MM Exclusive: Mr Eazi

Words by Ralph Okobz

Kitted in a white singlet in an undisclosed location in Iceland and wearing a large transparent pair of glasses, Mr Eazi joins our Zoom call and greets me with a smile. You could see he is still basking in the euphoria of tying the knot with his heartthrob, Temi Ajigbade fka Temi Otedola.

Born Oluwatosin Ajibade in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and raised in a musical household, the artist, entrepreneur, and now-husband is a man of many dimensions. His journey from a keyboard-playing choir boy to a global music icon and founder of Empawa Africa, reads like a melody, each note building on the last. In this in-depth and revealing chat, Mr Eazi opens up about his roots, his creative process, his love story with Temi Otedola Ajibade, and his unrelenting drive to empower the next generation of African talent.

Mr Eazi’s story begins in a home alive with sound. “Church, being around music at home, we dey do Bible study every day, you feel me,” he recalls with a nostalgic grin. Mornings were filled with singing, a ritual that shaped his ear for melody. Joining the church choir was a natural progression, but the defining moment came at age seven. After topping his class, his father gifted him a keyboard, a reward that sparked a lifelong love affair with music. “Learning to play the keyboard was the real defining moment, bringing everything together,” he says. That keyboard wasn’t just an instrument, it was the foundation of a career that would blend Afrobeat, Highlife, and global influences into a sound uniquely his own. I jokingly referred to it as ‘Banku Music’.

Songs like ‘Skin Tight’ and ‘Pour Me Water’ have become anthems, their infectious rhythms igniting dance floors across Africa. A quick update I had before the call was that the former just clocked 10 years since its release. Reflecting on ‘Skin Tight’s 10th anniversary, Mr Eazi marvels, “Gee! Wow! Has it been 10 years already?” His relationship with his past work has evolved. Once driven by a forward-only mindset, he now embraces his catalogue with gratitude. “Before my last tour, I didn’t even wanna perform old songs, but now I’m grateful for it,” he admits.

This shift in perspective has influenced his latest project, ‘Maison Rouge’, recorded two years ago with producers P-Prime and E-Kelly. Unlike his debut album, ‘The Evil Genius’, which he moved on from swiftly after its release, Mr Eazi is savoring this moment. “I’m enjoying playing around with ‘Casanova’” he says, referencing a track he’s been sharing on TikTok and in his personal space. “I’m just enjoying every moment.”

Beyond his artistry, Mr Eazi is a visionary giving back to the continent that shaped him. Through Empawa Africa, his platform for nurturing young African talent, he’s changing lives. The recent appointment of Millar Williams, former Senior Vice President at Cobalt, to lead Empawa’s publishing arm signals big moves ahead. “We’re just announcing that today,” he shares with excitement. Among the talents he’s championing is Oshamo, an Empawa signee whose energy and music have Mr Eazi buzzing. Outside the label, he’s a fan of FOLA, whose verse on a Wizkid collaboration caught his ear on Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday’. “I was cutting my hair, chit-chatting, and I just heard FOLA’s verse, and I was like, ‘Wtf! What is this!’” he recounts, laughing. He’s also intrigued by Africaine, a rising female artist he discovered the same day. “The sky is the limit for these guys,” he says.

Mr Eazi’s ability to juggle music, business, and now married life stems from an admitted short attention span. “I’m reading three books at the same time,” he confesses, holding up ‘The Shortest History of the Soviet Union’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick, ‘Making It Big’ by Femi Otedola, and ‘A History of Nigeria Before Colonialism’. This restlessness fuels his versatility. “When I get bored with one thing, I move to another,” he explains. I jokingly brought it to his attention that ‘Making It Big’ was the famous gift given to him by his father-in-law at his just-concluded wedding. From 2016 to 2019, he focused solely on music, a rare period of singularity that drove him “nuts.” Now, he thrives on multiplicity, seamlessly blending his creative and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Mr Eazi’s recent wedding to Temi Otedola Ajibade, daughter of Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola, was a celebration of love and elegance across three locations: Monaco, a private family gathering, and Iceland. Each held special significance. “Monaco was lovely because it was just us,” he shares, cherishing the intimacy of the moment. The family ceremony and the final church event in Iceland, a place he’s visited twice yearly since 2021, felt like a homecoming. “In Iceland, I can wear the same T-shirt and trousers for 15 days and not change,” he laughs while pointing to himself and his hair, relishing the opportunity to be relatively unknown in a yet-to-be-conquered territory. Reykjavík and Deplar Farms, a northern retreat with a studio, are his sanctuaries. He’s already planning a return with producers to create new music in the “cold vibe” of the north.

Temi Otedola, now Temi Ajibade, is more than a partner; she’s a creative collaborator. “She’s one of the reasons I’m on TikTok now,” Mr Eazi reveals. Her encouragement, “If you wanna do it, just go and do it,” has pushed him to embrace new platforms. From video treatments to creative decisions, Temi’s influence is woven into his work, making their partnership a cornerstone of his success.

As Afrobeat continues its global ascent, Mr Eazi sees limitless potential. “Anybody that can have a hit song in Naija can be the next big thing in the world,” he declares. He’s tight-lipped about specific names, insisting that talent is abundant. “There’s no limit. I was joking with my friend, if by mistake I get one [another hit song], eiii my God, people go cry!” he says, laughing. His recent collaboration with Bad Bunny and his dream of working with John Legend, whose performance at his wedding left him in awe, hint at his global ambitions. “Watching John Legend perform, I was like, ‘Omo, musicians dey o. This one na musician,’” he says, distinguishing between “vibes men” and artists who embody music itself, like Legend and Chronixx.

With ‘Maison Rouge’ on the horizon, Mr Eazi is in no rush. He’s planning a tour next May, eager to reconnect with fans and revive his iconic call-and-response: “When I say life is Eazi, you say Zaga Dat!” He’s also excited about Empawa’s new Lagos office, which will house a producers-in-residence program, fostering collaboration and creativity. Most of all, he’s thrilled about his new chapter as a husband. “The responsibility that comes with that has got me excited,” he says.

For Mr Eazi clearing rumors or gossip isn’t a set standard, “My brother, any misconception anybody has, it’s fine. You know if you wanna clear misconceptions e no go end. Every day, every minute, I dey see different news. My

mum used to tell me, “Why are you not responding to this one?” He goes on to emphasise the importance he has placed on his private matters, “I won’t trade privacy for anything, and I won’t trade the fame for anything, I love it all, and the ones we can control we’ll try to control, the ones that are out of our control, that’s how it’s meant to be.”

From Port Harcourt to the world stage, Mr Eazi’s journey is a testament to the power of versatility, vision, and love. Whether he’s crafting hits, uplifting new talent, or building a life with Temi, one thing is clear, Mr Eazi is living life “ Zaga Dat” and the world is dancing to his beat.