Osinachi x Don Jazzy x Nifty Gateway
Since bursting onto the scene just a few years ago, self-taught digital artist Osinachi (born Prince Jacon Osinachi Igwe) has quickly established himself as Africa’s foremost cryptoartist. His unique style and narrative illustrations have garnered the praise of collectors and exhibitions internationally, with accolades including a showcase at the Ethereal Summit in 2018 (making him the first Nigerian to ever do so), and placing as a finalist for the 2019 Bridgeman Studio Award.
With digital illustrations adorned in a truly unique color palette drawing influence from African textiles, Osinachi’s work reimagines freedom of identity and subverts societal expectations as he explores “visible existence as protest.” As impressive as his final art pieces is his process itself — His rich illustrations are created using Microsoft Word. The artistic boundaries one would expect to accompany Microsoft Word are absent, as Osinachi manages to make use of the world’s most popular and accessible word processing program in a truly unique, identifiable fashion.
Adding to his upcoming release’s illustrations are the sonic elements of Afrobeats legend Don Jazzy, marking this as Osinachi’s first collaborative project of this nature. Heralded as the Dr. Dre of Africa, music producer Don Jazzy has founded iconic music labels Mo Hits and Mavin Records and helped birth the careers of African music legends such as D’Banj, Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Rema and more.
In anticipation of his upcoming release on Nifty Gateway, we’re eager to speak with both Osinachi and Don Jazzy about this collection and their perspective on the crypto landscape for artists today.
How did you first discover NFTs?
Osinachi: I discovered NFTs in 2017. Back then it was simply referred to as “art on the blockchain”; then we saw the emergence of the term “cryptoart” (which I tend to agree more with). Now NFTs is the more popular term. The use of various terms to describe what is being done in the space points to the way things move really fast here. A lot of innovations are happening every minute.
Don Jazzy: Through my former Chief Digital Officer Tunji Afonja
This is your first collaboration together and I believe Osinachi’s first collaboration in the space — How did this collab come about and what was this experience like relative to your usual processes?
O: Yes, this is my first collaboration in the space. A few months back, Tunji Afonja who works directly with Mavins Records introduced me to Don Jazzy. We started forming ideas around an NFT drop. This led to a meeting between Don Jazzy and I, where we discussed art in general and the whole excitement in the NFT space. We set timelines for a collaboration and here we are.
The process was quite different from what I’m used to. I’m used to working on my own and just putting out my stuff, but this time I had to make sure that Don Jazzy and I were in sync in terms of the feeling of the beats he was creating and the feeling of the artworks I was making.
DJ: This was a new but fun experience for me. If was definitely a pleasure making beats to match the vibes of the amazing artworks of Osinachi
What was the inspiration for this collection?
O: I can say that the collection is a tribute to Afrobeats. Don Jazzy has been in the global music industry for decades, championing Afrobeats in his own unique way. (I grew up dancing to music produced by this legend!) So we wanted to show that Afrobeats can be both upbeat and mellow.
What role do you see for NFTs in the future of the music industry?
DJ: The transformative innovations we are seeing in the NFT space look poised to benefit musicians and creators in our industry. If everything works out, music will be more valuable and artists will have new tools to better control and creatively distribute their works to fans who in turn will now have new ways to engage with the creations of their favorite musicians.
Can you discuss the challenges you face as artists in the world today or, perhaps more specifically, as Nigerian artists?
O: Well, as Nigerians we haven’t been lucky with leadership. This has led to appalling decay in infrastructure and bad policies across the board in the country. Despite this, Nigerian creatives are some of the best in the world today — a clear testimony to the Nigerian spirit.
DJ: The overall infrastructure and economic challenges of Nigeria make it harder to make music than most western countries. However, thanks to the internet and advances in hardware and software, things have been made easier
What opportunities do you see for the future of NFTs and crypto in Africa
O: Nigeria is one of the biggest adopters of crypto in the world today. I think this is because young people see the promise that Defi has for the finance sector in the future. It also shields them from the crap that corporate banks have fed the people for decades. With the popularity of crypto in Africa and the emergence of the NFT space, I see an empowerment of digital creators across the continent. I see artists taking charge of their practice and being sought after by institutions that once served as gatekeepers.
Do you have advice for aspiring artists that are interested in the digital art world?
O: Don’t let the pressure get to you. Keep at your art, build your unique visual language, stay authentic and give yourself time. You’re contributing to the future.
