I added Shitta to it and made it Spy Shitta
Alright, that’s interesting. Every musician, they have their story of how they came up. Some started singing in church, some were in boy bands and all of that. So how did you find music? Were you a fan of music growing up? Did you start making music at 3 years old like some people claim? How did music come to you?
For me, honestly speaking, I think rver since I was seven, I found out that whenever they play music videos on TV, I just start singing along to it. This was before I even knew I wanted to be doing my own music and writing my own songs. All the songs that were playing on music back then when I was like, 7, 8 years old, I sing along to them and it got to a point where I pick up a pen and a paper and I start writing down the lyrics of the songs they played on TV
So gradually I just knew that I was falling in love with music and everything that concerns it until I was like 13. 13 was the first time I actually wrote my own song on an instrumental online, then I recorded it in a studio for the first time.
So I think when I knew I was going to do music was when I was 12 but when I was 13 was when I wrote my first song and recorded it and I was like, I think this is what I’m destined to do, this is what I was chasing to do. And ever since then, I just kept following my dream
Yeah, the first song on the EP is Thankful yes?
Yes
Okay. I listened to that and there was this line where you talked about your mum insisting that you go to uni. So I just want to ask, was there like a tussle between you and your fam about you doing music or you going to school?
Lol. You see that tussle? That’s actually my true-life story. Initially, after I discovered that I could make music, I didn’t want to go to school. I wanted to just do what I wanted to do. But my mum was very very not in support of it. She knew that I wanted to do music and she was okay with me doing music but she was like, if you’re going to do this music, you have to go to school first. And I guess I just had to listen to her
That’s nice to hear. Growing up, who were the people you listened to, the people that inspired you to make music and the kind of music that you make now
They were just 3 basically; that is Wande Coal, Wizkid and 9ice. Wande Coal greatly influenced my sound and I remember I used to write out the lyrics for almost their songs and sing along with them until I started singing without the lyrics and then I started singing like I wrote the song. So those 3 artists; 9ice, Wizkid and Wande Coal, greatly influenced my sound and inspired me to start making my own music
What do you describe your music as? Do you have like a specific genre you call your music?
Okay. I think me picking a name for my like of music is like me limiting myself, so I don’t know about any other person or any type of person but I just feel like I can make any type of music so I don’t think there’s a word that can describe my music, describe my sound. It’s just beautiful and special on its own
Alright. I’m curious, did you start as a rapper?
Rapper? Lol. No
Okay. Because it seems like these days, everybody starts as a rapper
Lol. I’m not a rapper and I don’t think I know how to rap
Okay. So I think we’re done with getting to know all about you and your origin. So let’s talk about your EP. That was a long time in the making yeah? So how did that come about?
Funny enough, most of all the songs in my EP were recorded like, late 2020 and early 2021, and that’s how long I’ve been recording. I can remember after I dropped my first official single, that’s Whine, I wasn’t really paying attention to promoting it. I was just like, okay, this is the time to start recording more songs. Because I wasn’t really familiar with the industry and how it works, I just knew that it was time for me to start recording and documenting my story through music. So the whole of 2021, I would say was for recording music
Alright. Do you have anything else to add?
Concerning my EP?
Yeah. Like what was the inspiration?
The inspiration for my EP was just basically that I’m a very soft person, filled with so much love
So you’re not a hard guy?
Lol. No I’m not. So I think love as a whole really played a very vital role while I was making the EP. I was just trying to express love as much as I could. So it wasn’t really difficult for me, I mean I knew I could make music but, I had to express so much love and also let people know who Spy Shitta is. Like I’m telling my story and expressing love, all together, with the project. Because I know the project has actually been a long awaited one. I remember we kept on shifting the release date, going back and forth, too many challenges that we faces as at that time and I’m grateful to God that I was able to drop it for everybody to dive in.
So yes, I enjoyed working on Spy Shitta: The EP, and like I always say, I call it “The statement Project” because this is the project I feel like the world would be able to recognise my sound with and get to know my story. So yes
You keep mentioning story. So you were saying that this the new EP, it’s your origin story?
