Highlighting the reasons Africa is the capital of world music – Kehinde Muurkenny Idowu

Let’s get to meet you. Tell us about yourself and your background

Thank you very much. My name is kehinde idowu. I am a music artiste. They call me MUURKENNY A.k.a Mio sere nibi.  I am from Ipokia LG, Ogun State. Born into a muslim family of 6. Lost my mum last year. May her soul continue to rest on 

What inspired you into Music? How has the journey been so far? 

For me, it’s all I ever wanted to do. When I was young was to be an entertainer. I watch musicians on TV and loved listening to their music. It gives me joy makes me happy. It was then I started showing interest in becoming a musician someday. I had this book I used to write in. When my mom asked what I wanted to do when I got older, I always said, “I am going to be a musician when I’m older. There was nothing that came along between the times in my secondary level until I finished school. I did more in writing songs. Then I used to sing and rap too. At that point I started going to music concerts and music shows. Watching artiste performances and enjoying their songs.

 Music and the music industry is something about which I am very passionate. The fact the journey was a long one and has not come easily to me, makes me even more grateful that I can actively engage with music and be appreciated for what I really love and enjoy.

Can you tell us about the hurdles you faced in the beginning, how were you able to overcome them and how has it shaped your career path?

As I said my journey was a long one and music has been my passion. It’s in every aspiring artiste dream’s to become superstars. I come from a polygamous family of 4 wives (mum’s d first) where there are lots of encounters with life in the family. And the only person u see as your strength in such experience is your mother. I remember times that my mum will sit us up and tell us what she is been going through. The pain the ill-treatment from my father. How she endures so much to keep us away from it. Eventually, I get older to understand it all and I want to use my music to express and tell what I been through in such an unpleasant situation where there is prejudice, jealousy, enmity, trouble, pain and tragic experiences. All of these are what I went through and overcoming them through channeling my emotions into my passion for music and expressing my pain. 

Lost my sister 2013. My mom passed away last year May 2022. So it was a painful year for me. It took a while to collect myself from the idea (of having to purse my career for a while). I found peace with myself and know that my mother soul has gone back to the Almighty her creator that i supplicate to. As they say what doesn’t kill u makes u stronger. So the hurdles i faced has shaped my career path and made me stronger the more and more. To move on and to achieve whatever i want in life.

What would you aspire to achieve at the apex of your career as a musician?

Success in the music industry has many different paths so I embrace my unique journey and achieve a lot from in my career path through it. The sky is the starting point! 

Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talented artists and producers with international recognitions, what kind of role do you think they should play in mentoring up and coming artist and growing the industry?

The truth is that the African continent seems to be where all the action is when it comes to art and artistry at the moment, and international Artist from Beyoncé to Usher to David Guetta and so on… want in. There have been new pathways to success for African artistes. We have taken everything from Amapiano to Afro beat and told the African story, that has made the world to sit up and more Grammy Awards finds a home in Africa. The winner of five Grammys with 14 albums to her name, Angélique Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today. We see Burna boy, Wizkid bringing the prestigious award home. Today, the sounds of Africa resonate across the globe. A growing number of African artists have massive international profiles, have collaborated with some of the world’s biggest artists, sold out stadiums, and have taken to the main stage at some of the world’s biggest festivals. So I think they are already making those roles in mentoring up and coming artiste and speedily growing the industry.

 

Who are the artist local and international that influenced your style of music? If you could do a performance with someone, who would it be? 

I am a music lover, I write I sing and rap too. I listen to a lot of music from afro beat to rap to RnB to highlife afro sounds so I have quite a number of Artists that influenced my style of music. I do Afro beat/ fusion & rap sounds. My main mentor for Apala fusion sound is Alhaji Musiliu Ishola, and for Afro beat is the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. I can mention 5 rappers I listened to growing up that influenced my hip hop sound. Artist like Dr. Dre, P.Diddy, and 50cent. 

If I could do performances with someone now would be these legends.. Except fela kuti who is late. I would love to perform with a lot of artists as at now. D industry is big. I can’t start mentioning names. I love them all! 

Asides Music, do you have other interest in the value chain of entertainment that you might want to explore in future? 

Nigeria is flooded with talented artistes with different varieties of styles. I would love to explore the business of music production and management in the future 

What should your fans, Nigerians and the rest of the world expect from you in the nearest future?

Definitely a lot is going to happen … as in o ma mad joon!!! I’m loaded… opor gon. Opor ju!.