My Goal Is To Push Africa Sound To International Standard – Lord Gabrielz

Ojoba Efe Michael Gabriel, also known as Lord Gabrielz or Lord G, is a music producer cum mix and mastering engineer. The Agricultural Economics graduate of the University of Ilorin spoke with Chinyere Abiaziem, on his passion to take the sound quality of Nigeria music and by extension Africa to an enviable international standard. Enjoy it:

How did you come by the name Lord Gabrielz?

When I was in school my friends loved calling me Lord G and I was like, why not I use Lord and my father’s name-Gabriel as my identity. That was how I came about Lord Gabrielz as my identity? Lord means an appellation for a person who has authority or control over things. So you can say I am someone with authority and control over my choice of sounds.

Can you give a peep into your background?

I hail from Delta State, Ugheli North, Agbaro to be precise, and I had my higher institution in Ilorin where I studied Agricultural Economics.

Was it Agricultural Economics you initially wanted to study?

When I was in secondary school I wanted to be a medical doctor but as God had it, I read Agricultural Economics. I think everything is for a purpose.

How did you find yourself in the music industry?

I have been playing the piano from age 7. Music flows in my family, I got uncles who are great musicians. My dad is an organist so I was born to meet an organ in the house and I was playing around with other musical instruments.  While growing up there was this friend of mine who come to see my sister who was skilled with playing the piano. It was from him I got some lessons.  As a church boy, I play piano in the church. I have been a church boy and will always be till I die. Also during my school days I had a sequencer in my hostel which I made beat with and all that. I got to meet a friend of mine who introduced me to computer music that was how I started new age music.  So, presently I’m into music production, mixing and mastering.

Who are some of the artistes you have worked with?

Internationally, I have worked with Chipmunk, Jermaine Riley, Young O, OneVoyce.  Over here in Africa Oritshe Femi, Cdq, Banky, Reminisce, Davido, The Misfit (Tony and Sess), Kayswitch,T3st, Accolades etc.  Recently I worked  on Cdq’s current album, I did about 80 percent of the mastering and mixing.

Can you expatiate on computer music?

Unlike in the 70s and 80s where if you want to make a record you will need drummers, bass guitarist, analog consoler etc, now with computer music I can be in my room or the hotel room of anywhere I travel to and make music. These days we have soft wares that make the job easy that you don’t need the hands of drummer or keyboardist to make music when you know what you are doing.
So, with the computer it is cheaper to make music?
Yes. But the best form of making music is the hybrid approach. That is combining the digital with the analog way of making music.

Do you agree that the new age music has pushed away food from the tables of some persons?

That is a very good question. It is a blessing to some people at the same time some people are feeling bad about it. There have been a lot of arguments about the new age music. What I will say is that one should be concerned about change and be able to brace up to the advancement in technology. When I started I made music with piano but then I was like things have changed and I met a friend who introduced me to computer music and it was mind-blowing to come out with professional music. There are advantages with the computer music as well as disadvantages.

What are some of the advantages?

It sparks up creativity to explore the computer and build around something. It has really helped a lot of people.

How about the disadvantages?

You get to see people who are not musically inclined putting up anything they like and the aftermath is crap.

What is your assessment of the sector you have found yourself?

We have many talented producers but the truth is that our sound is still not up to international standard. The problem is that our music is always distorted. I met an older lady in a supermarket with some of my friends recently and she complained of how the music produced these days gets to hurt the ears.

Are there exceptional producers whose mentee you are?

I really do not have a mentor but internationally I admire the works of Dark Child, Tim, Rick Love, Ryan Leslie, while here I admire the arts of Masterkraft, PuffyT, Cohbams, Gospel on the beat. They are just incredible and have influenced me. I look up to them and learn a lot from them. When you listen to albums by Cdq, you can match the hip hop songs there with Drake’s albums and you won’t feel any gap.

Where does Lord G see himself in the nearest future?

Beautiful places. One of my goals in Nigeria and Africa is to bring our mixing and master to international quality. We need to take our sounds to another level. Africa sounds are not just it right now. We have nice beats, nice production idea but the sound quality is not just there.

6:26:00 AM