There is an aura of riveting concentration as KCee speaks. The room fills with captivating attentiveness, as we are journeying through the timelines of his life. He speaks with an assured confidence, vividly recounting key moments in his life and career. With a humble excitement which I found quite intriguing, his recollection from pivotal moments in his life cannot help but pull you deeper into his world, making his past feel as vivid as his present.
Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo, popularly known as KCee is a man who has consistently redefined himself, cementing his status as one of Nigeria’s most versatile and enduring artists. From his early beginnings as one half of the iconic duo, KC Presh where his talent was first discovered in a talent show to his rise to fame as a cultural icon with classics such as “Limpopo” “Pull Over” featuring Wizkid and finally a bold art of experimentation birthed in his latest album. “Mr Versatile”. KCee has continued this tradition of captivating the attention of his listeners.
His latest album, “Mr Vesatile” is a rich 20-track exploration that successfully blends modern pop with traditional African sounds, demonstrating his knack for audacious experimentation and a strong connection to his roots. Whether it’s exposing the world to Ojapiano or his ever-evolving Afro-fusion, his influence spans generations, further stamping his position of relevancy in the industry. “Mr Versatile” represents a tale of an artist who will never stop creating and continue to push the boundaries of art.
In this latest interview, KCee and I connected on his latest creation, sonic experimentation, relevancy, the inspiration that is “Ojapiano” and finally a quest to conquering music on a global scale.
Congratulations on the release of the new project. How has the journey been leading to this moment?
First of all, I will say great and excited to still being able to do music actively. It has not been easy but it has been sweet at the same time. I am excited. There has been a lot of ups and downs, lectures, learning process and greatness in the journey. That’s what led me to the point of calling the project, “Mr Vesatile”. This is actually because of the whole journey and experiences gathered. I am excited doing all that I am doing now.
Your album, “Mr Versatile” is quite interesting as it suggests versatility. Can you share the inspiration behind the title? What was the creative process like?
I wouldn’t want to say stressful because it’s what I love to do. But it took a lot of work especially with the fact that I wanted the title to reflect the project. Because I conceived the title first which later also shaped the album. I made sure people had to feel more of me. If you noticed, I did not put too many collaborations in the project. It was intentional. This is twenty-five years of me in the industry. Most people didn’t know I am that versatile. The process of selecting producers was difficult because I am close to a lot of them . I also had a lot of songs recorded so the process of streamlining the songs and selecting them made making the album was a tough one. I had people like Skiibii , Teni and Oxlade who came to support me. Shout out to the wonderful producers as well. It was a beautiful and stressful project but the stress is not what I talk about because i love it. You can’t talk about success without pain. There are benefits in every pain. It was a whole lot of sleepless nights and travels. Looking back at it, I am excited to put out a body of work like that.
Your new album, “Mr Versatile” clearly showcases your evolution. How do you maintain that core sound while also integrating new elements?
My background is music. My father was a DJ so I grew up listening to different genres which really helped me understand music and sound more. Twenty-five years in the industry, I do not want to be dragging floor with Gen Z’s but the ability to fit in and match up to them was necessary for me. I try to carry everyone along. It was the consciousness and flair of me being versatile which made me blend a lot of them together. I did not want to lose the original Kcee while also bringing new elements.
Growing up in the industry while making big records like “Pull over” and Limpopo. My kids were fairly young. They were around the age of one-two years old. Now that they are a bit older. They are thirteen to fourteen years of age. They listen to Rema and Oxlade. I always wondered how to connect with them. I am happy I was able to achieve that. They vibe to my songs along with their friends. That gave me a sort of contentment and fulfilment. I know that I am not giving up anytime soon.
You scored a massive hit last year with Ojapiano, what was the thought process for making that song and how did you feel seeing people resonate with your culture like that?
Ojapiano is a blessing to me. It was not a fluke. It’s something that I have dwelling on to achieve. I tried it with different producers but it did not work till I achieved it with the producer, JaySynths. In 2017, I started thinking of exporting the cultural sound to the global scale. Through the grace of God. I was able to think of that Oja sound. When I did cultural praise, it was just local instruments without that urban sound. I was thinking how to take it further. When Oja happened, I got excited and fulfilled. It worked globally as One Republic reached out to me. I am not stopping there. I have a lot coming soon. I have this saying where if you think it, you can achieve it.
You had a feature with One Republic. how did that come about and what has the impact been?
I was in Houston on tour last year after ojapiano. Everybody wanted to have me. The song came out in June. Everyone wanted to see the man behind the sound. I saw a DM from One Republic and could not believe it. They wanted to do an English version to the sound. I called my team and responded back to them. I came to Los Angeles where we worked at the studio and the rest is history. I did something for Diplo with the same sound and another DJ which would be coming later soon. I also did an Indian version as well which will be coming soon. A lot of collaborations are happening in the future.
How would you say Afrobeats has evolved in your last two decades in the industry?
It’s mind blowing and exciting. I remember when I went to the grammys eleven years ago when we watched Kendrick Lamar perform. Fast forward to now, seeing Burna perform and Davido getting nominated is amazing. This just showed me that Afrobeats artists both present and before have contributed their quota. The credit is not going to one generation. There is a huge groundbreaking record which is happening. At the end of the day, this is a huge success to Nigeria and Africa. We, the key players and frontrunners should not be selfish and understand that we still need to project ourselves and Africa. Big Congratulations to everyone that has contributed to it from media, djs, music directors and so many more.
Have there been any challenges so far in your career and how have you navigated them so far?
There are a lot of challenges in everything you do in life. One thing that has kept me going is the confidence and belief I have in myself. The discouragement, challenges and downtime will always be there but your ability to stand strong and keep pushing makes you successful. I have been able to find it in all my twenty five years.
My ability to prove people wrong and come out strong has been historic and mind-blowing. I salute myself to tenacity, confidence and encouragement which goes to me as I know what I do to stay strong. A lot of people write negative comments but those things have trained me. It has been tough in the game but where I am standing is way better than when I started.
How do you manage to stay in touch with the new generation of African artists?
It’s a skill but also humilty. You have to humble yourself to fit in. You also need to understand every generation and blend into it. I know how to blend in and in the next ten years, I know that I will still blend in. When I meet the younger ones. I don’t come with intimidation or trying to elevate myself. I come with the attitude to learn from them. Each time, they also hear my side and want to hear my journey. It’s a give and take situation. The ability to fit into them is necessary.
What do you think about the current state of the industry?
We are successful and going higher. This is not the bus stop. There is still so much more for us to achieve. It looks like we have gotten to the height but we just need to keep going. There is nothing more than to just sustain the momentum and open more doors that has not been opened.
You have worked with a good number of artists. Is there anyone that Kcee would still love to collaborate with?
There is a whole lot of them. Rema, Omah lay, Wande Coal. I am hungry to do something wth Wande. The list is endless. For me, I need to feel your energy and feel like doing something with you. There is a whole lot of them. As time goes on, we will continue to do that.
What advice would you give to the new generation of artists?
Stay original and real to yourself. Some come without the right intentions. Define your sound which will make you stand out quickly, make your mark quickly and win quickly. The places you know that you are weak in , put your energy and work on yourself. Learn more. These are stuff I did. Build your weakness and strengths to attain your spot in the industry. The sky is big for all of us.
Is there anything we should expect from KCee?
I just dropped an album. I will also still drop an EP before the end of the year. People should keep their eyes on me and whatever they see from me, they should enjoy.
