A name right now popping-up often on twitter timelines is Whoisakin. Recently, the later 2000’s has seen the Nigerian music scene provide a slightly better environment for young talented acts to breakout into the limelight big time, especially if the music’s quality is glaringly apparent. Acts like Fireboy, Joeboy, Oxlade and Terri have all enjoyed recent stardom and recognition, with the industry seemingly ready for newer faces and even newer sounds. Announcing himself formally with his debut EP “Full Moon Weekends”, a project that has surprisingly been on everyone’s lips and playlists, including Mr. Eazi and there’s a reason why.
The 49th street talked to Whoisaskin about the present success his new EP “Full Moon Weekends” is enjoying. The process that went into making his debut project, his PR strategy as an artist, inspirations from Wani, Gabzy and obviously, the big co-sign from Mr. Eazi, his life outside music and personal inspirations. Whoisakin is regarded as a hot prospect in the Nigerian industry and a first listen into his debut EP will tell you exactly why he commands this attention.
49th Street: Tell us a bit about yourself. How many siblings you have. Something completely random about you. Hobbies away from music?
WhoisAkin: My name is Akinola Akin and I’m from Lagos, Nigeria. I grew up in a family of two kids and I’m the youngest, so I spent most of my childhood alone at home. But yeah I play video games and watch drum covers and drum videos trying to learn new techs and rudiments all the time so I can flex when in church.
49th Street: Were you always involved in music or it slowly grew on you after some time? When exactly did you get into music?
WhoisAkin: I was just always in a music environment from my house to church but never really thought about making music at the time because I know I can’t like sing sing. I don’t know if you get? But 2016 Mr. Eazi inspired me to start making music because he made it sound so easy! That sound was a game changer. I got into music proper 2018 but prior to that I’ve been recording with my guys and playing around. All vibes.
49th Street: How did the inspiration and concept behind Full Moon Weekends come about?
WhoisAkin: Full moon weekends? Hmm, I’ve always been nocturnal and love everything that has to do with the night. So yeah I’ve always wanted to make a tape that depicts that. I’m talking long ass late night drives with no real destination, just vibes. It’s what I had in mind when I recorded the first song of the project “Magic” sometime around March/April 2019. At the time, I had no name for the project so I just left the song on my drive till I saw some tweet on Twitter, can’t remember the exact words, but it was about “full moon weekends” and I just knew that has to be the name of my project! So, I just put it down in my note and then with every song I made from then I had the full moon weekends type feels in mind.
49th Street: The name “Whoisakin” is unusual. What is the story behind the name?
WhoisAkin: Whoisakin? I be lowkey guy sha so yeah, but I got the name from the aristocrat guys at that time “ozone and mojeed”. I was their biggest fan and I’ve rinsed superiority complex and westernised West African so much that I know every song word for word! So, I had to change my handle on twitter from something, I can’t actually remember to “whoisakin” on social media because theirs too were whoismojeed and whoisozone and that’s it. And it fits my personality so I just loved it. Makes sense.
49th Street: Growing up as a kid which artists did you enjoy listening to that now directly influence the music you create?
WhoisAkin; Growing up as a kid it was basically Christian music o, because of my family. However, in high school I started listening to Wayne, Drake, D’banj and lots of them. All kinds of music but I was way deep into the 2000’s rnb vibes because there’s this feel I get from them that I don’t get from anything else! I rinsed Craig David’s born to win like mad! Usher, Next, Dru hills 702 and the likes.
49th Street: Which song did you personally love creating the most on the EP? Tell us a little about that process
WhoisAkin: Space was probably my favorite because it came from a deeper place than the others. Relationship issues and all that nonsense that comes with it. Stay away from Scorpio babes! They are bad vibes, but yeah after the situation I recorded the song months after because my roommate at the time in school also had similar issues with his ex and we were talking random he told me, so I just thought I’ll make it a song about it and I did. The moment we came home for December break at the time on my bed.
49th Street: Collaboration in music is beautiful when done right. Are we going to see you on more features in the near future?
WhoisAkin: Yeah definitely would love to collaborate with a lot of guys I look up to, but I’m not really about that right now. When the time comes, everything will happen organically
49th Street: Currently which young artists popping off do you enjoy listening to?
WhoisAkin: Omo my faves are all the newest rnb guys! Arin Ray, Lucky Daye, Brent Faiyaz, Xavier Omar, Kyle Dion, Ryan Trey and the likes and in Afrobeats, Don Eazi, Gabzy, Jilex Anderson, Wani, Kly and Tomi Thomas mostly. They all have the rnb touch that is different.
49th Street: As a young Nigerian artiste, what has been your biggest challenge so far?
WhoisAkin: There’s a whole lot of challenges. No one is really ready to help anyone these days, so you got to know how to ride for yourself better. I think it’s additional advantage if an artist can produce and also know how to engineer his own music because the money that goes into that alone is crazy! Because no one’s going to listen to a song with shit quality and also finding a good distro than can also help with playlisting and all that so it makes things easy for you. I didn’t have all this at the time I dropped my project so it was super difficult but God knows best. It’s all good now though.
49th Street: How did you feel about the Mr. Eazi co-sign and the props from some of the biggest industry heads?
WhoisAkin: The love I been getting from top music heads been overwhelming! Appreciate all of them
49th Street: Your PR strategy seems immaculate, as you are able to reach a lot of ears outside the country as well, what would you say is the major part of this strategy?
WhoisAkin: Prior to the project I had no PR strategy, till now I don’t know how everything happened. It was just God, because I know I only told my friends a day before the drop that I’m dropping a project tomorrow and they always feel like I’m too fucking unserious, but they took it up like it was their project when it dropped! Big up FootyHq! Artistes better hit them up for PR! They went crazy for me and that was it.
LISTEN TO FULL MOON WEEKENDS EP HERE:
