It’s beautiful how our diasporic music can transform our understanding of cultural influence and connection. Yes, US artists have a huge spotlight on them right now but let’s take a trip north of the border. This artist has been on my radar for over a year now through Twitter and I love how he is ushering a whole wave of Afrobeat hits into his country. Let’s introduce you to Canada’s Jeffery Benson.
Our first stop on the trip on the interview takes us to Anambra State, Nigeria where his parents are from. However, Jeffrey’s beginnings started in Lagos. He best describes his upbringing as a melting pot of cultures that blended seamlessly into the eventual curation of his sound. Jeffery walks us through a typical day in the Benson house:
Picture this, one room, my uncles could be jamming to some Shaggy. Next room, my sister belting out new Beyoncé or some throwback Destiny’s Child. One brother catching vibes to Skepta or Whiley. My other brother blazing some Big Pun or Tupac. My brother and cousins were into rapping, so it was just a thing in the family. Let’s not forget my parents’ playlist, ranging from Celine Dion to Fela Kuti—all under one roof. Growing up, it was like having a DJ booth in every room of the house. So yeah, my music? It’s a mixtape of global hits.
While he was able to adapt to being a fan of almost everyone, he takes his influences right from the homeland: Wizkid, Burna Boy, Boj, Curelsantio, and Odunsi to name a few.
“I never really thought about doing music myself until I heard Wizkid. It’s funny how it happened, actually. There was this girl in high school who wouldn’t stop talking about how cute this Nigerian artist was. I wasn’t really into it, but I decided to give his song “Holla at Your Boy” a listen. And man, that song hit me differently. It was fresh, it was relatable, and it made me feel like I could do the same thing. It was like watching someone from my own world stepping onto a big stage, you know? Wizkid was the one who made me believe in myself and my own music could thrive in Nigeria and globally.” – Jeffery Benson
Jeffery even shouts out who he calls his music “trailblazers”: 2face, Wande Coal, D’banj and P-square. “They laid the foundation for artists like me to follow”. Lil Wayne is his main American music influence. But growing up in Toronto had its own separate influence on him.
When speaking on the creative process on how Jeffery puts his tracks together, he basically curates therapy sessions with a beat. “I pour my heart into every track, hoping to connect with souls on the same wavelength. Whether I’m feeling happy, sad, or somewhere in between, my music is my way of journaling my journey.”
Benson is using his wide range of influence to craft up his own sound – Afro6ix. He credits his sound as a passport stamp from Lagos to Toronto. Benson prides himself with being able to hop on any beat, and make magic. “It’s more than just a brand, it’s a movement. I’m all about adding my twist to any beat, you feel me? I have an archive of songs that I am ready to push but I don’t think my growing fanbase is ready. I am excited to keep them amused over the years with new sounds. Canada has a lot of African immigrants with talents trooping in yearly with no platform to showcase their talent. I want to be on the forefront of creating that platform for my people. And looking ahead, I’m on the hunt for that perfect producer who can craft that signature Afro6ix sound—blending two worlds seamlessly.”
Jeffery wants to flesh the whole brand out too – meaning multiple project drops, merch, and live shows all over Toronto!
Chasing your dreams in an African home is dearing. The doubt that creeps in, the disappointment in your parents eyes. It was a big feat for Jeffery to break free from his family’s expectations and chase his dream.
‘The day I dropped my first project “Sorry Dad, I Do Music Now”. It’s still a moment I am proud of to this date. Putting that project out started everything for me.” From there birthed Afro6ix. “My sound is for every creative immigrant who makes it in their own field and space, for those who chase their dreams and break free from parental expectations and pressure and for those who want to tap into the afrobeats new wave. I call my fans geniuses, because they are tapped into a higher frequency when vibing to my sound.”
Now convincing your people that pursuing a music career is one form of bravery – pursuing your music career as an independent artist in today’s climate is a whole nother feat. You’re funding everything from your own pocket, from studio time to promotions. Planning the artwork direction, self-recording and scouting for beats online to record, making the mood board for photoshoots and being your own stylist, editing videos, and waking up the next day to repeat the process all over again. Now imagine doing that all while balancing a day job to go with the late-night studio sessions. As you can tell, it can easily get crazy.
Jeffery gives us his perspective on how manages to make this all work: It’s like being a superhero on a budget. It’s a wild ride. What keeps me going is knowing that I’m paving the way for the next wave of immigrant artists, showing them that the climb is worth every step.Definitely looking forward to growing my team gradually so I can take some of the creative burden off of myself and concentrate on making music more. I keep going because I know it’ll all be worth it and the process will eventually get better. Gotta use the stairs so I know what’s broken when it’s my time to fix things for the next generation of artists.”
Some standout tracks on his last tape Afro6ix Vol. 1 include Ruff Play which is a flirtatious vibe and Ehen which already surpassed 100k streams. But if you were to ask Benson what’s his personal fave out of his discography, (he amuses me with this):
” Picking one is like asking a parent to choose their favorite child. But if I had to pick, it would have to be “Solo” – it’s different right now. It’s all about embracing your individual journey and self-growth. Not gonna lie, some folks confuse it with being a lone wolf, but hey, I believe in teamwork too! However, I do like to recognize that teamwork doesn’t work without self growth!
So what next for the main man of Afro6ix? He happily shares with us that this year, he’s aiming to drop more music than ever before.
“Typically, I release a tape annually, but this time around, I’m planning to bless my fans with three projects. On top of that, I’ll be hitting up the city of Toronto to spread the Afro6ix vibes.”
We can’t wait to hear how Jeffery pours his heart and his homeland into his upcoming music. While we wait, go ahead and start tapping in with his current two-pack single “Solo/Deeper” out now!
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