Every week, Culture Custodian grants you an all-access backstage pass into the lives of Nollywood rock stars. You get to hear their fascinating background, their behind-the-scenes stories, and more.
Today, we link up with Nigerian singer and soundtrack producer, Stanley Okorie, who has been dubbed the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) of Nollywood soundtrack production. With some of his notable works being Billionaire onye ji cash (from Return of the Billionaire), Happy Mumu (from Sonachi My Wife), I Go Chop Your Dollar (from The Master) and National Moi Moi, the connoisseur is believed to have churned out over 10,000 Nollywood soundtracks in a decades-long career.
How did your career in soundtrack production begin?
Before coming to Lagos, I was working in a studio. It was a friend of mine, Sunday, who led me to that studio because he felt I could sing. We both wanted to work in the studio as music producers, but we were initially turned down by the studio owner. Three years later, we returned to the studio, this time around out of desperation, and opted to be cleaners at first. We usually resumed at the studio as early as 6am before the studio session started at 10am. While working as cleaners, we started learning to play the piano. One day, during a recording session, the backup singers were yet to arrive. I offered to do it, and my boss reluctantly allowed me. When the backup singers for the job came, the song owner dismissed them and retained me. Another day, I offered to add some extra chords to the sounds my oga was making at the time, and he allowed me to do so. Yet another time, a guy came to the studio and needed a song to end an album he was working on, and I did some songwriting. My oga was surprised and asked how I learnt to do all these. I responded that I got to work early enough to learn them. So, in that very studio, I became a sweeper, backup singer, producer, songwriter, and sound engineer. Then, I left for Lagos to pursue my masters degree. I met Sammie Okposo who was into soundtrack production and needed help. I started singing and writing songs for him. I was doing this to earn money and finance my education. My dad, who was a professor, was upset because my attention was on music instead of the masters programme. I eventually didn’t complete the programme as I had to forsake it to pursue a full-time music career.
Which soundtrack would you consider to have put you in the spotlight?
That was Evil Geniusˆ.
How was the movie industry at that time?
The movie industry at the time was so competitive that you had to, first of all, get the chance to put your foot in the door. Once you put your foot in the door, you now go in and stand. After standing, then you can sit. If there’s no space to relax, you do so. Nollywood was still in its early phase at the time and they relied on the use of music records. Sammie, I, and other musicians were making music for them.
What was the nature of your soundtrack job and how challenging was it to your creativity?
If someone gave you a job on Monday, you were expected to deliver on Friday that week. At one point, for two to three years, I was doing soundtracks for all Nollywood movies. It was hectic, and the clients expected me to do all the jobs myself. Whenever I outsourced a job, my client would discover that it wasn’t done by me. You could not afford to delay or mess up anybody’s job. If you did, the news would go viral. You had to be versatile so that when the sound engineer, for instance, failed to meet up with a session to do his job, you could do it yourself. Other people wouldn’t take your timelines and deadlines as seriously as you did. I remember a particular experience with a lady whose female voice I needed. Sometimes, whenever she was expected at the studio, she gave excuses not to show up. I had to do the female voice on a song and it turned out well. The client didn’t know the female voice was mine, but he was impressed at a job well done. He brought more jobs that required female voices and I did the singing myself. Other projects also challenged my creativity. In Better Tomorrow, I replicated the voices of children, and in Akwa Nwa, I was the crying baby.
What motivated your style?
Fela inspired me. I learnt originality from him. Whenever people listened to me, they loved my style because it seemed unique. I took an interest in Fela’s style and personality at age 8. My late uncle introduced me to his music. I loved him more for the confidence he exuded than his music itself. I learnt from Fela the confidence to be myself not minding what anyone thought.
Since you had Fela as an idol, don’t you think his personality could have inspired you enough to embrace live music?
I wasn’t a Fela fan purely for his music. It was his confidence and mien I adored. I don’t buy into live music because it’s noisy. I am a bit shy. I prefer studio recording.
In 2005 the song “I Go Chop Your Dollar” which you composed for Nigerian actor Nkem Owoh as a sound off the film The Master went viral. What is the story behind that hit?
Osuofia is my friend. So is the producer of that movie The Master. I had just returned from Canada when my producer-friend approached me for a remake of the soundtrack to his movie The Master. He didn’t like the former music. The lead actor in that movie was Osuofia. It is a story of fraudsters. After redoing the song, the producer was so impressed that he decided we should add extra songs to it to make a video cassette. The second track in the album is Agreement Is Agreement. Because it was my song, the producer wanted me to act it out in the music video. I refused, and Osuofia did it instead. The video was shot. It was supposed to be an experiment, and it worked. I was paid royalties. I also later did
What was growing up like?
