...to release album this year
If all goes as planned, Nigerian international footballer, Obafemi Martins, will release a hiphop album by the end of the year.
A studio rat who did not want his name in print and is privy to the album project said the forward for Seattle Sounders FC of the United States has completed work on at least three tracks for the album that is heavy on the Nigerian genre of hip-hop.
"He is passionate about the album and has been working on it at two recording studios, one in Surulere and the other in the Lekki area of Lagos," the source said.
Asked if he has any idea why the footballer who is apparently doing well in his football career would choose to do music, he said Obafemi Martins has always loved music.
"As a matter of fact, he told me that before the big football leagues around the world came calling, he used to be a rapper. Music was his first love eve before football came along," the source said.
He could not be reached for comment as at press time but the man described as his mentor, Mr. Femi Fasetire, who is a sports journalist confirmed that the footballer likes music "like most people". He however said that he is not aware that the player is working on an album.
"Perhaps that is because entertainment is not my line since I am a sports journalist," Fasetire said. There is no doubt that millions of Obafemi Martin's football fans cannot wait for the release of this album, which our source said is still untitled and which songs are basically performed in English.
Other Nigerian footballers who have gone the music way include recently: Michel Obi, (who now owns a music label, Matured Money Minds, MMM), as well as Celestine Babayaro and Jonathan Akpoborie.
Martins plays as a forward for Seattle Sounders FC and the Nigeria national team, the Super Eagles. He is known for his speed on the ball.
After leaving Nigeria for Italy at age 16, he has since played for a number of top-division clubs around Europe. He began his senior career in 2002 at the Italian Serie A club Inter Milan, before moving to the English Premier League club Newcastle in 2006, and then the German Bundesliga club Wolfsburg in 2009.
Having joined Russian Premier League side Rubin Kazan in July 2010, they loaned him to Birmingham City in January 2011. In club football, Martins has won the Italian Serie A title, the Italian Cup (twice), and the Super Cup, all with Inter.
With Birmingham he scored the winning goal in the 2011 Football League Cup Final. He has played European football with Inter, Newcastle and Wolfsburg, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Newcastle.
His highest scoring league seasons so far have seen him score 11 goals in the 2004–05 Serie A, and 17 2006–07 English Premier League.
In international football, Martins has been in the Nigerian squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in 2006, 2008 and 2010, and for the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Who knows, this foray into music may well result in his winning a Grammy award in the not too distant future.
National Mirror