Major AJ: The Time Travelling Superstar

Nigerian mainstream music or Afrobeats as we call it is at a time when Nigerian artists are tripping over themselves in a desperate bid to qualify their sounds with some sort of distinctive tag. Most times, these tags are merely cosmetic surplusage inspired by artistic narcissism to become pioneers even when they are, in fact, creating nothing new.

In this time of pioneer craze, Major AJ is one artist whose music identifiably stands out and is truly like nothing we have ever heard in Afrobeats Soundscape. And even better, he has the personality to match his distinctive talent.

In this Pulse Interview, I chat with Major AJ who tells me about his journey into music, the story of his discovery, the creativity behind his sound, and his vision for his music.

Major AJ has always been confident in his sound and he wasn’t shy about showing off his talent. It was this confidence that led him to link up with the Grammy-winning producers Telz and Leriq with whom he recorded ‘Terminator’ and ‘Original Love’ respectively. In 2021, Major put out the single ‘Salo’, which led to his discovery by an A&R from Chocolate City. I asked him how these singles impacted his career and he told me, it all started in school.

“I started making music while at the University of Ilorin. I won a talent show back in school and I even had some fans, but back then, I only did rap,” Major tells me. “Terminator was my first official single and it was the first time I sang. It was produced by Telz and it was at a time when I was working on my sound.”

Major AJ tells me ‘Salo’ was the single that picked the interest of a Chocolate City A&R who reached out to him. “After ‘Salo’, A Chocolate City A&R reached out to me on Instagram and asked if I was signed. I told him now and he said I should come to their office the next day. I went there and he played my song and the rest is history.”

Major AJ’s rise to the mainstream came with the release of his debut EP ‘Retroverse’ which introduced his special talent to listeners. The EP is a hybrid of sounds that merges retro sounds of Jazz, Funk, and Disco with Afrobeats. I asked Major the inspiration behind the project and he tells me ‘Retroverse’ was an Afrobeats alternate reality he created.

“The Retroverse is an alternate reality for Afrobeats which I created. It is a mix of fresh Afrobeats and retro sound.”

While listeners might have been able to instantly point out the Funk, Jazz, and Electronic sound in ‘Retroverse’, not many would have thought that the EDM great Daft Punk was the inspiration behind the album.

“I’m a big fan of Daft Punk and when they announced they will stop making music, it made me sad. So I went back to listen to their music and I felt this sound will go well with Afrobeats.”

In a time when Nigerian artists are trying to be sound pioneers, Major wanted to call the album Afro-Retro but he had the self-awareness to avoid getting tempted into coining a word that makes it sound like he was trying to come up with a new genre.

“I wanted to call the EP Afro-Retro but I didn’t want to make it look like I was trying to make a new sound since I was still an Afro-fusion artist.”

‘Superstar’ is the last song on ‘Retroverse’ and it documented Major’s rise from an unknown artist to getting signed to one of the biggest labels in Nigeria. He tells me that when he was recording ‘Superstar’, he traveled back to Kanji, Niger State where he grew up and where he began nursing the desire of making music even when a such dream appears unrealistic to family and friends.

“I wrote ‘Superstar’ from the point of what I’ve been through and where I’m right now. I wrote it from the Headspace of when I was in Kanji, Niger State. Back then, there were no resources and when I even told my parents that I wanted to be an artist, they thought it was a joke.”

Major AJ had to defile the odds of his environment when he choose to become an artist. He grew up in a town whose occupants were attracted by the Dam located there, Major couldn’t access a studio to bring his ideas to life.

“Back then in Kanji, there was no studio and I had to record on my phone. I was just rapping and dropping it in my voice notes.”

After the release of ‘Retroverse’, Major AJ threw a party tagged “A Trip to the Retroverse” where I had the opportunity to watch him perform. He had the swagger of a superstar who has been making music for decades. Dressed like Jazz Icon James Brown and commanding the stage like Fela, Major was every inch an artist ready for the big stage.

I asked Major the inspiration behind his decision to make music and he tells me it all began with the Choc Boys era of (M.I Abaga, Ice Prince, and Jesse Jagz).

“It was different people at different phases. It started when the Choc Boys started and I used to mime their songs and I got inspired to start rapping.”

Growing up in the North and seeing the Chocolate City guys from Jos taking the mainstream by storm was a defining moment for Major AJ.

Major AJ’s rise to fame took a rather poetic turn as he is now signed to the same label that assembled M.I Abaga, Ice Prince, and Jesse Jagz and made them into the famous Choc Boys.

With a distinct talent and a unique sound, Major AJ has the intention of reaching global heights as one of the biggest rappers and artists to ever come out of Africa “I watched Everybody Loves Ice Prince concert in 2012 and told myself: This is the life I want.”

The Time travelling superstar has taken listeners on their first trip with ‘Retroverse’, and he promises that there are still Alternate Afrobeats Universes left to explore.

“I’m living my best life and I’m grateful that lots of people enjoy ‘Retroverse’. I can assure you that there are mind-blowing songs still to come.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, you’re welcome on board the Time Machine of Major AJ, the Time travelling Superstar. You’re about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.