I scroll mindlessly on TikTok all the time, so it wasn’t a surprise that I heard “Down.” But there was something different, something unique, something special. It wasn’t just the choice of Xhosa that drew me to the song; it had a way of calling me, speaking to my soul in a tune I didn’t even know I could hear. So, I went into the interview with curiosity peeking from behind my eyes. Not only did I learn about “Down,” but I also discovered the thousands of stories he carries etched in his bones. Dre FORYOURSOUL’s reflections made me realize how life could be bigger than what’s in front of you. He has the wisdom of a thousand lives before this one, waiting to be heard! A week after immersing myself in ‘Down’, I found myself seated with the artist, Destiny Ogbemudia, known as DRE FORYOURSOUL. Surrounded by trees, grasses, and blue mats, we were in a spot he had frequented countless times.
There’s an abundance of nature and a gentle breeze. Intrigued by his self-awareness, we discussed ‘Down’, his latest single, his life, and his passion. He is unreserved and comfortable. With a combination of years that talk all over each other and stories told expressively.
“I don’t know if other people listen to their minds deeply, but I do. It is important I project myself the way my mind requires,” he says, describing his name change from DRENNY to DRE FORYOURSOUL and his genre shift.
“I was a different person as a rapper. It wasn’t this guy, but having to speak to people through my music made me realize it wasn’t just the music and the mode of delivery that needed to change. I also needed to change; There is also general acceptance. Being a rapper in Nigeria, no matter the spin we put on it, you could easily be moved under the radar; I needed more listeners because the message I have is really important, and I didn’t want any barrier in the reception.” This recurring theme of growth and staying grounded in reality is noticeable throughout his story. He starts by explaining that his music and he, although representing the same things, are separate entities. “The music is a projection of a part of you. You can only give out as much information as your mind allows. The real you has no filter – the music is filtered in a way, having passed through so many stages.” I raise a brow and he sees this; “ You see, now I can cuss at you and say fuck you, that’s personal but if I want to say it in the music it may not be accepted so there’s censorship in music”
Born in Warri, Dre FORYOURSOUL, whose name is an intentional acronym for “Doing Real Everytime For Your Soul,” spent most of his early childhood there before his parents split. “Last I remember, my mum said, ‘Make we dey go village,’ and at the time, I didn’t understand it was a split. I’m from Edo state and had never been there before, but I went with her. I was really young but I remember. We got there, and she said she wanted to buy something – that was the last time I saw her.”
I offer an apology, but he says, “I actually knew she wasn’t coming back. There was an aura around the situation. She met my grandmum’s daughter,” he pauses, “Sorry, my family tree can be confusing, but yes, my grandmum’s daughter. They do not share the same father, but she left me with her. I was in the village, living life. I cried the first day and settled into acceptance by the next,” he shrugs. “Communication isn’t what it is now. You couldn’t just call someone, so they tried to reach my dad. They eventually did, and he came to get me. We moved to Abuja after searching for a place to settle, and then eventually to Suleja, Niger State before moving back to Abuja. So I spent a good part of my adolescence in Suleja. I left home in 2018 and since then shuffled across various areas in Abuja.”
These experiences influenced his music, which he started writing in 2019. “I knew what I liked to hear and I’ve always wanted to sing. I also understood what I would like people to hear.” The bedrock of his musical evolution rests in a skillful balance of this understanding. “Anytime I discover new patterns to express what I’d like people to hear, I’d switch to it,” he explains. I ask if it works. “Yes, it does. I wasn’t struggling to do this; it just came. I don’t want to call it natural. I think when you discover you can do something, you are now on a quest to develop it. So music is more like a skill that I started developing. I only decided to pursue music not too long ago.”
The roughness of his environment shaped his perception of life in a macabre way. “You can be delusional in your perception of reality, but there is a general reality of how things happened, and that contributes to how you see things,” he explains, looking up to see if we are on the same page. “‘Down’, for example, is about dealing with the fact that my mom left and at different points in my life, I was not someone people wanted to be with. So it conveys those thoughts in your head and experiences. I’ve seen a lot of negativity, and if I allow those, my reflections would be ultimately negative.”
