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Graduate student raps on current events, philosophy

Philosophy graduate student Olufemi Taiwo recently released a single, “276 (Bring Back Our Girls),” about the kidnapping of Nigerian schoolgirls.
(Gabrielle Cabalza/Daily Bruin)

By Christina Vo

June 9, 2014 12:00 a.m.

Nigerian rapper and philosophy graduate student Olufemi Taiwo, who performs under the name Femi, woke up one morning with music chords and a melody in his head. Somehow, though he cannot explain it, he knew that they would fit with an event that greatly resonated with him: the April kidnapping of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls.

“I’ve been paying attention to the news story because I’m a Nigerian-American but I still have an interest in what’s going on in Nigeria,” Femi said.

Femi initially did not intend to write a song about the kidnapping, but began thinking about it after his manager, James Cloud, suggested that he should compose something about the event. The next morning, Femi woke up and proceeded to spend a few hours working on the music. The lyrics came soon after.

“(Femi) has that ‘thing,’” said music producer Lamar Mitchell. “He has the charisma and the go-get-it attitude that it would take to pursue a career in the arts.”

Mitchell worked with Femi on his upcoming EP’s title song, “Up There.” In addition, Mitchell also worked with Femi on the track “Microscope.” Femi has already released two singles from the album, “(Ain’t No) Love Song” and “276 (Bring Back Our Girls).”

Femi’s most recent single, “276 (Bring Back Our Girls)” discusses the kidnapping of 276 young girls in Chibok, Nigeria by the terrorist organization Boko Haram. Femi said that he wanted to make the abduction of the girls more familiar to people while isolating the real situation from the politicized media version of it.

Bergatron Music & Post producer Brian Starley said that it was great that there was someone who wrote a song about such a real and relevant topic rather than about partying and money.

“I really liked the line where he says you can’t just use your hashtag, because a lot of people post hashtags on things like Instagram and don’t take further action,” Starley said.

Starley, along with fellow producer Wes Poland, helped Femi polish the track, giving the rap song a rock feel by adding in electric guitar at the end.

Mitchell said Femi’s clever lyrics, arrangement and storytelling are amazingly detailed despite the short amount of time that a song gives.

“He really does the magic of making the brain see a complete movie,” Mitchell said.

Femi pulls inspiration for his lyrics from everywhere, which is reflected in the way he crafts his songs. He usually begins with lyrics inspired by what he sees, then composes using the instrument that he believes should be the most integral to that particular song. He cites artists like Nas and Justin Timberlake as his influences.

Femi took piano lessons but quit after two years. Jazz music inspired him to take up music again, and he slowly moved his way into other genres like underground hip-hop. He developed his lyrical talents by listening to mid-’90s and Golden Age hip-hop – both of which he considers to exhibit lyricism at its finest.

In addition, Femi’s songwriting stems from his research and interest in philosophy.

“One of the big ideas that I’m starting to develop is that moral philosophy and political philosophy are really the same thing,” Femi said. “The only reason that we’ve been inclined to think of them as different is because of the particular ways that laws and governments have been set up.”

He is currently in his first year pursuing a Ph.D. in philosophy at UCLA, concentrating on metaethics, political philosophy and philosophy of law. According to Femi, metaethics is the study of the ethics of ethics and the search for who or what decides moral rules and values.

“I would like to be a philosophy academic and rock star in the future. I feel like I’m fully committed to both,” Femi said. “We have to pick one path and shape everything around that, but I prefer to force life to drag me into those choices kicking and screaming.”

Femi, currently unsigned, is focused on promoting his EP for now. A tour is definitely on the horizon, he said.

Ultimately, his goal is to make his music more accessible by communicating it in a way that anyone can enjoy.

“The ability to have layers to which anybody who comes from any background can appreciate what you do, I think that’s important,” Femi said. “I like to take the unfamiliar and make it familiar, and vice versa.”

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Christina Vo
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