To El Prince, music is more. It is more than a craft, or a profession. It is a bolt for freedom, a means of communication with self and the rest of the world.
El Prince, the Nigerian singer-songwriter born Prince Adieze and the November cover of Pulse Nigeria's Future Sounds playlist, discusses how he discovered music and the journey thus far in an interview.
How it started:
El Prince began his journey to the world as an independent artist in 2016, after splitting from his record label, All Star Entertainment. El, the Spanish word for 'the,' simply refers to him as 'the prince.' As a young boy, he was inspired by the likes of Daddy Showkey, Baby Fryo, and Daddy Fresh, who hired him to dance at their street shows.
Before then, he had formed an all-boys band called 'The Davids' with four of his friends. The band assisted him in developing his vocals as well as songwriting as an acapella group.
In 2016, his friends and family urged him not to sit on the fence and to jump in with both feet. "It wouldn't be bad to come out and be the actual voice behind the pen," they advised him, having been the pen behind so many hit songs in the country as a ghost writer.
The Pandemic and Bust My Brain
During the 2019/2020 pandemic, El Prince discovered a better version of himself. He had more time to make music and sat in his studio all through. In his words, "You know, because from 2019, we fell into the pandemic, you know, so. And the same way I'm sitting in here is the same where I sat down all through the pandemic. And all I did was create, create and create. Like I said at the beginning, this is my studio. I have my guitar is like this, This is my microphone. So I lock myself in here and all I do is tighten up my lines and, you know, I'm like decks in the lab. So yeah."
El Prince emerged from the shadows as a ghostwriter in 2019 to launch his career. His first single, 'Sista,' is based on a true story about two sisters disturbing the compound by trashing a misunderstanding in one of the mornings that affected El Prince's peace in his apartment.
"Funny story. I used to live in our corporative state, so one morning, you know, like when you leave in those face my face, you kind of apartment where people get to park their cars in front of you and all of that. So there was these two girls, two hot girls, you know, in the compound, and somehow the one was blocking the other and the other one needed to go to work in the morning, but the other couldn't break off to come take a car outside. So there was a fight and I heard the sound of stairs. I was like, Yo, man, I got to go downstairs and try to put that out. So I went downstairs. And it was just me and them. So, you know, it's it's quite early. And, you know, I don't think they were putting on bras, so boobies were just bouncing around. And I'm trying to separate two people, you know, And I'm like. It was I was in a situation, you know, something like your sister," he narrates.
"So I went upstairs. I came across that beat because I always go to you to YouTube, to listen to online beats and stuff. So I heard that, like, you know what? I want to write something about what just happened in the compound. So it's quite early. So like, good morning. Good morning to you. Don't cause problem for my company, do I say negative? I say make, you know. So that was where the whole hook thing came up. So yeah. And the boss is just me being text and all that," he added.
Talking about the 'Bust My Brain' project, El Prince says he was more invested in showcasing his talents. His songwriting, melodies and experiences.
"I wanted to tell the story. I wanted people to know that I could write and I could be flexible with any kind of instrumental. Afro swing. You know, you can't you can't really call the first track on that EP an Afro beat, you know. But, Sister, I tried doing the right thing. I'm making sure I have my detailing when it comes to storytelling on point," he said.
He went on to describe how he obtained a Masterkraft beat for 'Sha,' an instrumental that Wizkid desperately desired.
"Then I actually have masterkraft on that project. He produced a song in there called 'Sha.' You know, and I could remember how Wizkid wanted that beat. You know, a lot of people wanted that beat. But. Like I said, sometimes I just get so lucky. I don't even know what to say. You know these things happen."
Green Vibe
In 2021, El Prince dropped his sophomore project. He captured the infamous Lekki Toll Gate incident in 'God No Go Shame Us' a song off the 'Green Vibe' project featuring Mayorkun and Masterkraft released in 2021.
"Green vibe is the Naija energy. That resilence! Green vibes is all about when they cut you down, you regerminate" he said while explaining the idea behind the project.
When asked how he got a feature with Mayorkun, he recalls meeting Davido in 2012 during a video shoot he was a part of. Later in Zaria, he met Mayorkun at the Trace In The City show, which led to a collaboration with the help of Peruzzi, who was already a friend of his before joining the DMW.
The Reality
El Prince is currently poised to take over. His art has reflected his life and experiences. 'Funke,' his most recent chart-topping single, is a lovely groovy tune about a stripper. He describes how Funke, a random Lagos stripper, captivated him with a lap dance.
He revealed that he intends to release a new project in the first quarter of 2023 to be titled 'Lagos Bachelor.' El Prince is a phenomenal artist. His lyricism is superb.
When asked about artists he would like to collaborate with, he mentioned Chronixx for his excellent writing skills and Burna Boy for his tenacity.