I love doing my things in a cool way, Neyoswaggz

Movie actor cum rapper, Adeniyi Akanni, popularly known as Neyoswaggz, is one act that is certainly living his dream. He loves doing his thing in cool way and being himself. The Ondo State native sure knows how to create a buzz, especially with issues that will attract discuss. He was in The Guardian during the week to discuss his big project movie, Scandal, a reality movie about the happenings in the industry. He spoke to DANIEL ANAZIA.

How did your journey into the movie industry begin?
It wasn’t something I planned. One of our directors who needed my kind of ‘swag’ and looks for a certain role called me to a location. At first, I never wanted to honour the invite but something kept pushing me and at the end, I really had a swell time.

How long have you been acting?
I have been in the industry for about seven years.

What has been your achievement in this period of your career?
Let me begin by giving thanks to God Almighty for his grace and mercies. There have improvement and achievements so far; I’m not where I used to be before. I have produced a big project movie, and moved from the C-class actor to B-class. I have featured in couple of movies including cinema movies.

Can you let us into some these movies?
It will take whole lot of time if I start reeling them out but I will mention a few of them like Kileremije, Omo Ketu, Kogba Koje, Dark Face, Parity Fathers Aye Foreign, Iyawo Igbo, 28th Wedding, Iroyin, Ota Ibon, Omo Odo, Doctor and Romilayo among others

You did say you are now a producer. What is the title of your movie project and what informed the choice of the title?
Yes, it titled Scandal. I tried to portray what goes on in the industry — the lifestyle of the celebrities in the movies industry, the day-to-day scandalous activities. A lot of actors and actresses are often embroiled in one scandal or the other, and that is what we try to portray in the movie.

Don’t you think the movie will put against your colleagues in the industry as what they try to guard against, you are bringing to public domain for people to see?
Yes, but we must understand that movie is a real life story told in a fiction. What I’m trying to do with movie is pass to world real aspect of life the actor. As social agents, our job as actors, producers is to teach people the reality of life. We have seen secrets of people shot into movies and it was well accepted.

Are there really scandals in the movie industry as being speculated and reported?
There is scandal everywhere, even in the churches. In some place it might be little and in another much. Yes, there are scandals in the industry and it is not an everyday thing or usual. You must have heard of stories of actress snatching husband, an actor caught in the act with an actress or a director caught with an actress; it something that is widely known, so it is not hidden. So, what I try to do with movie is to showcase the reality of the issue and help put at rest the misconception often held by people about actors and actress, as well as the industry generally.

Is targeted at anybody or some people?
No, it is not targeted at anybody. Rather, like I did said earlier, all we try to do is portray the realities of the industry. It is scandalous activities in different forms and not just in a particular form, from flirting to killing and all sort of scandals like that.

From your own perception, do you think actors and actresses are flirts?
You must understand that the nature of the job itself is crazy, but it all about being discipline. I can’t compare you to me, the way you do your thing is different from the way I do mine; everybody has a way of doing things. People may assume an actress or actor maybe a flirt due to their character in movies but in reality they are not.

When is the movie being release?
Hopefully this July or August, we are putting finishing touches on the post-production.

What do you consider before accepting a script?
An actor is meant to interpret a writer’s script to entertain and inform an audience. The storyline, quality and the morals embedded in the script are what I consider.

Let’s talk about your music, what genre of music do play?
I’m into hip-hop but do more of fluent rap.

Why did you abandon music for movies?
I never abandon music for movies; rather, I have been more prominent in movies these days, and I have been busy lately. I know my fans are worried about my disappearance from the music scene but I will drop some stuff soon.

Are you now 100 percent officially into acting or you are still neck deep into rap music?
I’m a rapper, writer, a movie actor and an engineer; all of these aspect of my life are hey are 100 percent official. It’s all about ‘Ganas’ in Spanish language and when translated mean the gifted ability to succeed.

What is your take on rap music in Nigeria?
I have been asked this question time and again, and my response is that hardcore hip-hop in Nigeria is not dead. Rather is getting better and stronger with some artistes managing to hold the game tight.