Year after year, the Nigerian music industry ushers in a plethora of new talents into what could possibly become their first big break in their careers. From the first single to the first EP, the first show, it’s quite an interesting view to experience these artists’ journeys in real time. Shitta Bolanle Rasaq, aka Spy Shitta, is currently on an impressive path to achieving his lifelong dream of being a successful Afrobeat artist. In this piece, he shares his story, from dreams to the present, and his prospective future.
Can you share a brief introduction about yourself?
My name is Spy Shitta, and I’m 22 years old. I’m an Afrobeat artist and songwriter and I have been actively recording music since I was 13. I grew up in Abesan estate, Lagos and that was where my love for music started. I’d go out of my way to save money for studio sessions, because my parents were quite hesitant to embrace my craft, at the time. All I had was a big dream, a strong drive, and here we are.
That’s cool. What will you say inspires your sound?
My sound is heavily inspired by the work of Wande Coal, Wizkid, and 9ice. I draw inspiration from a lot of experiences and people, but these were the artists I connected to the most, so they played a key role in shaping my sound.
Can you walk me through your journey to Spy Shitta, the EP?
From 2018-2020, I barely released any new music. I just focused on developing my craft, writing, and recording music and occasionally dropped freestyles on my Instagram. I was trying to garner attention from bigger artists and put myself out there. By the end of 2020, I got signed to Oystars Breed Entertainment and released my first official single, Whine in 2021. The larger part of 2021 was just a huge lesson for me. It marked a learning curve, because I encountered a lot of challenges, as a newbie in the music industry. So Spy Shitta- the EP is basically a fusion of every emotion I felt on my path to becoming a music artist. It’s my statement project, an official introduction of Spy Shitta to the world.
Hmmm, that’s something. Your EP does a bit of storytelling and has a recurring theme of love. What’s the inspiration behind that?
I love love. I grew up around so much love, and I mirror that in my music. Creating love songs comes easily, and sometimes I try to channel my experiences as well. I’m a natural storyteller, and I wanted my EP to reflect that.
What important lessons have you learned during the course of this project that you wish you learned earlier?
To live my truth and know my truth. Now, I know not to let too many people get into my head and make decisions for me. At the end of the day, it’s my career, my craft. I have also learned ways to handle pressure and challenges.
Another very profound thing about your EP is the quality of sound. Who did you collaborate with and why?
I was very intentional about the people I wanted to collaborate with on this project. For me, the quality of sound was very important. On tracks 1,4 and 5, I had Blaisebeatz. For 2, I had Osadebey, and for 3, Favysongz and Blaisebeatz collaborated. Track 6 was produced by Shuga Saund and 7, by Eskeez.
Any dream collaboration or new project going forward?
I have a couple of collaborations coming up, and I’m shooting a couple of music videos as well. This EP is really like a stepping stone for me, a statement project, and I can’t wait for the world to see all of Spy Shitta.
Listen to Spy Shitta-the EP here.
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