I had a normal childhood, I’m from a middle-class home. Growing up, I was branded as a stubborn and mischievous child. My siblings and my mother were all into music in some way. I was not a chorister, but I had a brother who was actively involved in the church choir. Nonetheless, I liked music. I also liked studying and was into current affairs. Even though going to church was an unwritten rule in the family, I hated doing so and destested religion as a whole. Later, I developed a mild interest in church because I felt the songs being produced there were not good enough and I hoped I would change some things. That was also what led me to recording that gospel album.
What about your educational background?
I attended several primary schools, and I can’t remember any one. I remember being a noisy and mischievous child in primary school. I studied Mass Communication in Nsukka.
You mentioned you were mischievous. Does a specific experience come to mind?
While in primary school, I had a teacher called Mr Chukwumerije. One Thursday, I was sick and I didn’t go to school. That Friday, when I got to school, I was surprised that my name made the list of noisemakers for Thursday. When I complained to the teacher, he said that even if I came to school that day, my name would have made the list. That was just how noisy I was. Later on, as I started discovering myself, I became quieter so I could travel inside myself.
What else do you do apart from music?
I actually started out as a painter. It was while I was painting the pictures in mind and singing that it occurred to me I could do music. However, nobody around me then was artistic enough to tell me I could do painting and music together. But, you know, music is a jealous venture that doesn’t allow you to do anything else. Music took away my interest in painting back then. Recently, I have found out I can still do my painting and I want to go back to it.
Can you remember your first-ever Nollywood soundtrack job?
Apart from the ones I did for Sammie which were really not mine, one of the first jobs I got for myself was Compromise by Emmalex. Actually, before then, I was paid a bottle of Sprite for a job I did, and the guy said he was doing me a favor.
It is interesting to know that you dabbled in gospel music. How have you been able to juggle soundtrack production, which is arguably considered secular, and gospel music?
Back in the day, when the reigning music was gospel and reggae, I produced a number of songs for gospel artistes. I did Jesus I Love You as well. I was also a lead singer for Grace band. Some of my soundtracks contained gospel-like themes. Still, I don’t consider myself a gospel artiste. I believe in the African consciousness propagated by Fela and that is crucial to my music.
What is your biggest career challenge?
The brutality of Nollywood. But like my grandmother would say, “if you are very good you can’t be ignored”. For ten to fifteen years, I was in the studio all through doing music. That prolificity on its own was a challenge. It took me four minutes to create and master Billionaire.
Have you ever considered delving into other aspects of Nollywood, such as filmmaking, acting, and directing?
Yes, I shot two films on my own when I was taking a course in film school in Canada. At the moment, I’m focused on completing the music album I’m working on. It’s titled Best of Stanley. I don’t know if I’ll be an extraordinary script writer or director, but I know I’m an extraordinary soundtrack producer. Recently, I got notified that I was acknowledged as the GOAT in soundtrack production, which is a subtle way of telling me to try out other things in the industry apart from soundtracks where I have made my mark.
How would you distinguish Nollywood in the early 2000s from the present dispensation of the industry?
Nollywood has evolved in terms of technicality and quality of pictures. There’s considerable growth across several areas of the industry. One thing we need to improve on is telling our own stories which include authentic beliefs and values. I like it that the industry accommodates all forms for production and has space for filmmakers, from A-list to B-list and Z-list.
Would you say that the Nollywood soundtrack department has equally improved?
Generally, progress has been made. There have been pluses and minuses. These days, I hear some movie soundtracks and consider them okay, while I hear others and feel they are not good enough. However, I avoid criticizing because I believe the sky is wide enough for everyone to fly.
If you get the chance, what is that one thing about the industry you would change?
The stories. We should be more African in our storytelling. Enough of the fake accents and Westernized narratives.
Have there been any regretful moments in your career?
There were many times I felt like leaving soundtrack production. Great art always comes with pain. For me, art affected my marital life. I’ve not been a sensitive husband, and that’s because of my focus on this career. I regret not having a life and stable marriage because of my artistic interest. This has made me a closed-in person, which is what I’m now trying to get out of.
What more should we expect from you?
My album, Best of Stanley, will be out by the end of the year. I’m hoping to have some collaborations with a number of artistes, including Davido, Flavour, and my friend Don Jazzy. I’m also venturing into filmmaking. Most importantly, I want to be very active on social media.