Music
On Deck & On Fire: Uncle Bubu takes Mashups and Mixes to a New Level through Genre Fusion
‘On Deck & On Fire’ is a new series that aims to shine a well-deserved spotlight on the talented DJs who are the heartbeat of every unforgettable party. They bring infectious energy, setting the perfect vibe and ensuring every event is a resounding success with a dancing and euphoric crowd. Despite their crucial role in making every event enjoyable, they might not always receive the credit they deserve.
We recently had a conversation with DJ Scoophy. Did you miss it? Read it here.
In this episode, we chat with Uncle Bubu, a fast-rising DJ in Nigeria who pioneered the Genre Fusion. He discusses his early inspirations for becoming a DJ and what he loves about his work. Enjoy!
What sparked your love for DJing, and who were your early inspirations that shaped your musical journey?
My love for DJing stems from my love for music in general, because I see myself as an artist, not just a DJ, and also a curator. I love sounds. That’s where my love for DJ started. My early inspirations were my parents on school runs and them playing music on our way to school, songs like Igbo gospel and Igbo highlife. I wasn’t inspired by DJs until college. Going to college, there was a Spanish guy who had a mini-controller he would play with when we were in Kent. I took DJing more seriously in university after I downloaded Virtual DJ for a while and watched a couple of YouTube videos. Nobody trained me; I trained myself through YouTube. I kept on practising. Those were my early inspirations.
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Take us through a day in your life as a DJ, from morning routines to work commitments. How do you manage to maintain creativity amidst your busy schedule?
My day-to-day life changes depending on how I feel. One consistent thing is going to the gym, playing football, and listening to music. If I were to take you through a random day, maybe a Wednesday or a Friday, my morning self-care routine would be heading to the gym and listening to music. I love to listen to music that I haven’t heard in a while. I hang out with my friends, and we brainstorm ideas for content and other things because I have mixes and mashups. I always like to listen to my mashups as well. The mashups I put out are like songs to me, and I like to listen to them every day. On a Wednesday evening, I would leave my house around 5 or 6 p.m. for an event called ‘What’s The Rush,’ which typically takes up the whole night. Then on Friday, I prepare for an event.
Managing creativity for me is sometimes easy and sometimes hard because when you encounter a creative block, there’s nothing you can do about it until you break out of it. The way I try to stay creative is by putting myself in different situations and thinking outside the box. Lately, I’ve been going to different places where I don’t usually go to listen to other DJs and experience music in different spaces. It helps me open my mind. Being open-minded is crucial. Opening your mind to absorb and accept other people’s forms of creativity, even if it’s not what you’re accustomed to, helps you understand why people enjoy it, etc. Having an open mind aids my creativity; stepping out of my comfort zone and talking to people also helps my creativity.
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Nigeria’s music scene is rich and diverse. How do you infuse local flavours into your DJ sets while keeping your performances appealing to a broader international audience?
I wouldn’t say I deliberately infuse local flavours into my sets because I believe my sets speak for themselves. My sets reflect who I am when I’m playing. Coming from my background—being raised in Port Harcourt, attending secondary school in Lagos, then moving to the UK for College and university, and now being back in Lagos—I’ve been exposed to numerous cultures. Since I pioneered the new wave of DJing called Genre Fusion, which involves mashups performed live, it has offered people a renewed way of experiencing music and added a different flavour to Nigeria’s music scene. I’m pleased that everyone is embracing this trend.
My international audience has become accustomed to my style of DJing; it keeps them engaged and eager for more, particularly the local feel. I’m grateful that I can contribute to the culture and add to what I’m doing. Look out for more from Uncle Bubu, Bubuland, and Genre Fusion, as I’ll be bringing you a lot this August.
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