Talking to the musician and activist about advocating for change in Nigeria
Hart Idawarifagha Ishmael, best known as Idahams, is not your regular Nigerian hip hop star, and here's why. Hailing from the famous Bonny Island of Rivers State, the singer, songwriter and producer has been groomed for stardom since the age of 10 when he began to learn how to sing and play musical instruments at his local Anglican church. Now his finesse is all embedded within his music and his identity, both being heavily influenced by his Southern Nigerian roots. He is also a die-hard advocate for political and social change in his country, hence his participation in activism-related protests, and the strong messages within his music. Most recently, he was among the protestors arrested at the reopening of the Lekki Toll Gate in February, the site where security forces opened fire at unarmed protesters last October during the End SARS uprising.
Idahams’ career officially took off in 2016 after he secured a record deal with Grafton Records. He made a breakthrough appearance in 2018 on ‘God Can Bless Anybody’ by Mr. 2Kay, which he followed with his own hit single ‘No One Else’. His musical highlights have often been products of his collaborations - with the likes of Seyi Shay and Peruzzi, who were featured on the remix of his single ‘Shima’, and Teni who offered a verse on ‘No One Else’ off Idahams’ Amayanabo EP.
In 2019 he announced a new deal with Universal Music Group, and the following year the artist unveiled his highly anticipated EP Man On Fire, a seven-track afro-pop offering. And now he’s celebrating the release of the deluxe version of the EP with a ‘Man On Fire’ remix featuring Falz plus three new tracks. The EP is filled with blithe stories about love and life, in a bid to share his journey from Bonny Island to the world.
Can you tell me about your upbringing in Bonny Island?
I'm from a family where everybody is concerned about the church. You have to believe in God, you have to join the choir and attend church activities. A family where you have to pray, read the bible, and if you want to get something done, you have to do it yourself because nobody is your slave. A family where whatever you want to do with your life, you would be supported. I’m from the kind of family that would always encourage and motivate you to bring the best out of yourself.
In what ways would you say your sound is unique?
My sound is unique because of the kind of persons it's appealing to. I'm not the kind of artist that wants to do music just to dance and to groove. My music is very relatable. It is youthful and very impactful when it comes to the lyrics, the instrumentation, and the creation of the sound. I always want to make sure I'm giving people hope where there is no hope, with my story.
On 13 February, you were among the protesters arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate. Can you talk about what happened that day?
For now, I've not really granted any interview talking about the incident. My car is still being held by the Lagos State Government. But I would say that we were not treated as fellow citizens of the country. We were treated like armed robbers and hoodlums. Even [popular Nigerian comedian] Mr Macaroni was not treated like the Mr Macaroni that he is. In fact, I was brutalised so much that I even passed out. After the incident, I had to undergo some medical examinations. I stayed in the hospital for five days. It's a pity that such a thing can happen. All we wanted was an end to police brutality but the government took it the other way round.
Your listeners love you for the role you played at the End SARS movement. Can you tell me about your idea of activism and its relevance in today's society?
I can vividly remember when I was little, my dad came out with the youths of Bonny Island to protest about the oil company causing oil spillages in the community. As a result of that, he was shot on his waist and hospitalised. Even on the day this happened, someone died in the protest. So, when I started this activism, I had to go back to that memory. I feel all this is putting me on the lane my dad was in his time. For me, activism is not a do-or-die affair. It's a means of being able to speak up, being able to talk, of letting the truth prevail. If people are being treated badly, let them come out and speak about it so that those in authority would do the things they have to do. For crying out loud, we all should have a conscience. If a country is not the way it is supposed to be, our children will eventually suffer it. We need to speak up, and we need to use it in our music so that other people would listen and understand what we are talking about, which is visible change.
You’ve taken this activism back home too.
Yes. Recently, a lot of things have been happening in Bonny Island. Pirates have hijacked the sea, and now people can't travel from Port-Harcourt to Bonny Island, which is the only way of getting there with a commercial boat. This year alone, there have been more than 20 attacks on the sea and I lost a friend who was killed by the pirates. I've called the federal, state and local governments, yet nothing has been done.
What inspired the title of your latest project ‘Man on Fire’?
I want people to feel the glimpse of fire exceptionally burning inside me. As an artist, I have been through a lot. At the verge of chasing this career, I lost my parents. They were the ones that started this whole journey. When I was going to record my demo, my parents paid for my studio session. When I lost them, I thought it was going to be over. But there is this fire burning inside of me that kept me on the journey. This fire has always reminded me to keep my head straight. That inner voice keeps telling me to focus. If not for music, I could have fallen for any of the social vices in Port-Harcourt. Music was an escape route, it was the only means of joy and happiness for me. It's not just the music, it's the passion, the fire.
How did the positive reception of ‘Man on Fire’ make you feel?
Wow! We were not even supposed to shoot the video for ‘Man on Fire’ first due to Covid-19 restrictions, but because of the huge impact, we had to. We didn't do promotion on the original and we saw the numbers were skyrocketing, and we thought, why not a remix? Because of Falz's activism, I had to reach out. That was how he came in, and he killed it. He and I have now made more music together so keep your ears open for Falz featuring Idahams.
Which other artists would you love to work with and why?
I'd love to work with Asa, Wizkid and Mali Music. Mali Music is a mentor. He is a big inspiration to me, especially my vocals. Then I'd also love to work with Davido, Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage. Internationally, it’s Kanye West, The Weeknd and Drake. Think of it this way, I have a song that I've made that if they hear, they would want to be a part of because it's their sound. Every artist has their sound, so I don't want to do just Idahams. I want to be able to infuse Idahams with Wizkid's sound on one track. Imagine having Drake and my sound all together, it’d be incredible.
What are your hopes for the rest of 2021?
I'll be having my tour, but let me not let the cat out of the bag. I'll also be releasing my first album, so I'm working tirelessly. Good music all the way, Idahams is all about good music. Big ups to my fans and everyone supporting me.