Barely a year after the release of his fourth studio album ‘Something To Live For,’ multi-talented Nigerian rapper, music producer and singer, Phyno, has revealed plans to release a new album and embark on global tours in 2023.
Phyno, real name Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike, revealed this in an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER in Abia.
The rapper told this website that 2023 will be “a great year” both for him and his fans as he has been working tirelessly on new materials he plans to bring out in the new year.
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Renowned for rapping in Igbo language, the 36-year-old already has four studio albums to his name, including ‘No Guts No Glory (2014),’ ‘The Playmaker (2016),’ ‘Deal With It (2019),’ and ‘Something To Live For (2021)’.
“Definitely I will be dropping an album and I have been in the studio with a couple of singles and an album, then a lot of touring and definitely know it’s going to be a great year,” Phyno told THE WHISTLER while keeping the title of the new album to his chest.
When Phyno ventured into the Nigerian music industry in 2003, he began as a producer and subsequently released his first album ‘No Guts No Glory’ in 2014.
He instantly became a household name after singles from the album such as “Ghost Mode”, “Man of the Year”, “Parcel” and “O Set” became hits.
The singer revealed that he was inspired by high life legends like the late Chief Osita Osadebe, Olive De Coque, Morocco Mmaduka and indigenous rap icons such as Nigga Raw and Mc Loaf.
Phyno further told THE WHISTLER that he plans to remain original and stick to his style of music and uniqueness that separate him from other artistes.
“I’m there, they know me, they know my sound, that’s it. I think I have been consistent for the past 9 years and I’m still doing what I know how to do. People know me, people know what I sound like, people know the sound I will always bring at the end of the day. I sell culture, I represent my people not because I can’t do music any other way but I feel I have to always bring something to the table and of which I already have a large fan base of people that appreciate what I represent and stand for, and will always make them happy. So, that’s what music is about.
“I just want to sell something, it’s not even about the future. As long as it brings joy to the people, I’m doing it in the moment and hoping it grows. But to aim to be the guy that does this future…I mean, at the end of the day, that’s not what music is about, it’s a calling and I am enjoying it now and I hope I inspire people that will carry on just the same way that people that were there before me inspired me a whole lot. I listen to highlife music from late Chief Osita Osadebe, Olive De Coque, that’s highlife, they did what they were supposed to do. From Morocco Mmaduka, hip icons like Nigga Raw, Mc Loaf, these are people that inspired me.
“I just want to inspire people that will keep carrying on and not putting up the future because I am not even the future, the future are ones that have not even started music right now.”
Phyno’s forthcoming album will be released under his Penthauze Music record label and is expected to feature collaborations from Tekno, among others.
“We (phyno and Tekno) are brothers for one then number two, if I have artist I like and that I am a fan of, I always try making music with them over and over again. I make more music with Flavor, I make more music with Olamide, that’s chemistry.
“I do that with a couple of people, so, they fell into that bracket of talented people that I am a fan of, that’s probably why,” he added.