"I like to consider myself a wordsman, so anything with words and like being emotional through words, whether it be music, poetry or just like writing songs like that's always been something that stuck with me."
Tuesday 4 June 2024, Canterbury High Street, United Kingdom
Who are we talking to? Rayo
Who is the interviewer? Gio
❀。• *₊°。❀°。• *₊°。❀°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･❀
GIO: What are you passionate about and why?
RAYO: I've always been passionate about words. I like to consider myself a wordsman, so anything with words and like being emotional through words, whether it be music, poetry or just like writing songs like that's always been something that stuck with me.
GIO: Would you say you're a creative person?
RAYO: Yeah, I'd say so yeah.
GIO: So in terms of poems and just like music in general, where did you start?
RAYO: With music, I've always been singing, so I did like choir in primary school and all that, but with like writing, I used to write my mum like storybooks and like little papers and she would read them back to me. So it was cool. It's always been something I've always wanted to do, like my entire life. I don't remember when it started. It's always been there.
GIO: So just going into the music stuff, what is your favourite genre?
RAYO: Obviously, it has to be Afrobeat. That's what I exclusively heard, since I was like 10 years old.
GIO: Where are you from?
RAYO: I'm from Nigeria
GIO: Represent. What tribe?
RAYO: Yoruba.
GIO: Let me see what else I can ask. And then, what is something you're excited about happening in the future?
RAYO: I'm excited about putting myself out there more, especially with modeling. I used to do modeling a lot as a kid but I stopped because of exams and all that. But now I'm not in secondary school anymore, so like I can get back into it now. So I'm excited to see where that goes.
GIO: Rate your outfit out of ten?
RAYO: So like six. I mean f**k (Laughs), so like seven and a half, you know, very fresh.
GIO: What is something you dreamed of doing for a long time but haven't done it already?
RAYO: When I was a kid. I wanted to be in the WWE. I had my whole character and everything figured out and I was gonna have to spin a heel kick. That was my dream. Obviously, I didn’t go to WWE (laughs). I study politics now.
GIO: You went from John Cena to study politics.
RAYO: One day maybe.
GIO: What was your WWE name?
RAYO: She was “Blue Star.” The outfit was blue, so Blue Star.
"When I was a kid. I wanted to be in the WWE. I had my whole character and everything figured out and I was gonna have to spin a heel kick. That was my dream. Obviously, I didn’t go to WWE (laughs). I study politics now."
GIO: Okay, who would you say is your favorite WWE wrestler?
RAYO: Big Show. He was pretty old like John Cena time, when John Cena was actually good. I'd say Big Show. Or Shinsuke Nakamura.
GIO: Is John Cena not good anymore?
RAYO: Nah (Laughing).
GIO: Oh swear, wait.
RAYO: He’s not good anymore.
GIO: But back in his day he was good?
RAYO: Yeah he was in the top 5. Him, Big Show, The Rock—they were lit.
RAYO: But, Big Show and Shinsuke Nakamura—I f**k with him so heavy. He was a f***ing weirdo, but he was like a weirdo in a cool way.
GIO: Okay, I didn't even know that. I thought he was always good though, I didn’t know he fell off.
RAYO: Yes, he fell off. He's done.
GIO: Oh my god, this is so wow. Describe yourself in like three words.
RAYO: I'd say creative, passionate, and solitary. I really appreciate time by myself.
GIO: A lot of people can't appreciate time by themselves, because I feel like in this day and age, everyone needs to be out or do something with other people. So then we get lost in that atmosphere, and then people forget to be by themselves more, which is just so interesting. Solitude is also good for healing as well.
GIO: Average wake up time/bedtime table.
RAYO: In general, I actually go to bed really early, like I think I've been conditioned by my parents to go to bed at like 9:30. I actually feel sleepy at that time and it's so annoying because I'm in the club like why am I sleepy?
GIO: Do you think you've got like a low social battery?
