Interview: [@IcePrinceZamani] releases new single ‘Make up Your Mind’ featuring [@alhajitekno]

Multi award-winning singer and rapper Ice Prince from Nigeria releases new single ‘Make up Your Mind’ featuring Tekno. In 2010, Ice Prince dropped ‘Oleku’ one of Africa’s most remixed songs of all time, which paved the way for African music on an international level. The rapper since went from strength to strength, collaborating with the likes of French Montana, Major Lazer and Wale to name a few. Ice Prince joins the likes of Young Thug, Megan thee Stallion and Lil Keed as a 300 Entertainment signee with his new single. Produced by Stunna, Prince and Tekno collaborate again following their hit single “Boss”.

We had the opportunity to speak with Ice Prince as he shares his vision, excitement and plans for the future.

Glad to hear you are back on the scene, but before we get onto that. We cannot ignore the beautiful commotion you caused when you dropped Oleku in 2010, this song played a huge part in African music going global. How did it feel to have a song which was named one of Africa’s most remixed tracks of all time? 

“At the time I was new to the game, I was just an upcoming and underground artist; I was a hype man for MI. A year before Oleku dropped, I had won a competition in Nigeria called Hennessy Artistry, so my name was already on people’s lips. But when Oleku came out that was really magical, it changed my life we did not see the song going as far as it went. Artists from around the word were remixing the song, every artist wanted to drop their version of the song; and it really did well for the song. Like they say, the rest is history that song did what it did. It put Afrobeats on the map, it put Ice Prince and the team on the map!”

Since then we have seen rapid international growth of African music across the world, and as an artist how have you managed to remain a part of the ever-changing African music scene as an artist, especially being one of the biggest artists out of Nigeria? 

“I am very excited about where Afrobeats music is going and where our people have taken our music and culture. I always stay afloat by hanging out with the new school, whatever is new I try to keep up with whatever is fresh. I have a lot of young’uns living with me so my ideas stay fresh that way. Also, I am always exchanging ideas with a lot of young producers and talent I have been work with. That is how I stay afloat, kicking it with the new”.

So you’re back with new music and have officially joined the 300 family alongside the likes of Young Thug, Megan thee Stallion, Gunna and Lil Keed. Which is amazing, huge congratulations! What can we expect to hear from Ice Prince?  

“Expect a lot of fire and ice, expect a lot of fire of Zamani. I have released three albums over the course of my career from Everybody Loves Ice Prince to Fire of Zamini to Joss to the World, and if you know me you know I take my time to deliver quality. I have been taking my time creating music, I have been in the studio now for over five years creating a fourth album named Fire and Ice.

So, watch out for amazing stuff! Amazing music, music that is going to change the world, music that is going to put us on the map. Like I said, if you saw what I did with Oleku I am going to do that again and again with many more vibes that we have created thus far!”

Your new single ‘Make up Your Mind’ features Tekno and is exactly what I expected it to be plus more! I absolutely love it, and love the 90’s visuals. What was the inspiration behind this song? 

“Shout to my brother Tekno! Over the years we have made so many songs together, we have had a chance to release a couple of those songs from ‘Oleku’ to ‘Boss’ and a few others. Working with him is always amazing, we are always exchanging ideas he is a fan of my music and I am big fan of his music; so its always easy for us to kick it! There has always been mutual respect between us.

Regarding the video, big shout out to T.G. Omori he put the visuals together for the video. We literally sat down together with the stylist, we wanted to make something colourful and fly, but we were restricted a lot by the pandemic. There were a few things we were unable to achieve, for example we wanted to feature the nightlife of Lagos but we couldn’t do that; because there is now a curfew. But either way, shout out to T.G. Omori because I love the video and we were able to make it work!”

What are your current thoughts on the African music scene, so much has happened over the years?

“My thoughts are full of joy, happiness, and excitement! A lot of the artists doing it are literally my boys. A lot of them came around me or grew up around me; it is nice seeing friends gain their platform to shine. So I am very excited about where they are taking the music and culture to, I made a record with Rema just a few months before Dumebi came out and that became a sensation. And now Rema is a huge name, to watch these boys grow into what they are now are and see how Afrobeats is on every playlist, TV, and radio station it fills me with joy.

This has always been the dream, but it can never be enough, we still have a long way to go and more to do. We have a lot more of our culture to show to the world, our melodies, our vibes it is beyond music it is down to the lifestyle, fashion and movies, its Black! It’s real Black and we are excited the world is starting to identify with it! Make up your mind!”.

Check out the video for ‘Make up Your Mind’ below directed by T.G. Omori and produced by Stunna: