CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR PLAYLIST AND EXCLUSIVE MIXES
IMG 6497

Exclusive: One on One with Magicsticks

At the heart of Asake’s sonic rule is his comrade, Kareem Olasunkanmi Temitayo, professionally known as “Magicsticks”. You just know it’s a hit record when you hear ‘TUNE INTO THE KINGS OF SOUNDS & BLUES”.

Asake’s current run has been fueled solely by Magicsticks production, making him the perfect right hand man. On today’s edition of Imullar’s ONE on ONE, we sit with him to discuss their bond, his journey & future plans.

Q: Congratulations on Asake’s album debuting at number 66 on Billboard’s 200 charts. It’s the biggest debut for an Afrobeats album, as a prominent figure in this body of work, How do you feel? To be part of history in such a short time ?

Magicsticks: Of course I feel good, I feel blessed and I’m GRATEFUL to God and everyone that made it happen.

Q: Now it’s understandable for a producer to handle a vast part of production for a particular album, but with you & Asake, the bond seems very fluid & effective.

You produced all 12 songs on his album which requires a lot of trust and chemistry. What is the genesis of your relationship with Asake? And how did it grow to be one of the most effective tag teams in this afro era?

Magicsticks: Asake and I have been friends for a long time, we’ve been working and longing for greatness for quite a while now. So I think that’s where the understanding came from.

It’s almost like when you are part of something bigger than you for years – at that point, there’s no excuse not to understand it/them. So, it’s basically  just two hungry guys that were eventually given a platform. And big shoutout to baddo on that. None of this would’ve been smooth or possible without him.

IMG 6496

Q: Prior to all this, what was your production journey like ? How did it start for you magic sticks?

Magicsticks: I’ve been a music lover from birth lol. I remember being told my dad offered me (dedication style) to huge speakers when I was still a baby. Growing up, I loved my dad’s profession.

I always watched him deejay, set moods with different songs and constantly explore genres of music. That makes the music part of me already. So in 2009 after my secondary school education, I started deejaying and in 2012 I started production.

Q: You seem to have one of the longest signatures/tags, calling yourself the “king of sounds & blues”. History tells us there’s always a story behind tags, what’s yours?

Magicsticks: I chose this signature “KING OF SOUNDS” because I make music off anything. I can be recording my footstep and the new thing you hear on your speaker is my footstep as a rim in a song. I actually love sound design and I design sounds.

Another thing I noticed in my work is that I love melodies, happy sounds precisely. And the blues aren’t exactly the happiest music. So, I inserted a little bit of irony and that’s where the “AND BLUES” came from. So “TUNE INTO THE KING OF SOUNDS AND BLUES” is me telling you to connect with me on another journey of my sound.

Q: An old video surfaced online, it was footage of Asake making “Palazzo”, the production however, was pure afrobeats, which indicates a power shift in your sounds, what triggered this change?

Was it just a one time experimental thing that blew up or it was a calculated move in which hit records were supposed to be the results, in terms of domination, especially in an era where Amapiano is at its peak?

Magicsticks: I didn’t get to listen to the version at all. We just wanted to create music, I made my percussions he started singing and that was it 

Q: Some of the trademarks that powers Asake’s sounds are the voice layering and presence of Choir in most of his songs, whose idea was this? It turned out pretty well, becoming a sonic trend.

Magicsticks: This was all Asake’s idea.

Q: Your current production credits moves you to the big league for producers, in a system where there’s been countless disagreements on profit sharing/royalties, how’s that part of the industry treating you? Especially for someone whose work ethic is as equal as the artiste, is everything justified?

Magicsticks: I assure you everything is justified.

Q: What’s your personal favourite on MMWTV and why? What was the recording process like?

Magicsticks: For me it’s really hard to choose a favorite. This is because I loved each and every record as well as the process behind each of them.

Q: Do you play any instrument?

Magicsticks: I play drums and I can hold my own on a piano, to an extent.

Q: What next for magicsticks?  Are we getting a full length album with other artistes involved ?

Magicsticks: Stay tuned, big love.

The iMullar is the voice of emerging African music and the lifestyle that surrounds it, showcasing exceptional talent from all around the globe focused on promoting the most distinctive new artists and original sounds, we are the authority on who is next.