Chatting with TOBi about being real and giving a voice to the youth

Writing and performance music have been a creative outlet for Oluwatobi Feyisara Ajibolade, better known as TOBi, since childhood. His debut album STILL (2019), was a showcase of lyricism and poetic writing, delving deep into themes of vulnerability, post-traumatic growth, self-reflection, and masculinity. His clean delivery and relatable themes, paired with engaging performances, did not go unnoticed by the music industry. Over the years TOBi received multiple JUNO and Polaris Music Prize nominations, was voted by Complex Magazine as a “top artist to watch,” secured praise from a range of high-tier music publications, and was featured on COLORS.

Born in Nigeria TOBi spent most of his life in and around Toronto, Canada, but recently moved to Los Angeles. On this particular sunny afternoon, we met TOBi before his performance at FEQ in Québec City. “Make yourself at home,” he gestured at the sitting area in the mobile green room before settling in on the couch himself.

Kateryna Topol: When did you move out of Toronto?

TOBi: To LA? In 2021. The only reason I left is because it was cold, all the studios were closed, there were no shows, and I was literally getting depressed. So my friend who lives in LA was like, “Bro, this is your chance, come spend six months here and see what happens”

KT: And you are still there, how do you like it?

T: It’s cool … I prefer Toronto, I prefer the GTA, but from a work and creativity standpoint this is where I want to be right now. But long-term …

KT: You’d like to come back? [he nods] Your performance was actually one of the last ones I saw before the closures, it was the SoundCloud showcase

T: Oh yeah! [he nods]

KT: … it was a fun party, what I remember most about it though is this moment during your set, where it got really noisy while you were performing, and you asked the room to quiet down, that must’ve been quite frustrating to you as an artist … 

T: I do remember that, and it was a rare thing, and because that happened I had to address it because I normally don’t do this kind of thing. But this was very frustrating, you don’t want people being disrespectful of not just my time but the other people there who were vibing, because I am looking in the crowd and I’m seeing people who are too shy to tell people to chill and waiting patiently [but can’t hear any performances]. I don’t like that, it’s about respect

KT: For sure, and this was a small space. What kind of venues do you prefer to play?

T: [Thinks for a moment] I do like the intimate sub … 1,500-1,000 [space] because it feels almost communal, even kind of tribal in a sense, you know, like … the sound doesn’t fly too far, it’s contained, it reverberates from the walls [makes a trickling gesture with his hands] so I like that because it feels very close-knit. And there is an aspect that I like to the big shows too, just the sheer magnitude of it. I just love performing period.

KT: You have a new single that dropped not too long ago, “Ego Slide,” and the last album, PANIC, is about a year in now, is there anything new you’re working on?

T: I’ve been working on quite a couple of things [chukles]. I feel free right now… yeah… I feel free to just create and the songs are just coming, the inspiration is just coming so I’m just riding it, just catching it. Obviously, not every song can come out, but I have … hundreds that I’ve done recently

KT: Wow! [“yeah, yeah” he laughs] The sun is working out well for you!

T: I’m grateful.

KT: So what’s your plan, let them keep coming until ten favourites float to the top?

T: I think so. I think so. My direction right now is, I’m kind of liking more soulful songs, you know what I mean, live instruments …. [ponders a bit]

KT: … like Raphael Saadiq kind of vibes?

T: Oh! Raphael Saadiq, oh wow! Yeah, actually that’s a very good reference point, umm…Salaam Remi, NxWorries, that kind of feel, it groves and it feels good, I want people to feel good to this music

KT: Seeing a live band around you …

T: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. More live instruments for sure. And I really love the synth bass, like the deep moves, the roll-ins, the heavy synth bass, that’s my favourite sound. So you’re gonna hear it soon.

KT: Do you have a bit of a timeline on the release?

T: Yeah, fall.

KT: Exciting! Back to PANIC, you started a virtual fanbase with the album…

T: Yeah, PANiC FM! I love it, I’m gonna keep doing it forever. I want it to be a place where I can talk about things that I love like art, philosophy, you know, psychology, things that inform my music with fans, friends, people who just want to learn more, make it a nice, wholesome community, you know.

