Following an exquisite birthday celebration on Victoria Island recently, Jozi Gist pays tribute to one of Nigeria’s finest musicians – Praise Ugbede Adejo, better known by his alias Praiz.
A few years ago, I traumatically lost an entire hard drive’s worth of unpublished articles in a brutal hijacking incident on the streets of Johannesburg. As a result, my loyal readers were robbed of my exclusive collection of stories that included a very revealing conversation with Praiz Adejo.
At that time, one of my many concerns was that my chances of crossing paths with an extraordinary artist like Praiz again, securing another interview and recapturing the vibrant vibe of our first meeting seemed slim but as fate would have it, I was fortunate to bump into the X3M music megastar again at a ONE.org event held at The George hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos and at the MTV MAMA awards 2016 in Johannesburg.
On both occasions, what struck me about the “69” hit maker was his effortless class and his wonderful balance of self-belief and humility. It was beyond my comprehension how he maintained a down-to- earth demeanor in a room lit up by the presence of stars accompanied by their egos.
Despite his superstardom and the plethora of pretty women under the spell of the sweet melodies his beautiful music offers, Praiz has astonishingly not lost the core essence of who he is.
“I try my best to stay grounded. I surround myself with people who tell me the truth. I don’t mess with my family and I have a manager who tells me the way things are. Humility is an asset to self improvement.
I believe that by being humble, one is more receptive to a teachable spirit that makes everything easier,” the multiple award winning song writer explained in a brief conversation in Sandton, South Africa.
His pearls of wisdom took my respect for him to new heights. Ever so often, great musicians are defined by their accomplishments and make the dire mistake of basking in the glory of their success for too long: Praiz certainly does not fall in this category of artists.
Last year, the Rich & Famous singer’s status as an Icon was confirmed by the Governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton who declared “February 6 as ‘Praiz Adejo Day’.
The proclamation is enough to trigger an exaggerated sense of self importance in the mind of the average musician. “It was mind-blowing. It was hard to believe. It feels good to know that I inspire a lot of people out there,” Praiz modestly said.
With a string of accolades and high-profile collaborations with the likes of Kenny Lattimore, Obie Trice and Mi Casa (to name a few) under his belt, I was interested to know what his biggest dream in music is.
“I want to win a Grammy one day. I want people to play my music like Marvin Gaye’s hits when I am no longer alive. I want to be remembered for making timeless music,” he replied while adjusting the face cap that hung over his eyes.
Lately, the silky smooth soulful sound of his timeless new single – ‘Folashade’ has been blasting through my car speakers. Have you ever listened to a great piece of music and felt a chill run up your spine? Imagine violins of a symphony orchestra combining with a commanding voice and the sweet strings of a guitar.
Another impressive component of the song is the powerful storyline. In the emotionally moving piece, Praiz passionately pleads for forgiveness as he narrates a vivid story of passion, heartbreak and tragedy.
The beautiful song coupled with the mind-blowing visuals of the Clarence A. Peters montage made this piece of art worthy of the Grammy award Praiz dreams of. He certainly deserves all the praise he is getting.