Comedian and actor, Akunyota Akpobome aka Alibaba, recently asserted that before being signed by a record label, aspiring artists engage in ‘dark’ practices.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, September 22, the seasoned entertainer emphasised that talented individuals should never succumb to such pressures, rather, they should steadfastly define their purpose and uphold the values instilled in them.
He said,
“For me, there are some things that you would not want to do, and you must stick with it. It is the same thing with some of these artists, some of them do rituals now.
“As an artiste, you must define your purpose, you must hold on to some strong values you’ve been brought up with.
“If you are someone who is in a position with your creative abilities, you don’t need that kind of pressure. You don’t need somebody making you sign or take an oath for you to be creative.”
Alibaba insisted that some artistes’ essential values were being replaced with the deafening desire for fame and fortune; the reason most give in to these unwholesome practices.
He continued,
“People just want to blow; they want to be seen, they want to be heard, they want to make money, they want to belong. And because of that, they step back from the values they have been brought up with and do what they shouldn’t do.”
The veteran entertainer noted that there were still some artistes genuinely thriving and holding their fort in spite of these pressures in the entertainment industry.
He added,
“They don’t smoke, they don’t hold cigars, they don’t hold the glass cup and drink whiskey in their music videos and they insist on it.
“Even if the choreography says it would add colour to the video, they would say no.”
His remark comes on the heels of mounting public outcry over the allegations of abuse against Mohbad, who died at the age of 27 on September 12.