CiDAR PRESS: An Exclusive Conversation with Obedo PF on his upcoming new project; “Heal the Ghetto Youth”‍

CiDAR PRESS:

Healing through sound: An Exclusive Conversation with Obedo PF on his upcoming new project, “Heal the Ghetto Youth”.

         Not all heroes wear capes or scrubs. Some become the heart of their neighborhood, trading their capes for melodies. Spreading love, joy, and strength through music.

‍Obedo PF is one of them. A friendly neighbor healing the ghetto youths one step at a time. 

         Obed Chijioke Nwafor, primarily known by his stage name Obedo PF, is a Nigerian music artiste from the South Eastern part of Nigeria, currently residing in Lagos Nigeria.

         Obedo PF is a star-born creative whose sound and style is drawn from the intricacies of Afro-music and street-inspired sounds. He defines himself and his music family as the “ghetto youths”, a term that’s grounded in his music but beyond that, a solid culture and lifestyle. 

          As a custodian of the “ghetto youths”, he comes not to refine the music but to define it and embolden it into something new. His music is an invitation to walk into the world of ghetto youths, to partake in the movement.

           Inspired and for the streets, with a voice that “reflects the dreams, struggles, and ambitions of ghetto and youth culture in Nigeria”, he lets that credibility shape his profile and artistry, standing proud as a product of his environment. 

          So The CiDAR press team sat down with the friendly neighbor, Obedo PF to pick his brain a bit and watch the magic unfold in real time. 

        His new project is an inspiring mix of his life in different layers and hearing it gave us one mission, to get all that insider scoop and know what makes the work what it is. Let’s dive in!

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Q&A:

            To begin, we asked Obedo the most probing question.

CiDAR PRESS: What was the mission with this project? What are you trying to say, what are you trying to give, and what would you like for fans to take away from it?

        And his reply was clear. This project is to uplift the ghetto youths. To speak their truth and their reality: a consistent mix of hustling and believing. In his words

Obedo: The mission for this project is simple: truth. I wanted to make a project that speaks for the ghetto youth, the moving man. The ones wey dey hustle but still believe. And for what I want fans to take away? It’s definitely healing. Healing, because past trauma seem to be consuming a lot of people. I want people to know that no matter the sinking, you can still rise. That your story matters.

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CiDAR PRESS: If you had to describe the EP in three words, what would they be, and why?

Obedo: Faith. Grit. Groove.

_Faith_ because God carried me.

_Grit_ because the road rough.

_Groove_ because even in pain, we must dance.

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      Wondering if it's a case of art separate from the artist, we probed further.

CiDAR PRESS: There's a lot of passion, grit and dedication in your music. Do you think these themes reflect you as a person or is it just something you admire in others?

Obedo: 100%. That’s me. I grew up seeing my people fight for small things. So I learned to fight too, and I admired people wey no dey give up, because in my life, if e no work today, I go try again tomorrow. That's the ghetto youth spirit.

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CiDAR PRESS: What responsibility do you feel you carry for people who see themselves in your journey?

Obedo: A Heavy one for sure. I know people are listening so I must move right. No fake life. No cutting corners. I must show that you can be from the ghetto and still be excellent.

Sitting with the mind of the artiste helped us realize that for Obedo, being a 'Ghetto Youth' ambassador is not a mere formality or a statement. It's his reality. So we delved deeper into this part of him, uncovering what the Ghetto Youth movement actually stands for.

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CiDAR PRESS: You often describe yourself as a "ghetto youth ambassador." What does that title mean to you beyond music? And what  inspired the term “ghetto youths” 

‍Obedo: It means responsibility. It means I carry the voice of boys on the street, girls selling pure water, and people that the government has forgotten. “Ghetto youths” was born from my reality. I am one of them. We dey smart, we dey creative, we dey survive. I just want to represent us well.

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CiDAR PRESS: “Lagos” is a very introspective track and the song describes the busy state, with a softness amidst its usual hustle and bustle. What was going through your mind making that song? What was the inspiration behind it? 

Obedo: Lagos dey break you and build you at the same time. When I wrote it, I was thinking about the danfo noises, the traffic, but also the dreams people carry for go-slow. I wanted to show the soft side, the hope inside the hustle. Lagos is a war zone but also home.

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CIDAR PRESS:  It may be hard to pick favorites, so what song was the hardest for you to write /most emotionally difficult?

Obedo: Probably "Promiseland". Because I had to face my doubts. I had to ask myself: "Obedo, you sure this promiseland go come?" But I had to be honest too.

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CiDAR PRESS: Promiseland has a very strong message, and I can tell that it's rooted deeply in your faith. So far how has your faith helped in your music?

Obedo: Faith is what anchors The ‘Ghetto Youth Movement’ (GYM). When the going gets tough, when people call me a nuisance. It gives my music purpose. I am not just singing to trend. I’m singing to heal, to remind people of better days ahead.

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CIDAR PRESS: Your sound is incredible, and one thing about you is how much you sound like yourself, so I'm curious; is there anybody that inspires you musically?

Obedo: Skepta for courage. 2Face for melody. Burna for a global mindset. But nobody sounds like me because nobody lives my life. I take inspiration, but I pour my own story inside.

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CIDAR PRESS: Which track feels the most personal to you, and what makes it so significant?

Obedo: Victim. Because people might assume the song is about a girl, but it’s really not. It’s about situations I have found myself in. About all the times I watched someone I cared about drift away because I was chasing a dream.

CiDAR PRESS:  How would you describe your sound to someone hearing you for the first time?

Obedo: Afro-soul with ghetto truth. It is a rhythm you can dance to and words that will sit with you at night.

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CiDAR PRESS: What was your toughest moment as an artist, making this project and Were there any unexpected moments during the recording process that shaped the final project?‍

Obedo: Self-doubt. On some days, it’s a tough thing to handle, but I always find a way to keep it G, and for unexpected moments, a freestyle that was supposed to be 30 seconds became a full song. God just took over the session.

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CIDAR PRESS: Do these tracks have their own individual stories or is there a central message connecting all the songs like a thread?

Obedo: Both. Each song reflects a chapter of my life - "Lagos", "Promiseland", "Ronaldo". Different days, different pain, different wins. But still pass the same message.

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CiDAR PRESS: Beyond streams and charts, what does success for this EP look like?

Obedo: If one ghetto youth hears it and decides not to give up, then it’s a success. If a mother plays "Promiseland" and finds peace, that's success. Numbers are good, but impact is better.

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CIDAR PRESS : What kind of conversations do you hope this project starts?

Obedo: Conversations about mental health for young men. About faith without religion. About Lagos beyond "hustle culture".I want us to talk about how to build, not just survive.

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CIDAR PRESS: Which lyric on the EP best describes your life?

Obedo: “I have been a victim here”. That’s my life in one line, but still I keep moving.

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Any last words?

Obedo: Thank you for hearing me o. Let’s run this EP to the world!

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