In a recent interview, Charles Chukwu, better known by his stage name Crayon, a recording artist for Mavin Records, opened up on how he attempted the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), also referred to as JAMB, five times before deciding to delve into music.
The Ijolaba-laba crooner revealed that despite having grown up “around music,” he only began taking it seriously after it appeared that his educational pursuit was failing.
In an interview with Sunday Scoop and obtained by Glamsquad Magazine, he said, “My dad used to be a master of ceremonies, who also sold compact discs back in the day. That means I sort of grow up around music. While growing up, the two things I was good at were music and football. I was always the go-to guy for anything related to music. I was in the choir, and also a good dancer. However, as I grew older, I knew I had to choose a definite path; and after careful deliberations, I chose music. In 2016, after writing JAMB for the fifth time, I recorded my first song.”
Additionally, Crayon claimed that his relationship with Don Jazzy, the head of his record label, was similar to that of a father and son. He stated: “My relationship with Don Jazzy can be likened to that of a father and son. I remember when I would get frustrated with my craft and he would give me the best advice; not from a position of being my boss, but from the place of someone who genuinely wants the best for me. When I went to see him earlier this year, he played me the beat of the Mavin song, Overdose, and told me I would be the one to open the song and take the chorus. He did that because he believes in me.”
The singer of Ijo (Laba Laba) described his career’s most memorable moments: “The one I still hold dear to my heart is when I was unveiled as a Mavin artiste. I felt like was I was being unveiled as a Manchester United football club player. It was a dream come true for me, knowing where I was coming from. The opportunities ahead made me really excited.”