RAYO: I think I'm a sociable person, but when I'm in a place that I especially don’t want to be in for too long, I can't hide it on my face. Bro, you're gonna see on my face that I want to leave.
GIO: Wanna leave.
RAYO: I can't hide my face.
GIO: I can’t lie, I can't hold it in for that long. Especially when like it's a group full of people and then it's like well, now I've got to sit there and say something. I don't say anything. I look like the dickhead, so now I've got to talk.
RAYO: Exactly, you can always just tell, I can't hide my facial expression. That's the one thing I don't let go of myself. You can always tell how I feel by my face.
GIO: So you put your emotions on your heart basically, on your sleeve?
RAYO: Yeah.
GIO: Do you have a nickname?
RAYO: Oh yeah, my nickname would be I have a lot. I'm going to start from the beginning.
GIO: Okay, cool, let's go.
RAYO: So, first of all, my main name, Rayo, is actually my nickname. It's the short for my middle name. In Nigeria, before I came to the UK, everyone called me Oluwapelumi which is actually my first name. But when I came here, I was looking at reinventing myself and I attached Pelumi as the name of strife. There was so much struggle with that name. So I was like you know what? I'm just going to switch over to my middle name. And another nickname I have from the Nigerian society in this uni is Funnel Cake.
GIO: (Laughs) Funnel cake?
RAYO: I know it's weird, but like there was like a mixer earlier this year it was my first year and they were asking questions and the winning team got like small chops. So obviously we were really heated. So like he was asking, about food. Like we didn't know the last word and I just like whispered “funnel cake” and he was like, “who said that?” I was like, “me” (laughs), and then we got our food, so fair enough.
GIO: Oh sh*t, wait. Did that not cost you the game, or did he just allow it?
RAYO: Nah, he just allowed it because we were already losing.
GIO: Oh well, damn, I'll kick you from my store.
GIO: I'm just going to freestyle it. How would you say your time in Kent has been? Did you enjoy your first year?
RAYO: I did a foundation year last year actually.
GIO: Oh, fairs.
RAYO: Comparing that to that, I think it was pretty good. I think I've grown a lot as an individual as well, especially like I've become “Rayo.” I had that realization a couple days ago, like “Oh my God, I’m her innit? I'm that n***a.” (Laughing) My self love is the best love still.
GIO: Going back on, like you, going as a person.What would you say was the biggest battle for you last year?
RAYO: I'd say it was me being like super shy. I mean, I'm a social person but like especially coming to a country where, like I had like an accent or everyone else spoke the same about, “Oh, are you from ends?
GIO: (Laughing) What the f**k is ends, bro?
RAYO: (Laughing) What does ends mean? I never knew how to respond to that ever. I was like “hi” question mark.
GIO: Was this your first time in England?
RAYO: No, we used to go on vacation here all the time. When I was on vacation, I never had the chance to interact with people that weren't my cousins. So now I'm here interacting with people like proper, like that live here.
GIO: So it's like was it a big culture shock?
RAYO: No, I know I was good with people. And so the vacations were pretty frequent, we were always here. Like I was born here.
GIO: Were you born in London?
RAYO: Yeah.
GIO: But you moved to Nigeria at a young age?
RAYO: Yeah, like pretty much immediately after. I was like, yeah, get out of here (Laughs).
GIO: I was going to argue with you about it, but I don't think you would live here still.
RAYO: Nah, I wouldn't, I guess I can do it for like a period of time. Just London is nice.
GIO: London is nice, but it's hella expensive though.
RAYO: Yeah, it's just so dirty.
GIO: It's so, it's very dirty. It's not the one.
RAYO: It's disgusting
GIO: Like even though they're trying to gentrify it now like there's still some parts where you go there and it's like, bro—
RAYO: Pigeons.
GIO: Pigeons everywhere!
RAYO: Crazy people.
GIO: Crazy people! Bro, there’s a lot of crackheads that come out at nighttime and speak to you.
