Did you know that there are approximately 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide? Can you imagine all the different ways in which we all use the internet? Obasanjo’s Internet is our interview series where we speak to some of our internet favourites on how they relate to the internet and what it means to them and their work. This week, musician, SGaWD talks to us about how she uses Obasanjo’s Internet.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
When I wake up in the morning, I say a prayer, take a dump and check my phone.
How do you use the internet for work or pleasure?
I mean, both. Before, my internet use was pleasure based and trying to keep up but as I’ve become an artist, I’ve had to broaden the scope of my use of the internet. So sometimes I use it for work, sometimes I use it for pleasure.
What moment or episode in your life would you say captured the essence of the internet?
I would say three times. When I started rapping, I posted a freestyle rap that blew up and people found me as SGaWD, so that was great. The second time was when I posted a picture with the Telfar bag and Telfar commented saying it was fake. So had I not posted that picture I probably would have never known that I got sold a fake bag and been able to get my money. The third time would be when something I tweeted had started a discussion. I had tweeted about not understanding why there were no female Nigerian artists at the Barbie premiere and that opened a whirlwind of discussion.
I think those three major times. Me getting discovered, discovering something and having the opportunity to start an important conversation.
Your favourite social media platform and why?
It used to be Twitter but now it’s such bad vibes. I think right now my favorite social media platforms are TikTok and Pinterest. But I think Pinterest is more like a search engine than a social media platform, like Google for pictures.
What was the last meme you saved?
I don’t think I save memes, I can’t lie.
Do you remember the first time something you posted went viral? What was it? How did it make you feel?
Oh yeah, that was the freestyle I did – it went viral on Instagram. It made me feel good. I was quite surprised people were looking to hear from a Nigerian female rapper at that time because obviously, the market is very Afrobeats/Afropop saturated. Seeing that video go viral and also getting love and getting opportunities through the video.
What’s the most outrage you have ever generated over something you posted? How did you react to it?
I think it was the Telfar thing because obviously the personal shopper was involved, Telfar was involved, and I was involved. Telfar commented on my page and was like “That’s not the real bag”. So I had to go back to the personal shopper, tell her and get my money back. That was more drama-based than outrage.
I think outrage would be the conversation I started about the Barbie premiere and the general exclusion of Nigerian female artists from events. So I think that the most outrage I had gotten was because someone I personally know even made some comment like it was crazy for me to say that, and I unfollowed them.
I need to know why I wasn’t invited to this Barbie premiere and why i didn’t see any Nigerian female artists there . Is it only influencers that get to go for events that music and art have strong placements and obvious to . I am genuinely very serious
— Dump All Your Worries OUT NOW (@SGaWD01) July 21, 2023
What rules do you live by on the internet?
Don’t post anything you don’t want on the internet forever because the internet is essentially a memory box. It’s very hard and expensive to scrub things off it. So if you don’t want anything out there, don’t post it.
Don’t take anything too seriously. Your reality is not the same as the next person’s reality. So whenever you see people having opinions based on what you have decided to put out and share publicly, don’t take it to heart. And if you don’t want to see it log out. Out of sight, out of mind.
Would you say you have an online persona?
Yeah, I would say so only because the way I tweet might not be the way I speak. People might look at your tweets and make assumptions about how you behave. I’ve had people tell me “Oh you’re so calm and laid back”. I’m like, I don’t know what you expect me to be. Do you expect me to just hop up in the building and be like “Grah grah. I’m a rapper grah grah”. I think people just have an idea of you in their heads and whenever it doesn’t match that they begin to act like everything is so confusing.
What’s your favorite emoji and why?
I’ll say my favourite emoji is the Mermaid one because that’s kind of my emoji. I’ve captured it as the siren, the SGaWD emoji.
Are you particular about your feed?
I just post things I like or things I find funny and I tweet what’s in my mind. I don’t think I’ve gotten to the point where I’m particular about my feed. I’m particular about the things I say, sure. I’m particular about the people I support.
YouTube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?
To be honest, I don’t think I prefer either. I actually like both of them. I like YouTube because it is more of an archive for me than a search engine with YouTube, I can go back and watch videos or shows from the fifties and sixties and still get that experience. As opposed to TikTok, it’s kind of like, what’s new? What’s going on today? I think YouTube is very nostalgic. I still find new things on YouTube, don’t get me wrong. I’ve learned a lot from YouTube as well. I learned how to record on YouTube. I learned how to use logic from YouTube. So I don’t prefer either.
Which Nigerian creator do you think the world needs to see and hear more of?
Miss Ima, not only because she’s my cousin, but I think she’s very fun. The creator space in Nigeria, in terms of content, is very saturated with a lot of major creators putting out the same thing. It would be nice to see a different creator who isn’t necessarily doing beauty, fashion, or dance content. I really like the vlogs and storytelling TikToks. It would just be nice to see a new storyteller get more light, international recognition, and brands. So Miss Ima for sure, on TikTok and YouTube.
Who is the coolest person you follow and the coolest person who follows you?
Do I even know that? I feel like there’s someone that’s really cool who follows me and I don’t know because Omo, I can be so aloof sometimes. I’ve created my own world on social media. I don’t know, man. I follow a lot of cool people and a lot of cool people follow me.
What is your favourite Nigerian podcast?
Submaroach. Mehn. Those niggas are always on something. I like a couple but my favourite would definitely have to be Submaroach.
Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online? Did you regret it?
Yeah I have, and I did not regret it. We have gone on to develop quite a strong bond.
5 people you’d love to see answer these questions
Blaqbonez, Miss Ima, Joey Akan, Ayra Starr and Bosco from quacktails.
Read previous Obasanjo’s Internet entries here.