I listened to an audio music of a multi-talented instrumentalist and a musician. The message from his music was very captivating, inspiring , educating and different from other secular music I hear in this our contemporary. Based on this I was moved to ask him few questions below. Can you give a brief introduction about yourself? Roots Michael (real name, Michael Olupona) .Roots remains one of the few African performers who has, over the years, lent and continued to lend his voice to a Music pattern that exclusively promotes the African spirit, – an encapsulation of resilience, strength, culture, arts and values of the black race. A university degree holder who plays Afro High-Life, folks and a multi-talented instrumentalist. How did you come about the stage name ROOTS? While in the University, I joined a couple of friends to take a lecture in History department. The course focused on it?. The Berlin Conference of 1884-85; A regulated European Colonization and Trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period, that coincided with Germany’s sudden emergence as an imperial power: This is where I got a thorough understanding of the havoc of Slave Trade and howAfrica was undermined and underdeveloped, Why we have Africans in diaspora, How Africans got alienated from their culture, and Why I bear a non African name. African bear names, eat foods, wear clothes of other cultures while we allows ours to go into extinction. We are also assumed to be 2nd class citizens of the world. In our bid to emancipate Africa from this catastrophe, a couple of friends and I started a Pan-African Organization (NGO) with the core objective to promote African cultural, moral and ethical values and bring about a favourable development in Africa. All members of “The Roots Organization” had a common first name- “Roots”. So we have names like Roots Martins, Roots John, Roots Michael, which denotes that though we bear English names, we have our ‘ROOTS’ in ‘Africa’. when did you start your musical career? I can’t say specifically. You know, music is perceptive, most times you sing out of unconsciousness and you still sing well. Suddenly, you’d just find out that you’ve been singing a particular song over and over. Sometimes, you hear a song just once at an event and after few days or week, you begin to sing the song without being thought. That’s then power of Music. I can remember I was recruited from the Sunday school one Sunday morning to join the main church choir because the drummers didn’t come. From that day, I became a drummer in the church, exceptionally drumming with a class. Since then, I’ve not lost value in Music performance but I started playing with professional bands in 1993. I started my own band in 2007 and till now, still doing what I know how to do best. [caption id="attachment_22884" align="aligncenter" width="478"]Roots Michael AKA Michael Olupona Roots Michael AKA Michael Olupona[/caption] what led you into music? Music and Arts run in the veins of my family. My grand mother was an eclectic singer, dancer, song-writer and performer. I have not seen a member of my family that does not have a dominant trait of Arts. My brother is a film producer of global recognition, another brother is a sculptor and powerful graphic artist, we have comedians and I am a musician. I WAS NOT LED BUT BORN INTO MUSIC. Okay how did you achieve this your career? My dad noticing my deft and heterogeneity in Arts and Music allowed me to study Music Technology at the popular ‘IBADAN POLY’ immediately after high school. There, I mixed with other virtuosos and became exceptional. I played with popular and influential musicians and also learnt the business of Music. After a while, a music legend called me: Roots, get a band together, you are opening the stage at the next festival. That was it! What kind of music are you into..? I play ” African Jazz”. Some call it afrobeat, some say it’s high life, or folks but what I do is “JAZZ” in the African context. What inspires you? The “INSANITY” in the air. The craze about western culture, music, fashion, and life style and the neglect of African culture, morales, ethics, Music, Arts, fashion and life style stimulates me to write powerful lyrics. To drive my notion, you’re not dressed the African way, as you read this interview. See this;this is the time for Africa, to free itself from the torments of bad leadership. The time for the black generation to free their minds from the torments of inequality, let the eye that cannot see, see let the deaf ears hear the truth. The darkness has uncovered the earth and the light is set ablaze Have you released any album, how many? Yes! I have two albums to my credit; Afrika and Artefact Do you write your own songs Yes, when I was in Ghana, I visited ELMINA CASTLE- the popular Slave port. After seeing and hearing about some of the pains our forefathers went through, I wrote a song which I titled; EVILS OF SLAVE TRADE. What message does your music pass across to the listener? Message of freedom, emancipation, morals; It speaks of better tomorrow for Africans and the black generation at large. What live performance have you done or experienced Apart from the debut album-Afrika, and a subsequent one- Artefact, Roots Michael has done many stage performances to his credit, including multiple invitations to perform in major Music festival and carnivals across the globe. The gifted musicians has featured on A-list shows in places like NTA Lagos, the popular Motherlan’, African Shrine, Eniobanke Music festival, Lagos book and Arts festivals, Sekere festival, Lagos Jazz Festival, and the melting point of quality Music and Arts; Freedom Park, Lagos . I have performed also in • Lagos state university, Ojo campus • University of Ibadan campus • Lagos television blue roof • National arts theatre • Owens hotels, Akure • Intercontinental hotel, Lagos. • Civic centre, Lagos. • Many music festivals and shows How do you handle your mistakes during performance? Did you say ‘mistake’? Artists don’t make mistakes. What we do is style on the stage. When things don’t turn out the way we have planned, we change the groove and it becomes a style. Do you have an entertainment lawyer? I used to have a lawyer who agreed to work with me. She confirmed never working with a musician and I told her I’d let her know my needs. We haven’t done anything together, it was just a verbal agreement, so I’m open. If I get any lawyer who’s willing to work with me, we can discuss. If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose music as a career or would you do any other thing differently? Beeni!!! I don’t have a career. All I have is a way of life and Music is it. I always have only one option; MUSIC! What is your private life is like( marriage, children etc) I thought you won’t ask about my family. I would have bought you a plate of cooked salad. I have a lovely family. My daughter featured in one of my videos, my wife is beautiful and God fearing and my son is a wonderful boy. I’m a christian, I don’t drink or smoke. Someone sometimes told people in a gathering that he loves my personal lifestyle and that I don’t behave in a manner of other contemporary secular musicians. I just said no be me o, na God. How do you use your leisure time. I spend all my time in Music. My work, play, fun, leisure, and career as you call it, boarders around Music, yes, Music !music! music !.]]>