"When I came here, I was looking at reinventing myself and I attached Pelumi as the name of strife. There was so much struggle with that name. So I was like you know what? I'm just going to switch over to my middle name."
RAYO: Crazy people won't come near you. But here they have audacity. This crazy guy followed me on the bus, my first week.
*Silence*
(Laughter)
GIO: Wait, wait, wait, hold on, hold on. You were telling me he was on that side. You were just chilling, and then some random crackhead wouldn’t say anything, just followed you home?
RAYO: He was just at the bus stop. We just left our friend's house and then the crazy guy was at the bus stop. Okay fairs, transportation, I hear it. Then we got on the bus. He goes on the bus behind us. Okay, ferris, it's a big bus, like he could be anywhere and he sits directly behind my mom and I. I keep looking back like people are getting off, this man is not getting off. Mum's looking back. I'm like, what are you looking at? Like, don't let him know he sees you. (laughs)
GIO: I've been to Nigeria. But the thing with me, when I went to Nigeria my dad doesn't trust me to go outside with my cousins, so like, if my cousins want to go out here and party, I'm basically stuck behind like closed doors and I can't do anything with them.
RAYO: You need to take your freedom.
GIO: I've been trying to take my freedom. I've been trying!
RAYO: Especially because you don’t live there.
GIO: I think that's wise. It's like, “Oh, you can’t go outside, you’ll be robbed.” We live in a village and my dad has this nice house, so if I come outside people will be like, “Oh it’s his son.” But what I try to do is I try to blend in with the crowd.
RAYO: Wear the most faded t-shirt.
GIO: Most faded t-shirt. I even cut my hair short. If I had locs—long day. I had lots of long day. I would have been robbed, ransom.
RAYO: You need to come to a big city, Lagos, Abuja or something like that.
GIO: I've only been to Lagos twice in my lifetime. I've only been to Abuja once, though, but I know everyone there is like super rich. They just live life big still. Super, super rich. Are you from Lagos or Abuja?
RAYO: Lagos.
GIO: Yeah, I need to go back to Lagos. Man, it was such a nice city.
RAYO: It’s a great travel destination. You know, two weeks: the club, beach, club. beach, cool, cool. But like to live there, it’s so stressful. I went back in December and I had to renew my NIN. And I went there three times.
GIO: That's the thing, the embassy in Nigeria is so sh*t.
RAYO: I went there three times. They were like no.
GIO: If you don't know someone who works in that embassy, you're finished. You might be there for the whole day waiting, because it's so bad.
RAYO: I was there the whole day, three days in a row. It wasn't until the last day. It was the day before I had my flight back and I needed this thing because my passport was wrong. We did my passport so I could go back. I called my mum, in tears. She pulled up with like someone from the office that works with them and then they exploded for me. That's it, in like 15 minutes after I’ve come back three days.
GIO: That's what I'm saying. That's why Nigeria is so behind in terms of little things like that, still, something like that would at least take two hours in the UK. But Nigeria is still the vibe. I still want to go back. I still plan on living there when I'm old.
RAYO: I want to retire. I want to go back there and be a politician.
GIO: Politician?
RAYO: In my 50s and sh*t. Yeah, I'll do that.
GIO: You want to actually run a country?
RAYO: Yeah.
GIO: Fairs, that’s cool. Hopefully they take you in because I know certain parts are corrupt there.
RAYO: I mean, I can be corrupt. (Laughs)
GIO: I will give you money if you just call me and vote for me, please.
RAYO: You want some rice?
"You just have to learn how to take it—people laughing at you—especially if what you're doing is a good thing. If they're not laughing at you, then that's a problem."
GIO: Anything, just vote for me and you'll be better. I've got you for anything… Are you having any summer plans?
RAYO: I'm gonna go to my sister's graduation. I'm probably gonna work.
GIO: I know yeah, job yeah.
RAYO: I'm gonna try to find a way to escape the UK, because it's here like 75 days of rain?