Curious, I ask why he chose Xhosa for the chorus of ‘Down’. “Most times I hate saying it like this, but I no dey rate,” he pauses, “Is it okay I’m speaking pidgin?” I nod in approval. “In the grand scheme of things, I feel like society is moved by what is trending, but I no dey wait make something trend before I go for it. I go for what resonates with me. I’ve been listening to songs in Xhosa. I love the texture and melodies of their language and the spirituality in it, so I knew I wanted to do a song like that. I wrote the original version of ‘Down’ in 2019. When it was produced, it did not have the chorus, but I have a South African friend, Andiswa Gwejela, who has lyrics credit on the song. I sent her the song and asked for her opinion, and in less than four minutes, she sent me the chorus. Interestingly, I think she was intoxicated because she didn’t remember what she sent, but as soon as I got it, I sent it to various outlets because it was sent through a disappearing message, and then I developed it. The language itself adds a layer of depth and authenticity that resonates with the song’s themes.”
Reflecting on his music journey, he shares a candid perspective. “I’ve not been in this space for long. It has been seven months since I dropped my first song, and I am shocked by the reception. It’s been unconventional,” he admits. Unlike many artists who rely on extensive promotion, he has taken a different approach, allowing his music to speak for itself. “I haven’t actively promoted anything. Everything you see is an organic repetition of my art. People listen to my stuff because they like it, not due to conditioning. I projected my art this way, and I found people who loved it, and they keep coming back. My first song has surpassed 100,000 streams,” he explains. As an independent artsist, he focuses on creating meaningful and authentic content on social media. “The journey has been eye-opening. Our realities are so hypocritical that they present certain things in ways they are not until you experience them for yourself. It has taught me to deal with creatives like myself. The beginning was difficult because you don’t have backup, just minds offering pointers and advice. I’ve had to learn to merge those with mine. It is a tiny part of what you need to grow; you also need connections and finance. So I’m grateful despite that. Compared to a lot of people I met on this journey, I can boldly say that I’ve made an impact at my level. My message is well received, and people fuck with my shit,” he summarizes.
Describing the Abuja music ecosystem, he highlights its unique characteristics. “Abuja artists and creatives have the opportunity to grow organically, free from the pressure of mainstream expectations,” he observes. “The social life of my vicinity has not really been my thing until recently, but from my experiences since I’ve been to Lagos and back to Abuja, there’s still a lot to be done in Abuja. The foundation is there already. We have stars that have sprouted from Abuja, such as Psycho YP, Odumodu, and various other stars. So it’s obvious that the Abuja creative scene is coming. The system needs to have more avenues for creatives to showcase themselves.”
The question of signing with a label or remaining independent has been a major tug of war for him. “There’s a certain allure to the idea of signing to a label. Based on how I’ve perceived the Nigerian industry for a long time, there’s so much negativity that comes from signing the wrong deal,” he confesses. “There are very few labels that can give you both growth and peace of mind. In the generality of it, I wish I would not have to sign. It’s not exactly something I can avoid. I’d just have to work my way around it.” He sees the benefits of both paths but remains committed to having control over his work and vision.
If his life were a show, his theme song would be his next single. “My next single, ‘Bandito’, captures the essence of my journey as best as I can. It represents all I stand for.” The song embodies the highs and lows, the triumphs and struggles, all woven together into an anthem of self-discovery, resilience, and determination.
