Jeremy Owolabi, popularly known as R3my Jay, is a final-year Law student at OAU and a talented independent artist who creates Afrobeat and Hip-hop music with a passion for experimentation. He refuses to be limited to any particular genre and takes pride in his ability to diversify and deliver music that appeals to a wide range of listeners. He aims at creating a tune that evokes different moods and inspires positive vibes in his listeners.
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R3my Jay expanded his reach in 2023, when he represented Obafemi Awolowo University in a trending ‘Inter-University Rap Battle’ on X (formerly Twitter), against Ambode from University of Ilorin and other campus artists across Nigeria, with his tweet garnering over one million impressions.
The young talent has released various tracks afterwards, with his latest project being an Electronic Playlist he dropped in April 2024, titled ‘YUNNO THE DRILL‘. In an interview with ACJOAU Correspondent, he talks about life as a student, campus artiste and his music career.
Y'all called and god answered. Representing Great Ife! Won't leave @call_me_ambode breathing. Whatever you do, leave OAU out of your mouth. #InterUniRapBattle
Cc: @GreatIfe_SU @TheGreatestIFE @the_Lawrenz @BlaqBonez @asakemusik @fireboydml @Olamide
📸: @Iam_lordmayor pic.twitter.com/bDUsbSHved— Stream YUNNO THE DRILL (@r3myjay) November 29, 2023
When Did you Start your music career on campus
In 2019. I started by making rap freestyle videos and posting them online, but I didn’t drop any official music till 2020. My first track was ‘Agbada’ and the reception was crazy.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music while still being a student?
I have always had an irrepressible urge to make music, so as soon as I was in the right environment, it just happened. It was always a matter of time. I can’t live without making music.
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How do you balance your academic responsibilities with your music mareer?
Honestly, it’s not the easiest thing. Especially right now, being in my final year of studying Law. It’s all about time management and striking a balance. I approach things in order of their importance and know when to ultra-focus on one thing or the other.
Can you tell us about your journey in discovering your musical style and identity?
Well, I’ve always loved to think outside the box. I often experiment with a lot of genres and styles of music. Everything has contributed to what I sound like and represent today. I don’t think the journey ever ends though. Artists are just people in the end. We continue evolving. Who I am today is a product of my experiences and experimentation.
Are there any artists or bands that have particularly influenced your musical style?
For me, the list is endless. Art is like energy. It’s never lost or destroyed, just transformed from one form to another. In creating, you’re just pulling from a variety of sources subconsciously or consciously. Everything I’ve ever heard has had a level of influence on me. But I’d say, Eminem, P Square, Burna Boy, Olamide, Rema, J Cole, Juice Wrld, and XXXTENTACION are some of my favourite artists so there would likely be evidence of their influence here and there.
What message or emotions do you aim to convey through your music?
It depends. At the end of the day, I’m just living through my art. Sometimes, I’m just having plain fun. Sometimes, I’m trying to pass a message. Sometimes, I’m sharing my experiences or trying to inspire people. At the end of the day, I just hope I can invoke emotions. I want to spread happiness and hope, get people turned up, or give them something to get through the day. Life is tough, I hope my music makes it easier for my listeners.
What sets you apart from other artists in the same genre?
My first question would be, what genre exactly? But what generally sets me apart from other artists is my way with words and my willingness to take risks with my sound. There are no boundaries.
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Could you share some insights into your songwriting process and where you draw inspiration from?
It’s not a one-way street. There’s no strict formula for it. I draw inspiration from everything — my experiences, my thoughts, my emotions, or just random ideas. Sometimes, I have the intention to make music and other times, the ideas just come to me at random. I often write from scratch and then my producer scores and builds a beat around what I have made. I could also compose something on a ready-made beat. It depends. That’s just life, time and chance, I go with the flow.
How has being on campus influenced your music and creativity?
OAU teaches you resilience and improvisation like no other place. It’s a competitive scene with so many good artists, so you have to stay at the top of your game. It’s also a place where artists tend to be taken for granted, so you need to have a crazy drive to make it out here. Resources and opportunities are limited, so you need to improvise and work with what you have. In the end, OAU is a great microcosm of the larger industry. It’s the best place to build the foundation for greatness.
What do you hope to achieve with your music while still in school?
Funnily enough, I think I have achieved it. I have gained a crazy amount of knowledge and experience as a music artist here. I’ve become a strong performer and built my confidence. Most importantly, I’ve been able to grow a fanbase and the support has been simply beautiful.
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What challenges have you faced as a student pursuing a music career, and how have you overcome them?
There have been multiple challenges along the way, but at the end of the day, challenges are opportunities to build capacity. One of the biggest challenges is that Ife is pretty far from Lagos, where things happen. The opportunities are limited around here, and worse still, artists are not treated properly by event planners and sometimes even the community in general. Nobody is trying to support artists out here. We’re more or less ‘cash cows’ and everyone is trying to milk us. You pay for everything but nobody wants to pay you anything but ‘exposure’. They want to take advantage of your influence without compensating you. If possible, they’d still bill you while at it.
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The situation is quite delicate because funding in itself is a problem for any independent artist, and more so for a student artist. It’s not easy to break the cycle. I did, but it wasn’t easy. It takes courage, discipline, and sacrifice — knowing your worth and sticking to it no matter what you miss out on. As a student, you also have the extra problem of juggling school with a budding career. I’ve had to travel to Lagos for a radio interview in between two tests. Once, I performed overnight and then had a 4-unit exam at 8 AM. In the end, you can either sit around blaming where you are or what you lack or simply get up, create your opportunities, and make the most of what you have. I chose the latter.
How do you find opportunities to perform and showcase your talent on campus?
In the early stages, I was constantly looking for fresher parties, dinners, and any event I could lay my hands on. But these days, the opportunities find me and the show organisers reach out themselves.
Have you had any memorable performances or experiences related to your music while on campus?
I’ve had a couple. I tend to connect with whatever audience I find before me so it’s hard to pick. Tax 180 is up there, the Anglomoz carnival is also memorable. Campus Sports Fiesta and the Outlaws party too.
How do you engage with your audience or fans within the campus community?
As an artist, you learn that you’re pretty much a startup. I engage with people anywhere I can find them. Fintechs never stop user acquisition or engagement, do they? Whether it’s real life, Social media platforms, or even the streaming services themselves, I don’t neglect any avenue to engage my present/potential audience within or outside OAU.
Which other artists on campus do you respect their work or consider friends?
The funny thing is I was recently planning a show and we got to the point of selecting artists and I could easily think of at least 20 persons who I felt I couldn’t snub. To start listing names without making any omissions would be hard. But to mention a few: L3VI, Lasko Blark, Boyfizzy, Cosy JL, Fraggie, 0racleshaun, Inglorious MOB, 60s, Sammy Trad, BMJ, EWA, Kimoya, Fave, Genesys, Zameel, Baby Vamp, Psamuel, Tiyan, Da FASH, D Switch, Makanaki, Vatti, Feebeestarr, Phalil, IBK, Cxlor, Babyboyflo, Cezie.
How do you envision your music career evolving after graduation?
The first thing I know is I’m not in a rush. I know where I’m going and the level of stardom I want to attain. I want global stardom. I know I have a lot more to learn and experience. For my next step, I want to experience the Abuja drill scene and the Lagos industry particularly. I need to keep building my fanbase, discography, and network; hone my skills, and explore more areas. I simply envision that each day, I’m bigger than I was yesterday. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You don’t use the same foundation for a bungalow, as you do a skyscraper. I want longevity when I eventually blow up. I’m not looking for a fast career, good things take time. I’m in it for the long haul.
What steps have you taken already to meet your ‘post-campus’ goals?
I can’t divulge too much information because I’m not ready to roll out yet. But all I can say is I’ve been building. A multimedia startup, a streetwear merch line — I’ve been building.
What have you been up to since you dropped your last project, ‘YUNNO THE DRILL’, And are your expectations of it being met already?
I’ve been promoting both online and offline. My expectations are being exceeded, to be honest. Right now, we’ve crossed 35k streams on all platforms. The support has been crazy and I’m super grateful to my team, and my fans.
Can you share any other upcoming project(s) or performances that your fans can look forward to?
I can’t let the cat out of the bag. Right now, I’m fully focused on YUNNO THE DRILL. As I said, being an artist is running a business, decisions have to be made with serious consideration. I have a lot of projects in the works and even some finished ones, but the next step would always depend on what is most feasible, the market situation, and also the available funding. Just enjoy YUNNO THE DRILL and stay tuned. A shi n meye bo lapo.
Lastly, what advice would you give to other students who aspire to pursue a career in music while still in school?
The first thing is to be ready and fully prepared to face anything. Accept your limitations, but don’t let them limit you. Make the most of what you have! Nothing good comes easy and a music career is especially not easy. It is one thing to gain recognition, it is another thing to stay relevant. It’s a crazy industry. It’s not only about how talented you are or how much quality you’re churning out. Work rate is important and you must consistently put yourself out there. You must also remember that art is subjective, so don’t overthink the numbers and all of that. Stay true to yourself, accept feedback, and keep improving. But you have to understand that you can’t do it all. Do what you can per time and leave the rest. It won’t always be perfect. Build your discography as best as you can. Most importantly, know that nobody will take you more seriously than you take yourself. It’s up to you to set the pace for how others will view and treat you.