Multi-talented Nollywood star, Ray Emodi, has got his fingers in many creative pies as an actor, singer, songwriter, and producer. Buoyed by his imagination growing up, Emodi has lived his life entertaining himself right from childhood, not knowing he would end up entertaining others. He tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu about his passion for the craft, background, and more
Has the goal always been entertainment for you?
The goal was always to do something that I would enjoy. The goal was never to do a ‘9 to 5’. I knew for a fact that I didn’t want to do a 9-5, I didn’t want to do any paper pushing job that would be so regimented because I have a wild imagination. I wanted to do a job that I could use my imagination. So in movies first because that’s where I’m focused, I get to use my imagination. In music, I get to use my imagination. I started writing music before I ever thought of acting. I started writing music when I was like 9 or 8. I was writing other people’s lyrics; it graduated to me writing my lyrics. I was writing songs like 2pac, Rick Ross, and Snoop Dog. So I could sing along with them when they rap. When I got a little bit older, like when I got to maybe 12 or thereabout, I started being able to put down my thoughts in the form of lyrics and melodies. I have been holding down that craft, at least, for almost two decades now. I didn’t know entertainment was what I was actually going to do, but with the qualities I have, entertainment was always going to be where I would land. And then it would be the ignition to what I would like to build up, an empire, and would have businesses as well.
What genre of music do you do?
I’m eccentric musically. I have Afro songs, hip-hop songs, and alternative songs.
I understand you do modeling as well, how about that?
That was earlier. I had like a few modeling gigs when I was in LA in America. But it’s not my thing like that. You know models like normally just look good and don’t say anything. I say too much to be a model. I think too much and have too many ideas. I’m not saying models don’t have ideas. I feel like models are limited you know; unless it’s to make a statement or project a cause. Unless it’s something significant then I can model. And not just to be a model.
Let’s talk about acting, which appears to be your mainstay?
It’s my main thing. Because, like in acting, you don’t need to push the film, or you don’t need to have the distribution process set up. You just have to show up, do your job, and go. And then they spread it all over the place. Music is the opposite. You have to push it. Because I don’t want to sign to a record label, I only signed that it’s a distribution deal with a distribution company. All the weight in the pushing lies in me but they just help me put it on platforms you know and stuff like that. That’s why my movies are popping much more than my music.
Still on your career, you have a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Nottingham Trent University?
It’s Business Management and International Strategic Enterprise. It’s like a fancy way of saying marketing. I did well in Nottingham in terms of my grade. I was the top graduating student.
And then afterwards you went for a Masters in Fine Arts?
Yes, I did my Master’s in Acting for Film. You know, acting is different, especially in America. They address it specifically. You know there are two different kinds of acting; there’s stage acting and then there’s film acting. Stage acting is loud because you have to project; there are people in the back. Film acting is more subtle. You can whisper because the mic will put it on. You don’t have to be too loud in your expressions and even the way you move your hands. It’s technical. I prefer film acting to stage; that’s why I did my masters in acting for film.
And then you finished schooling and you decide to come back to Nigeria. One would have expected you to stay back and chase the entertainment thing in LA which is the world of entertainment?
Yes, that was what I wanted to do but you know, first of all, LA is one of the most expensive places to live in the world. And that’s natural. But I wasn’t making as much money as I was spending. Because I finished schooling (Masters) and I stayed back for 18 months. And those 18 months I wasn’t generating much money. So, I was spending the money that I had. I was spending a lot of money… At a point my folks were like I should come back. My dad was ‘like come back, Nigeria is a virgin land; there are loads of things and ideas that has not been explored,’ which is factual. It’s faster here to get to the top than it is in America.
Let’s talk about your childhood growing up what was it like and what fond memories do you hold?
Childhood was interesting. You know I’m the last of four of two boys, two girls. So everybody was really in school, boarding school in different states doing their thing while I was still the last one in the house. I grew up a lot alone; so I got to listen to music a lot, watch cartoon a lot, and watch movies a lot. My whole life outside school then was just keeping myself entertained by listening to songs for hours. I could watch a cartoon for hours, movies for hours. I felt like it was study. That’s why I said I spent my entire life preparing for what I’m doing now; for what I would do in future. I feel like I have been holding my craft since day one. My childhood was a lot of building my imagination and it was fun. I had fond memories obviously. We got to travel to England, go to Texas, go to LA, go to Ghana, it was fun. Just travelling during every break and then you come back the next term to Enugu, you come back to Abuja, come back to wherever I’m coming back to. I appreciate that because meeting and knowing, and immersing yourself in other cultures is very important and can only help you.
A bit on your growing up, when you spent time watching movies, listening to music, and watching cartoons you never knew you would turn out to be an entertainer?
I was entertaining myself but I never knew I would do it for other people. You know kids when you ask them what they want to be, you ask a 9-year-old he says I want to be an engineer, you ask him when he’s 10 he says I want to be a fireman, when he’s 11, I want to be a pilot. But they know what they want to be at different stages even though they change it every time. But me, as a kid, I never really said I wanted to be this or I wanted to be that. And in this profession, I get to have fun for a living. I get to play other people; act like a doctor, act like a chief, act like a good husband act like a bad husband you know I get to play different people. It’s stressful, don’t get me wrong, it’s stressful but fun as well. There are certain productions that you might go on that will make you regret being an actor (laughs). But it doesn’t happen often. For the most part, it’s a beautiful job. We make more impact in people’s life in comparison to the financial reward. That’s why I said I’m going to start producing my movies. I feel like having more control and telling my stories, and also having more financial gain.
What is it that not too many people know about you?
I don’t even know. Let me see… How tall I am until they see me in person. I’m really tall. I’m like 6/4 and half, almost 6/5. So when people see me, the first thing I hear all the time is ‘wow, you are taller in person’ like all the time. Because the camera and everything, the way movies are shot you can’t really tell how tall a person is. That’s the first thing you notice about me whoever when you see me. If I was in America around basketball players I wouldn’t standout but being in Nigeria I standout for sure.
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