GIO: I've seen that. UK weather is not it, man, especially in summertime. Still it was not it.
RAYO: I mean last year that was actually quite decent.
GIO: It was decent last year.
RAYO: But I wasn't here for the entire summer so I wouldn't be able to say it. So now if it's actually for 75 days I'm going to have to escape, I don’t care where I’m going.
GIO: 75 days and pure depression. And everybody in this country is depressed as f**k as well.
RAYO: It’s so depressing here, but it reminds me of where I come from as well. People say the UK is bad but come to Lagos bro (laughs). Unless you are like, especially being creative, and you’ve like perfected your craft, even if you have, n***as are always gonna laugh at you. You just have to learn how to take it—people laughing at you—especially if what you're doing is a good thing. If they're not laughing at you, then that's a problem. That's my fear when I'm being creative on stuff, especially like putting my music out there. I haven't dropped anything yet. I've only dropped snippets.
GIO: Don’t be one of those guys who just stops just up to like two years plus and you don't drop anything.
RAYO: Yeah exactly. I'm so scared because I know specific people that are going to laugh that follow me. I know exactly who's going to laugh.
GIO: I'm trying to get into the creative process more and just post just things in general, just be out there. Because it gets to a point where like sometimes I just don't care about what people say, about their opinions, because when you really think about it, all the artists we listen to, or creatives, or public figures, at one point they were in our shoes and then they were all off and now everyone's like “Oh yeah, you make good sh*t. Yeah, you're so cool.” You know they were dissing you. It's annoying but you just gotta firm it and work through it.
RAYO: It was really stressful because I have people on my social media that I grew up with that are now doing their own thing and they're actually doing it really well. Like I have a friend that had an Android. He had like 100 followers on TikTok when he came to the UK. We came to the UK at the same time and now he has 23K. And I'm like damn bitch!
GIO: What is he doing?
RAYO: He's a content creator. He does like outfits and all that. I think he's a music man ambassador or something.
GIO: Oh sh*t.
RAYO: I'll be there. Like okay period period. I also have people that also do music that are pretty successful in it, so I'm like you know what “f**k it” I’ll pose it and I know it’s not trash.
GIO: What's the genre of your music?
RAYO: It's more of like a neo-soul/afrobeat influenced, I also rap occasionally, but I'm not putting that out anytime soon. I would like to rap, but I have a high-pitched voice. And unless your voice gets super high-pitched it’s not gonna sound good when you're rapping. I have to find a way to regulate it.
GIO: Could you not just fine tune it in the studio or something?
RAYO: Yeah I could.
GIO: You do not just fine tune it in the studio or something. Yeah, that's actually that's interesting.
RAYO: I drop on SoundCloud, but under an alias, not like my real name. My current favorite song on SoundCloud that I've dropped, It's called “Self Love” by irawo.
GIO: All you gotta do is take your time. You don't have to rush. It's not like something in a rush, it's a process, like you said, and then it's not like something you're in a rush, it's a process, like you said, and then, if you think about it, you're still in first year. So you haven't even experienced the whole of uni life. So you might as well use what you experienced and put it in your music.
RAYO: Period.
GIO: Why weren’t you in the showcase? With POCAS?
RAYO: I was in the last one, but I did a song with you know, Matthew. Yourbrothermatthew.
GIO: Oh, Brother Matthew?
RAYO: You know I’m his favorite feature. I like to believe that (laughs). But yeah, like I did like two songs with him, people liked it and I was like, okay, fair. I guess, I'm not trash I mean. The next one obviously, might be better than that. I'm confident that I can do it.
GIO: You can do it. Yeah, I feel like you've got the swagger though.
❀。• *₊°。❀°。• *₊°。❀°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･❀
Photographers: Dante Richardson & Paolo
Photo editor: Dante Richardson
Photoshoot Assistants: Hyla Etame, Vanessa Mbeko, & Jolanda Oruni
Interview editor: Hyla Etame