Yeah. My track one that is actually my trailer story
Okay. What was the rationale behind the name, your name? “Spy Shitta: The EP”
Being that this is my debut project, I just wanted to introduce myself to the world with this project. I want them to be so familiar with my name and everything that concerns me you know, so it was like me introducing myself to the world in general, like this is who I am, this is my sound, this is what I look to achieve and this is what I have planned for myself in a few years to come, so it’s just like an introduction all in all. I think that answers your question
Yes, yes it does. Spy, permit me to deviate a bit, but you give me the energy of this cool, calm and laid-back person. Am I right?
Yeah you’re right, because I don’t even like trouble, lol
Yeah exactly, trouble. So I’m wondering how to cope in the kind of music industry that we have over here, with the competition and everything else
I can’t even lie, sometimes the pressure sets in, but still, when you know what you want, you won’t really let negativity get to you. I would be lying if I said that sometimes I don’t fear the pressure, I do, but then I remember that I was chosen to do what I do for a reason so I might feel the pressure sometimes but I don’t let it slow me down in any way. So I just feel like whatever the issues or challenges might be, I’m always going to overcome them because I believe that God is never going to give you something you can’t handle. So yeah, that’s my take on it
That’s nice to hear. What was the creative process like on this project? The recording, writing, take us through that.
I’m this one artist that likes to my beats and go and write on it. I don’t really like people being in the studio when I’m recording because I feel like if I want to do something I do and then probably when I’m done, I can now take corrections like, “Oh you should’ve done it in so and so way”, that makes more sense. I feel like when I’m around people and I’m trying to create, one or two things that they say try to distract me from try to create too. I take all my bits, I write on it completely and I come back to the studio to record in less than 30 minutes and I’m done. That’s my process in recording and making music
And in other way, some other times, I’d just be in the studio vibing to record the vibes later, because I don’t like to rush my songs. I wouldn’t call myself a perfectionist but I love my songs to be done correctly. I don’t want any commas, so I take my time when I’m writing. I don’t rush into it because I always want it to be the best.
So, that’s my creative process
So you worked with Osadebe and some others?
I worked with Osadebe, I worked with Blaze beats, I worked with my Inner producers, Sugar Sounds and I worked YBNL producers. So these are the four producers I worked with on my project
What was that like?
I mean, such an amazing experience I wouldn’t even lie. I enjoyed every moment, it counts because I learnt a lot. I didn’t even see it as hard work or anything, I saw if as me enjoying myself because when I’m making music, I basically enjoy myself. I remember when I was making Kolobi, it didn’t even feel like I was recording a song. It just felt like I was having fun, and if my work makes me feel like this, then I know that I am probably on the right step
So you’re saying that there’s no pressure on your side as regards to the music?
No. Probably outside the industry, the whole caucus that I chose not to always think about
Yeah, I understand. What’s your favourite song on the EP?
Migraine. I connect to that song so well. It’s my favourite
So what was it like working with Olamide?
Okay see, that was an experience that I didn’t even see coming. I was returning from a show in OAU, I had gone to perform Whine, and I was on the highland already just going back to my house, and then his message just popped on my phone like, “Where are you?”, and I told him I was on my way home and he said I should pull up to the studio. He didn’t even know I stayed close to him. So when he knew, he just told me to come to the house. I still didn’t know what to expect but I just dropped everything that I travelled back with, I didn’t waste time and I just went to his house.
Then we got talking for like an hour, just rubbing minds, and he was like, let’s just go to the studio and see what we can do. He even suggested it and I never asked Baddo for once for like, a verse or anything. I just respect his personality.
So he was in the studio and the producer was just playing around with the beat and I was already into it. You know I said it earlier, that I’m that artist that likes to take my beat home and when Olamide saw that I was like leaning to it already, he was like I should go and record and me I was already feeling pressure that I’m beside Baddo and everything. I now told him that I wanted to take the beat home but he was like, I should just do what I can do and just do anything.
And that’s how I just started recording Kolobi, and Baddo was so surprised I could come up with something like that, especially when I started whistling on the beat. He had actually actually tested me March, 2021 and this was around the time I dropped my first single, Whine, because he wanted to sign me to YBNL but I was already signed to my label. And even after then, he wanted us to do a collaboration but he wanted to buy me off my label but my label was like, it’s better they let us do a collaboration. They want to just let me go to YBNL that way. And Baddo said he doesn’t care whether they want a collaboration or not, he’s still going to support everything I do.
Fast forward to October, he called me, we recorded Kolobi, dropped it, shot the video and did everything by himself. Like I didn’t even pay for it and it feels like something to be grateful for. My journey is just something to be grateful for altogether, and I know that this is just my starting point, because people are just starting to discover my sound and there are better things ahead, better days ahead, more songs to be made, more albums to be made, more videos to be shot. I just know that I’ll keep going forward because I just feel it and I feel good about it and I feel grateful too
I can sense this confidence oozing from what you say. Like you believe so much in your talent and that is major key
Of course. I mean if I don’t believe so much in my talent, how do I convince people to believe in my talent?
Yeah, exactly. So you worked with Baddo, which is one of the Pinnacles of the music industry. Who else are you looking to work with?
I’ve actually worked with a lot of people. They just haven’t dropped the record
Oh okay
Yeah. So probably before the end of the year more collaborations would pop up. Or next year, I’m not sure of when they want to drop
So you’re not going to give us names?
Lol, no, I can’t disclose that
Can you imagine?
Lol. I don’t want any issues
Don’t worry, we won’t tell anybody
I’ve done a couple of collaborations, I’m still open to do more. I still got messages yesterday to work with some people in the industry so I know that yeah, more collaborations are going to come. And I’m always done to work any time and like I told you earlier, I have fun when I’m working so yeah, more good thing to come, by god’s grace
So you’re not even going to give us a little snippet, a whisper. I promise we’re not going to tell anybody.
If it was my record, I probably would disclose it but since it’s not mine, I have to abide by the rules of the game
Alright. So do you consume a lot of music apart from your music?
Of course.
Okay. So this is a question I like asking people. So which song have you heard that you were like, “darn I wish I wrote that”. Is there a song like that?
Oh. Yeah, there are a couple of songs like that, but I’m trying to remember because I know there’s a list of that. Fine China by Chris Brown. I wish I wrote that song. The connection I have with that song is just so much that I can’t even use words to express myself or explain the situation
And Ojuelegba by Wizkid. I wish I wrote that record because that record? Oh God. Very good
We understand, don’t worry, we understand. So there’s no Wande Coal song?
Ah. Thank you for reminding me. I even kind of sampled a Wande Coal song in my track too.
I’m really looking forward to a collab with you and Wande
I am too. And I know that that day is going to come because I know that whatever I want, I always get it, even if it’s so long. So at least, I look forward to that day
You’re so real. Okay, last question, what next should we expect from Spy Shitta?
You know, in life, we can’t really predict the future. All I can say for now is more work to be done, more records to be released, more videos to be shot and just me pushing my culture because I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I wake and feel ready to move forward and keep preaching my gospel to the world. So yeah, just more work
We look forward to it. So Spy, if you had to pick 3 artists to work with, Home and Abroad, who would they be?
I like Chris Brown, I like him a lot. Rema is my new school favourite, so I’d love to work with him too. Who else? I’d love to work with Wizkid; he would be my first choice. So yeah, those three.
That’s cool. Is there anything else you want to add or anything more you want to say?
I just want the whole world to know that I’m just getting started and I still have a lot of stories to tell. I still have a lot of songs that are recorded and that are not even released so it’s just like a beginning stage for me. So I just want you guys to expect a whole lot more from Spy Shitta. So yeah, that’s it from me for now
So I think that’s it. It was really nice doing this with you. We’re rooting for you
Yeah it was really nice for me too. Thank you so much. I appreciate
