Many see the glamour but are ignorant of the hard work and pains that preceded the fame of Nigeria’s rhythm and blues, R&B, superstar, Banky W. From an undergraduate begging for audience at salons in the United States, US, where his musical career started, 32-year-old Banky has built a musical empire that has produced internationally acclaimed artistes like Skales and Wizkid. Christened Olubankole Wellington, the Empire Mates Entertainment –EME- boss was born in the US to Nigerian parents who later relocated to Nigeria when he was five. It was after studying at the Home Science Association Secondary School, Lagos that he moved to New York to study industrial engineering on scholarship. With several albums to his credit, the manifold award-winner shares his story.
Starting small
His appearance bellies his personality and generally gives the illusion of a young man with a history devoid of sweat. But no, Banky did not only pay his due but also mastered certain principles which he wouldn’t forget in haste.
Menial jobs
Indeed his tale solidifies his emphasis on little beginning because to achieve his dream of becoming a music superstar, Banky had to take up to three jobs while also in university!
He said: “I worked in fast foods outlets, clothing stores and as a knife salesman, selling knives from door to door. That way, I gathered money to pay for studio recording time. I was recording with a close friend at that time.
Begging at saloons
“After making that music, we printed a thousand CDs though we didn’t have any fan. I had one battered car that broke down virtually everywhere, so, we would print black and white posters, stick them on the sides of the car, sell from the car’s trunk and drive to salons to do marketing. We would walk to the owners of the salons, greet politely, and ask them to let us entertain their customers. Sometimes, some would kick us out and sometimes some would say yes. If told yes, after singing for a minute or two, we would sell our CDs to the customers! That was the beginning!
“A lot of people see you on stage and see the success but do not know what you had to go through! I never had one really big break; it was always two steps forward and a couple backwards. But I just decided that I was going to make music work for me. That was why I moved on to a new salon each time any salon rejected me! I just kept going because I believe failure is when you give up. Albert Einstein said he tried a hundred times to make the light bulb. When he was asked what kept him going during the 99 times, he said: ‘I didn’t consider those 99 times as failure; rather, I considered them 99 ways that it didn’t work!’ We went about selling CDs and, on the days we couldn’t sell much, we would sit down and be broke together. I remember my friend was a member of a church that usually served food after service. So, on the days we didn’t sell CDs and were too broke to buy food, we would attend service in that church so we could pack rice and store in the fridge.
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