KT: Very cool. And your music, it’s very personal, you share a lot of raw stories about your life and your family, how does it feel to tell these stories so publicly?

T: Yeah… I think … it’s healing for me. Because nobody’s perfect, everybody has an interesting past, if you really dive into it, and I think for me to be able to acknowledge what’s going on, it helps me not repeat certain mistakes and patterns. You know what I’m saying? I used to work in social services so I’ve seen a lot of difficult family dynamics, so there is nothing that really phases me anymore because I’ve seen what can be very difficult for people. But I’ve noticed even the most difficult dynamics, they can be resolved, they can be healed through time, intention, care and awareness. That’s how I feel, and that’s why I feel comfortable being vulnerable about things in my life.

KT: … so it’s almost like therapy

T: Absolutely.

KT: It’s great that you were able to turn your passion into a career and you’ve won quite a few awards for your work – congratulations – were there one or two that felt … really special?

T: Umm, yeah I think [Juno] Rap Album of the Year for PANIC and the Rap Single of the Year for “Someone I Knew” which is off PANIC, those meant the most to me because I know what those songs mean to me. The album, PANIC, I made that album for us, for humans, for all of us. Even though I say a lot of personal stuff in there, it’s really for us.

I think a lot of young people live with anxiety, and they are anxious because they are uncertain about so many things, you know. The climate, the job market, the housing market, there are so many things, and I notice because I’m a young person and I talk to young people, and we can’t gaslight them by saying that what they’re feeling isn’t real. And they are so brilliant because they have this [points at the phone], they know everything, you can’t pull the wool over our eyes anymore, you know.

And that’s why if you look at the songs on PANIC  there is a middle part that’s all teen angst. There is a song called “Hoodwinked” and “Flatline” (feat Kenny Mason). “Hoodwinked” is all about teen angst [the lyrics are] ‘you pull the wool over my eyes’ – teen angst, we’ve been hoodwinked since we were kids.

KT: It’s also one of the more … intense songs on the album

T:  Yeah [laughs], it is, it is. It’s honest, it’s how I feel. I don’t know how not to make music that represents how I feel.

KT: Ok, here’s a question – one of the things that stood out to me most about your music is your delivery because if you look at the current rap/hip-hop scene there are a couple of branches: a lot of the new stuff is a bit more … trap-y and hard to understand and then there is stuff that’s still very much inline with classic hip-hop which is where you fall in because your lyricism and enunciation is very sharp, and that’s a skill, is that natural or something you worked on …

T: Yeah, first of all, thank you, I appreciate that. My favourite artists growing up I knew exactly what they were saying. Jay-Z, B.I.G., Pusha T … Phonte from Little Brother, I know what they are saying … Outkast, André 3000, Lauryn Hill – there is no hiding what they are saying, you’re hearing it, and I just respect that. And I think that sometimes I say a lot of words so I want to make sure that they are clear in the mix

KT: … can’t hide behind the beat

T: Right! [laughs] Exactly! Hiding behind the beat is real.

KT: Ok, last one, as you travel on tour, what do you like to do between shows?

T: I love food, I’m a foodie. I love eating the food recommended by locals, I did that a lot when I was on tour in Europe with Mick Jenkins and in the States as well. If we have time, because sometimes we’re only there for one day, if we have time I like checking out a museum or an art gallery, if there is nature to see… And sometimes we like to party too, I like to have fun, you know [laughs]!

I was just in Calgary yesterday, and because I’ve never been to Calgary, it’s my first time, I was like “I gotta turn up” so I did, everything.

KT: So, from classy restaurants, to dive bars and everything in between…

T: Yess, everythiiing, everything. Fancy brunch, crazy hole-in-the-wall bar, everything. And I loved it.

* * *

For a few more minutes we talked about food, the amazing beef dip he had at 1:30 AM after landing in QC and how terrible of a feeling it is to be disappointed by food.

Due to the heavy incoming storm, TOBi’s FEQ show was cancelled, along with NAS and the Fleet Foxes. “Lightning advisory Quebec City. Sorry it’s getting cancelled, but it’s a safety issue. I will make it up! Je vous aime,” he told his fans via Instagram.