Victor Ogunyinka

Ajimovoix Drums has been turning heads with his producing and beat making talents. In this interview, he speaks about Don Jazzy’s influence and how Focus Dance made a way for him in a highly competitive industry.

Inspiration on Focus Dance

First of all, let me start by introducing myself, I am Oguntade Adewale Damola professionally known as Ajimovoix Drums the Focus Dance and Beat Maker.

Focus dance beat was inspired by my hood and its environment, on a wonderful night where my boys forced me out to a club to hangout due to me being an indoor person; that night, after club, my brain had summarised every sound I heard into one pack and that midnight FOCUS DANCE was born but was rejected by many artists I played it for, which really discouraged me. I dumped it for three years before it went viral in 2021.

Expectations on Focus Dance

Nobody knows a hit sound or let me say nobody can fully predict the success of a song no matter the energy put into the production, but as for FOCUS DANCE, it was a 50/50 chance because the first comment I had was from a senior colleague and a father in the game, Lil Kesh and 9ice; they described it as a banger and advised that I give it to the street and watch it go viral.

These words were energy and wheel to keep adding supplement to my soul which made me believe this was definitely going to hit the world before I finally dished it out fully towards the end of 2020 but as said earlier, I still gave it a 50/50 chance. 

Reaction to Don Jazzy’s N1m gift

First, it was an honour receiving such a great gift from a living legend, actually, I wasn’t expecting that for the day, and to be very sincere here, Don Jazzy was one of the first celebrities that followed and congratulated me when Focus Dance started going viral immediately Tunde Ednut posted my content, but that award night, I was just hoping I would be pick up an award from the event even if it was just one; I was nominated in two categories AFRO DANCE HALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR and DON JAZZY NEW DISCOVERY PRODUCER OF THE YEAR.

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Unfortunately, I didn’t pick up the award and like I always say nomination is enough because recognition is big on its own and being known for your craft is not an easy task as well but to my surprise, Don Jazzy twisted up the scene by saying “I never knew someone from my label will be winning in this category, but I will be doing the giveaway for the 1st runner up too and I will be giving it to AJIMOOO and the audience shouted AJIMOVOIX.”

Hearing that eased my pain of not getting the award by 50 per cent and I am so grateful to THE BEATZ AWARDZ for making such a dream come true at my very first time and I am so happy creating such a record with the living legend DON JAZZY. Ever since then, I have been getting so many deals and other awards nominations in which I won two other awards from another event LIMAWARDS  2021.

Lessons meeting Don Jazzy

Humility. Yes humility. Aside from what everyone says about him being kind, I will say he is so humble. Immediately I was called to the stage for the N1millon gift and presentation, I was about to prostrate and I hear him speak in Yoruba saying “emawo baba yi” meaning see this man… lol, and he said ha, no ooo abeg ooo no prostrate for me ooo, I be human no kill me ooo and he raised me up immediately and laughed, that meant lot to me and happy he did bless me too. 

Gains from Focus Dance

So many things had really changed for me ever since FOCUS DANCE went viral. Every music artist and producer I have ever dreamt of working with and seen as idols now call me for collaborations which I am very glad about. So many big names reaching out to me, like seeing the likes of Don Jazzy, Mastakraft, Burna Boy, Spellz, Baba Rex… coming down to my DM, congratulating me on the success which makes me always say ‘What a great time to be alive.’ Brands now reach out to me, so many bags of deals with their ups and downs, lol, which I have never dreamt of now want me on there cover page and so on.

Current project

Ever since I discovered myself on a new and another side of Afro music, parting ways for other producers and beatmakers, making them believe they can do it too without having to beg an artist on their beat.

Currently, I choose to work on myself making more sounds to reach out to the world as many possible times as I can and right now, I have a tune out titled Donda Dance Beat, which is doing so well too but before the year runs out I am dropping a massive one called Mario Dance Beat, which I am hoping will do well too just as Focus Dance did.

It is definitely a banger, also for next year, I will be dropping my first ever EP where I will be featuring some good and young talented artists from the street.

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Career peak

At this age and in a time where competition is everywhere and everyone sees your new phase of success as a competitive ground, I have always put in hard works and more energy into my craft to visualise and bring out the best of me always.

Categorising myself as an advanced street beatmaker (not your regular street producer), I don’t just want to be the short time guy that was just known for the social media trend and in few weeks you is nowhere to be found. If Don Jazzy, SARZ, Mastakraft, Spellz can do it, I believe I can do better.

Career challenge

We are in an industry where the real people behind afrobeat and good music (producers) are underdogs. If not for tags, some music producers won’t be known at all for their crafts. The game is messed up and most times you feel unwelcomed, I know few producers who have really put in so much effort on their crafts and they have gotten the attention of the masses, but the industry only sidelined them and called them street artists and producers, which literally means they belong to the lower class of the industry and that really made these guys sad and pushed many of them backwards.

No one really cares; they just want to tap your knowledge and dump you. No support; some even want to credit themself to your craft and sideline you, all these are things I said no to and I see them as negative energy that is supposed to be banished. If I can do it with Lagos scatter dance beat with my brother Terry Pro Beats and Focus Dance Beat alone no going back, ‘we die here.’

Short and long term career plans

I am from the street, I know how it feels being known and later you are out of the phase,

I have been doing so many underground works and assignments which I believe is going to work great for me once I decide to pull them out. I have learned a lot from the past from how artists make one single hit and relax till they are not heard of anymore in the general public believing they still rock, so, for this reason, I have learned to stock for the dry days. So as we stock, I will keep pulling out sounds till my body says nomore, which I don’t think is anytime soon to retire. 

Notable artists you have worked with

Even before Focus Dance went viral, I have got a couple of sounds banging out there with the likes of 9ice, Dice ailes, Patoranking, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Terry G, Naira Marley, Cblvck, Zinoleesky, Idowest, etc.

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