Very much younger but I had to quit for a while because of school. I read economics at the University of Lagos. Then I was a backup singer for MI and Dagrin. I was much younger so I quit. After my NYSC, I got signed to General Record in 2013 to Mastercraft.
Did your parents support your music career?
At first music was not something my parents wanted me to do. They wanted me to be a banker before my daddy passed on. That was why they sent me to school to read economics. I tried being that banker he wanted me to me despite the fact that he was no more. After my B.Sc I wrote for jobs in FCMB, Diamond bank they gave me the job. After a week, Mastercraft called and said CDQ I know you have passion for music ad there is nothing in life like doing what you love to do. So, I quit my bank job for music.
Would you say your dad is happy with you wherever he is now?
I don’t know because after all everybody has their respective lives to live. As a matter of fact, at the bank job even the money they pay me in a month is not up to what I spend daily now. Despite the fact that he is no more, I am like a father to my younger ones; now I’m my mum’s husband. Now, at least, he should still be happy. Music is paying well.
How do you see the Nigerian music industry?
Yes, it’s so encouraging now better than before. Like when I started professionally I use to be Da Grin’s back up then I started rapping in English with MI. I met Dagrin in 2008 and he was like: “CDQ I like your bounce, beat and tone. Don’t you think it will fetch you more fans if you rap with your local dialect.” Instantly, I started mixing it up. I tried to call someone to manage me then I wouldn’t call her name and she said I did local rap which she thought wouldn’t fetch much and we couldn’t work with that. So now, I am happy that the local style is trending. You see likes of Diamond singing with his language from East Africa; Flavour singing with local dialect from the East, Olmide, Reminisce, myself, Phyno. It’s definitely encouraging now.
Would you say rapping in your local language gives you an edge over those who use English?
Yes, I will say so. Let me not call names of rappers who sing the same genre of music that rap with English that are probably not up to my standard or have been to where I have been to with this local dialect. After all if I want to listen to an English rap I will do the Jazzy or 50 Cent, which is their culture. The thing is people get it twisted. The fact that you rap in local dialect doesn’t mean it’s all local like that. Music is a universal language. Somebody like Snoop Dogg, if he could break into the Nigerian market and all other Africa countries, despite the fact we are not hearing what he is saying. Fat Joe will be like: ‘Let’s do your remix together.’ It’s not like Fat Joe understands what he is saying but the sound hits him up.
Would you say your background influenced your style of music?
Well, I will say where I was born influence my style of music you see that same part of the hood I came from you see that people who came from the uptown want to famz am from the street. Which everybody knows who is from the street? Is something I always thank God that I was born there? I am an original Orile boy; although I did my secondary school in Illorin I finished and came back to Lagos to further in LASU. Then I was still staying at Orile was going from there to school before my dad built a house for convenience. I am being influence by where I stayed. I say thanks to my parents for giving birth to me in Orile.
Would you consider yourself a razz guy?
Being razz or posh is an art. There are a lot of people in Orile that are calm. When I was in Orile you will never know if I was born there or not. People from the uptown that are posh wanted to be like us. Just to feel that originality. Being razz is something expensive. Calling us razz boys since its paying us, its takes us to different countries, different cities. We are being appreciated. Why condemning it I like it. Its fetching money I rather remain razz forever than being posh and broke as well. So I like it like that.
What is CDQ up to now?
A couple of days back I got back from a UK tour am up to a lot of stuffs. So in a few days I will be dropping a new single title producer Mastercraft, before I travelled I drop a single with Olamide. This is like a new officially single am dropping with a video. Also I have done a lot of collaboration where people featured me and I featured people. Am working on an album early next year it should drop by God’s grace.
Basically I will say I missed CDQ from Dagrin because CDQ was discovered through Dagrin because then I used to be this English rapper and it wasn’t paying, the recognition was not there. Dagrin actually put me in light to make sure I get what it takes to become that household name easily. I miss that friendship in him. I missed that mentorship in him.
If you had an opportunity to change one thing about yourself what would it be?
Its will be me coming back again the same way I am. I love myself so much. Things have been happening to me honestly I never believe they will start coming soon. Like they say your talents will make you dine with kings. Where I have been to so far and the people I have worked with like of the people that have featured me. Like of the people that happen are like the top guys in the industry and they believe so much in me and the number of calls I get on a daily basis. It will make me want to clone another CDQ.
So what would you like to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for my good music the impact I made in the music industry my CDQ impact on every other young boys out there that are coming up. Star come and go there is a time I will want to create an empire. Give the less privilege on the street that with hustling the chance to become what they want to be.General Record’s artiste CDQ, who featured Olamide on his dance track Indomie, spoke to Naij.com on his childhood, why he raps in Yoruba and his take on the Nigerian music industry.
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