MUTIAT LAWORE 
Olorunyomi Oloruntimilehin, professionally known as Bad Boy Timz, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter who rose to prominence with the release of the song, ‘MJ’, and shortly after, Young Fela, as he sometimes called, featured in Olamide’s hit single titled Loading off Carpe Diem, which won the Rookie of the Year at The Headies 2020. In this interview with MUTIAT LAWORE, he talks about his journey to stardom, new projects, freedom as an independent artist, and other issues
To start with, where does the name Bad Boy Timz come from?
When I started making music my stage name used to be Timz, which is a combination of two of my names; Timothy and Timilehin. I had to add the Bad Boy because there was another artist bearing Timz and I couldn’t con- tinue using that name. That’s it basically.
One of the things people have said about Olamide is the fact that he supports artists from the street. Tell us your experience working with him.
I made a freestyle video in 2017 for Davido’s ‘If’. I posted it on my page but it didn’t go viral. Someone else posted it and it went viral because he tagged Olamide and he re-tweeted the post and the video went viral. I reached out to him after and told him I want to take music seriously and I don’t have a direction yet. That was my first freestyle and it went viral because of Olamide of YBNL. He invited me over and I did backup off some songs on the album ‘Lagos Nawa’.
Fast forward to after MJ and he said he was compiling his album and it would make sense for me to be on it. I was at my parents’ place. I had to leave there and go there because I had been waiting for him to reach out to me after the first time. I actually felt like I had fumbled, we made ‘Loading’ and another song but it stuck out because at that time Amapiano was just coming out. Olamide’s personality is cool, calm and reserved.
He thinks about everything twice before he says it. Before the producer came, we were having normal conversations and he started playing old songs to prep me for the studio session. I feel like that is what a legend should do. Whenever you have an artist over, prep them and don’t just jump into the studio with them. He’s a mentor and I look up to him because he is also a businessman. He is not just an artist; he is also an A&R analyst amongst others.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on a new album and the goal of that album is to remind people of old Afrobeats songs. I have seen that a lot of people are sampling international songs but they barely sample the old Afrobeat songs. That’s one of the things that I’m working on for my new album with sampling songs by veterans that include Lagbaja, Obey amongst others.
How do you intend to take these songs internationally?
Basically, I’m not going to be sampling just Afrobeats music. I’m sampling both Afrobeats and hip-hop. My plan is that if I’m sampling an international song, I want to interpret it in an African way. That sets me apart from what everyone is doing.
Who are some of the musicians that inspired you while growing up?
The likes of Asa. I used to listen to a lot of her songs. I had this driver when I was young that used to take me to school and he always played Asa’s music throughout. I soaked in a lot of Asa music, my dad’s music as well (my dad makes music). He owns a band that still active. Baba T International.
Any plan to sing with your dad?
Yes, definitely.
What is your thought process when making songs?
Sometimes they are freestyles, sometimes I write the songs without having any instrumentals for them. There is no formula for the way I make my music. It’s off my reality, other people’s reality, social awareness and I also sing about youthful stuff because I’m a youth and that’s what my people want to hear.
There is this believe that musicians need some sought of ‘highness’ to be inspired. Do you feel that way too?
I will speak for myself. If I’m making a club song, I get high to be able to feel the way I would feel in the club in the studio. It’s not like I do needles it’s just basic high. I feel like that’s most of the reason why artists like to take alcohol just to feel the same way they and the public would feel when they are in the club.
Citing the late Mohbad case, have you ever been bullied in the industry?
The kind of bullying I faced was arrest by my ex-music label and I feel like it’s just the way the system of the country is. The justice system doesn’t protect the average people from the rich people. If a contractual agreement is even breached, the police is not meant to be involved. It shouldn’t get to the point of arresting.
The lawyer can just write to the artist that you have breached the contract. I feel there needs for more awareness on stuff like this and programmes on bullying because it run deep. The fact that someone is bullying you, you might sleep and out of fear you don’t wake up. Life is like that. For me, I say no to bullying.
How were you able to overcome this?
I didn’t drop music for a year. I couldn’t continue the contract because someone that arrests me today for breaching contract, I don’t know what to expect; and it’s not a conducive working environment for me.
So, did you run out of the country as a form of therapy?
No, I had to leave Nigeria because I was seeing my mates perform and I couldn’t. Even when I was recording with a producer I didn’t know when I am going to drop the song. I went out of Nigeria to clear my head and see things from outside. Traveling out really helped me bounce back me because I had to see things from a different angle. I thought about how I would package myself in front of the people as a new artist after a full year and I think it’s God’s grace that I bounced back.
Being from a Christian home how did your parents react to your name Bad Boy Timz?
Till now they are not cool with the name but it’s not the right time to change the name. They have plans for me to change to my original name; Timz or Timilehin or Timmy. The re-branding cannot just happen now. The street might not welcome it. People know me for this so let me just stick to it.
You acted in Prime Video most streamed series ‘She Must Be Obeyed’, tell us your experience. How will you describe Funke Akindele?
Yes, I must say this, she was one of the people that helped me with my label issue. The lawyer that helped me, she was the one that introduced us. She is a really great person and she has been awesome. For my appearance in the series, we had other artist on set that did just cameo appearance without uttering a word but Funke Akindele made sure I acted fully in the movie and that is one experience I cannot trade being my first time acting on big screen.
Any plan of exploring the movie industry more?
Definitely. At some point in my life, I really want to be a director like 50 cents.
What do you have to say to artistes who sign contract without legal backing?
For the contract, I used a lawyer but he was not an Entertainment lawyer and that was something I got to know about after I was in. Getting out of the deal would still have had K-leg because the people I was working with probably didn’t want me to make music again but they just had to let me go. I committed to do something for them which I was always open to doing.
After the late Mohbad case, there were issues around cultism raised in the industry, have you experience such?
For the cultism thing in the industry, I have never experienced it. All I can say is that we can see that it is something that is happening in the industry and we can only hope it does not dig deep.
People have different perception of you, what is the worst thing you have heard about yourself? People are like, what is he relying on?
I rely on God. Basically, I’ve heard some people say that I’m always happy. Whenever I’m around my colleagues I don’t like to be the guy that is just dull, it’s not my forte, I don’t want people to see me like that even though I have my moments. Some people feel like I’m too full of myself, that I’m not the only one that went to school. I just share love. Even if I hear that someone said something about me, I might be mad inside but I will still greet the person. Someone has dragged me on social media before and I still sat done beside him at the club.
Tell us about your new single ‘Lotto’.
The song is like winning someone’s heart equating to the feeling of winning a lotto. That was my perspective. When you win a lottery, you are at your happiest and when someone new comes into your life that is making you happy. That was my perspective going into that song and I sampled one of Pawpaw’s audio where he was professing his love to a lady in a funny way and I just made it into a love song that relates to winning lottery.
