 |
| Wisdom |
"Young people account for about 65% of Liberia’s 4.4 million population.
This means that Liberia has a youthful population that is capable of
serving either as a driving force of economic growth and development
or a risky channel of violence and insecurity. The risk youth unemployment poses to Liberia is too high. State-actors
and policymakers have no choice, but to work towards mitigating this
existing crisis," wrote Martin K. N. Kollie.
Wisdom, like many underground artists, is using his God given talent to survive the unemployment crisis in Liberia.
Meet Wisdom, formerly known as Waste Dem, a self made artist. He opened up to C Liberia Clearly about the challenges he have faced through out his career.
Challenges
"During
2005 I got on the scene locally as a community and school freestyler. To be counted or listed among top Liberians artists are the dreams of many Underground artists."
It's been a long and unlikely road to the top for Wisdom, who has a real chance of winning Best Artist in the near future.
"Getting on the bigger scene was really a difficult task but with hard work and determination, I am few steps closer to my dreams. I worked at Freeport, uploading
trucks and containers to afford sessions at the recording studios. Day and night, I putted in the work but my music was not getting the
attention I wanted. I recorded a song called "I'm Flashing". It was a song I
expected to make me a hit artist in Liberia. I reached out to so many
DJs, I would paid my way to go performed to shows for free, but everyone
looked down at me. There were days when tears ran down my eyes. I would freestyle everywhere, just to get people
attention, but it was still difficult. I didn't give up. One time, I
paid my way to perform on a show, when I got there, they denial me access. I
felt so bad, but I kept working. I even reached out to C Liberia
Clearly few times and you didn't give me the time of the day, but one
day, I saw you did an article on one of my songs, I felt excited and
motivated. When I did the song 'Yamyam thing', I didn't expect it to be a
hit, but few folks that were in the studio started getting excited about the song, I
didn't really believe them but was grateful that few people where
appreciating my work at the time. The first time I realized 'Yamayama Thing'
was a hit, was when DJ Blue saw me performing at Takun J spot and he
asked me to give him the song and invited me to the radio station for an
interview and others started asking for the song. Actor Joe Baby
volunteer to do the video for the song, that's when I knew I had a hit
on my hand. Like
now, I have been shown the way to bigger platforms like C Liberia Clearly and bigger shows. I
appreciate the time I get in studio and the radio promotion I'm getting
now. In the past , such opportunities were not afforded to me."
Name Change
As for the change of name, Wisdom said, " I grow up using
Waste Dem as a basketball player, when I got on the scene of music, I
decided to go on with it cause it was already a popular name for me. Now
I'm getting older, changing my
name from Waste Dem to Wisdom is a sign of growth for me."
Message to upcoming artists
"Consistency
and networking pay a lot in improving your musical career. Try and move
out of your comfort zone. Be
humble, people may look down on you, but you have to always believe in
what you want to do and stay humble. Your humbleness will take you far.
I will like to say to upcoming artists, using profanity doesn't make
your song a hit song, but if your song can inspire people, it will live
for long. Try to do away with the profanity, that will help to make
your fan base a little wider. Put in more work and do more research.
Network, network, networking will help get you there.
Music
is not for pleasure only, it is a business, if you choose to be
professional, you have to think wise. When I first started, I was doing
it for the fame, but as I got older, I learn that do be a professional,
you always have to think business first."
Wisdom is currently working on Musical Videos that could be out anytime soon.
Written by:
Momolu M. Kpanyanwu
+231770779561/+231881368756
Comments
Post a Comment