Male fan impersonated me and got paid for show –Olu Maintain

Popular hip-hop artiste, Edwards Olu Adegbolu aka Olu Maintain is a member of the now defunct group, Maintain. The man who became a household name after the release of his popular song, Yahooze, spoke about his over 20 years musical experience.

Can you remember the first time you performed on stage?
That was during my secondary school days in Ondo State but as a professional, it was during the Lekki Sunsplash Sum­mer Slam at the Lekki Beach, Lagos, where I performed alongside many notable artistes.
How was the show?
It was nice because there were lots of people and I am always motivated when I see a large crowd.
So, did you panic or exercise any form of fear?
No.
Did you take any stimulant to ginger your swagga?
I don’t do such things.
How do you prepare for a show?
I have my normal rehearsals. I don’t do any other thing because things flow natu­rally for me; music for me is natural.
Do you have any routine like aero­bics, special diet or stimulant that you take before performing on the day of the show?
No, I have always been active. I don’t take alcohol or any stimulant because the crowd stimulates me. The more I see the crowd the more active and excited I am. Sometimes, we pray before going on stage.
You use so much energy on stage, how do you achieve that?
What I do is that a few minutes before the show, I stay far away, watch the crowd, be in a good frame of mind and then I hit the stage.
Do you take water on stage?
It is not necessary because I don’t even get close to water when performing.
How do you relate with your male and fe­male fans?
My fans are very important to me. I treat them with utmost respect because I see myself as a service pro­vider and they need my performance; it is supposed to be a two-way thing.
What crazy thing has a male fan done to you?
A male fan impersonated me and performed at a show. In fact, he got paid and he performed as Mr. Olu. I got to know when I saw it in the papers. That has been the craziest thing a male fan has done to me to date.
Did you look for him or investi­gate him?
What for?
What of female fans?
Lots of crazy things do happen, so many crazy things.
Which was the craziest?
Well, a female fan tattooed my name on her boobs.
How did you know?
She met me at a show, unbuttoned her blouse and showed me the tattoo.