Exclusive Interview with SHILLZ TEX

Shillz Tex, who was born Alatise Mujeeb Olashile in Lagos Island, Nigeria, is renowned for his originality and adaptability; his music is inspired by his personal life and environment. He began his career as a rapper, gaining the nickname “Aje Street,” which is taken from the phrase “Aje butter Lori street,” which he is often referred to as. Shillz began performing music at the age of 13 in high school and continued to do so in college, where he majored in Computer Science and Information Technology. Ballin, a duet with two DMW musicians, Dremo and Fresh VDM, marked his official introduction to the music industry. Since then, Tex has issued two EPs, two mixtapes, and two singles. Shillz Tex’s well-liked lyrical substance and sound show his growth, originality, and maturity; therefore, you can always expect something new and different from him. Shillz Tex is an artist that definitely should be in you radar. Check out his song ZaZa and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

SHILLZ TEX: I was born in Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria. The western part of Africa. I’ve just been a creative/entertainer since I can remember, I drew, danced, sang, acted, even played a lotta sports, Music found it’s way to the top of my interest and I owned it.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

SHILLZ TEX: I’ll like to say self taught but I took some online classes just few years back.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SHILLZ TEX’?

SHILLZ TEX: I was fascinated by Michael Jackson as a kid cos my Dad was a fan so we had some of his records along side King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey and a few others in the house but I discovered HipHop around age 12 and I wanted to be like lil wayne.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

SHILLZ TEX: Aside me being very versatile, my song writing skills is something I take a lotta pride in, I can freestyle and make sense but when I settle down to write, it’s always coming from a personal and factual place, if attention is paid to the words, a lotta people will relate with my records and then there’s my voice, I think its unique the way I sound cos I blend the African and foreign vibe.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as POP?

SHILLZ TEX:

I’ve always been a big fan of music, HipHop/Rap especially, I did not just listen to the music, I wanted to understand it, gradually I started incorporating my own ideas in they songs by doing covers using their flows and changing the whole lyrics to using just their beats and my own flows, it didn’t take long before I started turning my own raw ideas into Melodies and flow to make my own music.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

SHILLZ TEX:

Life is always gonna be in phases, and I personally make music solely about my personal life and environment, as long as it affects me or it’s around me, I’ll incorporate it in my music like I’ve done so many times. Music to me is art, and art is a form of expression.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

SHILLZ TEX:

I make music because I love music. It will be cool to have a successful career and affect people in a positive way in the long run, but I’ll always make music regardless.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

SHILLZ TEX:

I don’t have a definitive creative process, It just comes to me whenever, however, wherever but I’ll say most times my life events trigger my ideas so I rarely collaborate which I’ll like to do more of.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

SHILLZ TEX:

For the most part of my life, I think it’s getting the support and understanding from my parents that music was what I wanted to do. It wasn’t easy, made a lotta sacrifices and faced a lotta consequences but Alhamdulilah.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

SHILLZ TEX: My dad, his friends and everyone I care about are now a fans of my music and they are always ready to support.