Fair Prince
Jacob Kingsley Ekpe is more popular as Fair Prince. In this interview with
Our REPORTER, he talks about his road to success and many more.
How did your parents react to your choice of music as a career knowing you are a graduate of mechanical engineering?
I didn’t get an open arms embrace from them. Basically, they told me that I was on my own. It was so bad an experience.
How did you cope during the tribulation?
Music has a spirit. The spirit in me and my calling were too hard for me to control nor stop myself. There were times when my family rejected me, nobody wanted to have anything to do with me; my parents and siblings even went to the extent of calling me a bird. According to them, only birds sing.
What was sleeping under Maryland Bridge like?
At a point in time, everything wasn’t working well for me, I relocated to Lagos and started squatting with a friend but later he travelled out of the country and I had to sleep under Maryland Bridge for more than two years. It was not palatable, but I survived and it also gave me several instincts that have made me a better person.
Do your family members now see a different picture from that of a prodigal son?
Today, my family has accepted my dreams and we are now one family.
From your experience of living under the bridge you must be more concerned about making money, is this right?
What I went through then was basically the challenges on the road to success. My work is not based on the commercial interest. My interest is passing the good news across to listeners. My sole aim is to affect lives.
Why gospel music?
Growing up I knew that if I was to sing for the Lord I would never do secular music, it will always be the church thing and I have been growing from strength to strength. It gave me an edge.
Are you aware that gospel artistes don’t really make money?
I don’t like been called a gospel or circular artiste. I work hard and leave the rest to God.
What inspires you?
All inspirations come from God. In my own case, it also comes from his word. I have seen hopeless people who latter had a reason to live and enjoy life through God’s word. My life is a testimony that one can achieve anything.
So, your inspiration doesn’t come from drinking or smoking?
Inspiration for me does not come through smoking or drinking alcohol. It comes from the environment and happenings around me.
You look attractive, how do you control the attention from your female fans?
I chat with them, but you have to understand that I am married and there is a limit to everything.
I don’t snub my female fans just because I’m married.
Have you been involved with any of your fans?
Not at all. I don’t mix business with pleasure.
Tell us how you came about your stage name, Fair Prince
The prince in my name is as a result of my family background. I come from a royal family and we have many princes so anytime there is a ceremony in my family and they ask the guards to call one of us the next thing you get to hear is, is it the fair prince. So, that was how the name Fair Prince came to stay. They call me that name both in the music industry and in my hometown.
As a prince one would have expected you to go back home rather than sleep under the bridge?
If I had gone back home it would have meant the end of my music career. I had true passion and courage and this kept me going.
You were recently in Uganda, what was happening there?
It was actually a location for me. I went to shoot the video of my song titled “Thank You”. The video was shot weeks back and it is a deviation from the normal videos you have been seeing.
The video rush is in South Africa, why did you pick Uganda of all countries?
I picked Uganda as a location because of the scenery, which fits into the wonders of nature projected in the song. Also, the equipment available there are impressive and rare.
What equipment are you talking about?
We used drone camera, which depicted brightness and sharpness.
Were there no challenges in your road to success?
Of course there were. At a point in time, I had a group of friends who were actually notorious. They wanted us to steal money in order to put the album together. Someone even advised that we go to a herbalist for rituals, but I kept on holding on to faith, believing that someday there will be light at the end of the tunnel. I kept on pursuing and believing in God and today it is a different story.
Did you give in to the temptations?
At a point, I almost backslide from my God because of the challenges. However, there was a show Buchi did called G-Music, gospel music reloaded. I was part of the competition, I met a whole lot of people including Tunde Bakare’s cousin; he was the one managing me then. We worked for two and a half years and during that period, he taught me to stay focused.
Tell us how it all started for you
In 2011, I dropped my first album entitled, “Call His name”. It’s actually the song that has been pulling me through. I have three hit tracks that a whole lot of people are always jumping to. I shot the video and ever since, it has been from glory to glory. We are planning a new one this year. I am working on a new album and it will be titled “I am Jacob”.
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