As someone who is deeply opinionated, he doesn’t shy away from sharing his perspective on life and art. “Life’s easy. Man is the complication. Life is meant to be easy if man could see balance. I perceive life as being easy. There’s no spirituality to it, it’s physical. As much as our diversity makes it hard, I feel like as long as you can hold yourself accountable, you will find life easy,” he asserts. This personal philosophy guides his choices, both in his music and in his life. Despite not identifying with any religious tradition, he considers himself self-aware. “I believe in people meeting people as deep as they’ve met themselves. Understanding is easy depending on how well the person seeking understanding has understood themselves .” When it comes to higher powers, his beliefs are rooted in a sense of universal energy and a higher mind. “I believe in my mind as being the ultimate weapon. It has limitations and possesses both physical and psychological abilities to process thought and push my body to achieve those thoughts. I have doubts, but I believe in God, not in the way people portray God, but in the evidence that this life did not come from chance. It’s too beautiful and intentional to have come by chance. I believe in a supreme mind that oversees the beautification of things.” For him, these beliefs provide a sense of purpose and meaning in a seemingly chaotic world.
Transitioning to his creative process, he shares insights into how his music comes to life. “Sometimes the music starts with the melody first,” he describes. “Other times I begin with lyrics and then find the melody. It all happens in my head—the songs first, then the instrumental.” He acknowledges the skepticism surrounding his process. “People don’t always believe me,” he admits with a chuckle. “I’m not a technological person; I’m bad at math, too, for some reason.” However, he’s committed to learning. “I’m trying to learn,” he emphasizes. Despite his lack of computer skills, he relies heavily on his phone for creating and communicating. He talks about his collaboration with producers, emphasizing humility as a crucial trait. “I make the music in my head down to the least production effect,” he explains. “Then I look for a producer who is humble—seemingly my only prerequisite.” He seeks someone whose ego won’t overshadow the creative process. “It’s already here,” he gestures to his head. “I’m learning production myself, so I wouldn’t have to keep scouting a producer. I want to produce the thoughts in my head.”
When asked about his dream collaboration, there’s a momentary solemnity before he continues, “I am deeply sad that I wouldn’t have a chance with Avicii. He’s my biggest inspiration. I would also like to collaborate with Jon Bellion, Tems, Labrinth,
Macklemore. There are various people at different levels, but I’d really love to collaborate with these three.” I remark, “When you make music, you have an intention.” I inquire about the impact he hopes his music has on his listeners. He looks at me oddly when I use the word “hopes.” “It’s easy conveying thoughts once you feel it,” he explains. “That’s why the best artists are usually the ones with tangible stories, not telling someone else’s story but theirs. When I tell my story in whatever form I do, I’m aiming for people to feel the same thing I felt. They take away the need to be better people and the need to understand life. So yeah, relate to the story, but the aim is they want to do better for themselves.”
There are paths that resilience builds, and Dre FORYOURSOUL’s path is undoubtedly one of them. His music, adorned with personal experiences and growth, resonates deeply with those navigating their own journeys. Dre’s reflections on his past and his profound self-awareness serve as a source of inspiration, guiding us to find meaning and dignity in every step we take. In this interview, we learn that the roughest paths often lead to the most beautiful destinations, even if our stories are still unfolding.
I ask him what he thinks is next for him beyond his next single. He pauses thoughtfully before responding, “Creating a tangible legacy. My art is my biggest invention as an artist, and I’d keep inventing.” Curious about his life outside of music, I inquire about what he would be doing if he wasn’t pursuing music. He admits, “I have never imagined myself doing anything else. I think normal life kind of sucks. I’m creative in other ways, such as drawing and football, but it’s always music for me. I’m grateful to have a dream I can follow.”
Intrigued by his journey, I ask him if he were to give advice to his younger self solely based on experience. He reminisces about a conversation he had just yesterday. “I wish I started earlier,” he reveals with a snap of his fingers to emphasize the passing time. “I wish I found my purpose earlier. There’d be less competition and it would’ve been easier, as the expressive market is really saturated now.”
As the interview came to a close, I had unknowingly learned that despite how rough life could be, you can build a life out of anything. Not just any life, but one that is worthy for you to enjoy if that thing is the only one in front of you.
Authored by Neone Adebayo