Since his career began in the early 1990s, Lagbaja's identity has been shrouded in mystery and many have wondered what he was like behind the mask.
You would think that Fireboy DML, who has worked closely with Lagbaja, whose real name is Bisade Ologunde, would be able to see his face, but it seems that this will not be happening in the near future.
The 64-year-old singer once said that only when the common man is recognized in Nigeria will he stop wearing masks.
Fireboy DML has revealed that he never saw Lagbaja's face while recording one of his favourite songs, 'Back n Forth', which is included on his newly released album, 'Adedamola'.
Fireboy collaborated with Lagbaja on the sixth song of his fourteen-track album, ‘Back N Forth.’ This collaboration marks Lagbaja’s return to the music scene after years of hiatus.
Lagbaja, known for wearing a mask as part of his persona, has yet to release any songs or albums in recent years.
Other notable artists featured on the album include Seun Kuti, Lojay, American singer-songwriter Jon Baptiste, and renowned DJ, musician, and producer Spinall.
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Speaking to Apple Music 1's Nandi Madida via FaceTime, Fireboy shared stories about the new release and talked about the song “Back n Forth” featuring Lagbaja.
He shared that although he did not introduce Lagbaja with the intention of meeting him in person, it was shocking yet intriguing to see that throughout the recording process, Lagbaja had his mask on.
“You wouldn’t believe it: Lagbaja was masked in the studio. It was crazy, I couldn’t see his face. I had some interesting ideas; I wanted to ask him if I could see his face! But you know, the only thing that matters is that we made the music. That’s what makes Lagbaja Lagbaja,” he said, because Lagbaja lives up to his name as it implies in the Yoruba language, “Mr Nobody”, an anonymous person.
He explains why he considers the album to be unique, highlighting the presence of nostalgia, a product of a combination of the present and the past in one record. He said: “There is a nostalgic feeling when you listen to the album, so it is only right that I have employed my legends in the game to help me spread this message.”
He also shared the excitement and suspense of working with Lagbaja on the project: “It means a lot to me to have a legend like Lagbaja on that record, in [the] “The moment we are in now.”
Other songs from the Album
Iseoluwa
Fireboy tells us how he had his moment of downtime when it seemed like he was at his lowest point, and the song “Iseoluwa” became his sound of redemption. “I recorded that song at a low point in my life. It was a period of learning, relearning, and taking lessons from experience.
READ ALSO: Lagbaja returns on Fireboy's 'Adedamola' album
Fireboy also highlighted that the learning process was not easy for him, but he kept going. He said, “To be honest, it’s not always a pleasant experience, but it was essential for growth.” He also shared how that stage of his life allowed him to see many things in perspective: “A lot of things came into perspective, a lot of things that really mattered, above everything I had been chasing or everything else I had aspired to have.”
Wande's pop
The singer revealed that he made the song Ecstasy in 2021 at DJ SPINAL's studio in Lagos. He also revealed that Wande Coal's sound inspired the music he listened to in 2015 and 2016.
“It made a lot of sense. I heard the beat once and it immediately took me back to 2015-2016 when I was listening to one of Wande Coal’s records,” as Wande is one of the few artists he loves and admires. “It’s like a tribute to him; everyone knows I respect him a lot,” he said.
Ecstasy
Fireboy revealed that the idea to feature Seun Kuti on Ecstasy was Olamide’s. He said, “When we were working on the song together in the studio, he told me, ‘I hear Seun Kuti in this,’ and the moment he said that, everything fell into place.”
He shared the mental interpretation he had when watching Seun perform the song. “I imagined him in a very dark room, with a spotlight on him, with the sax on, and it all made perfect sense to me.”
Fireboy concluded his thoughts by saying, “This whole album is more like a tribute to all the legends that shaped African music over the years, and also a testament to myself of course, and my growth over the years.”