It is every musician’s dream for their music to be well-received by listeners and by so doing, help establish a connection between them whereby the listener becomes a fan of the artiste, giving them their full support whenever it is required be it for new releases, concert shows, brand endorsements or a clash with another musician. Notjustok’s Fan Affairs is a fun series that examines the relationship of Nigerian musicians and their fans while spotlighting the craziest fan moments of our favourite stars.
In this edition of Fan Affairs, we speak to a leading tastemaker of the new school of hip-hop and originator of the YP Szn movement, PsychoYP, whose new single, Euphoria is currently circulating the airwaves, to get the scoop on his fan experiences.
Fan Affairs with PsychoYP: When did it first hit you that you had fans?
The first time I performed after dropping my first EP Lost In The Sauce.
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This was back in 2017 and then we really only shared music to our friends in school from our phones and SoundCloud. I was booked for a prom in Abuja and once I stepped on the stage, all the kids ran from the back of the hall and the whole thing was just crazy. They were singing Hit My Plug, music I dropped on SoundCloud word for word and it was a great feeling. That’s when I knew I was made for this.
What are some things you no longer do or some places you no longer frequent after this happened?
I can’t just stop going to places or doing things just because I have fans. Like you can catch me in my car in traffic or your favourite fast food joint buying chicken pie. I still play football where everyone plays football. So it’s nothing like that for me.
Fan Affairs with PsychoYP: What is the craziest or most memorable thing a fan has ever done to get your attention?
A school bus of secondary school kids were singing all my music back to me.
I had dropped my first mixtape YPSZN and performing shows to promote it in the summer of 2018. After a performance, I was waiting for a taxi and this school bus drives in and all the kids see me outside the hall and just start going crazy. They started singing my songs to me, trying to jump out the windows of the bus. I sang back, took selfies with their phones, and just had a good time with them.
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If you were going to have a fan moment, what celebrity do you think would leave you starstruck?
Has to be Drake or Lil Wayne.
Your movement started from Abuja and spread all through the country and is also going global. What’s one place you were surprised to find out you have fans in?
Honestly, I don’t even know. I have fans everywhere. The other day I was in McDonald’s with my face mask and someone still recognized me!
If you enjoyed Fan Affairs with PsychoYP, make sure to check Notjustok.com every Tuesday, as we’ll be sure to bring you more authentic stories from all your favorite music stars. You can also stream Psycho YP’s Euphoria single, here.
