Born into a deeply religious home, where his father was a clergyman and a pianist, Buga’s journey into music started from the choir stands of the church. But like many Nigerian artists, his sound evolved beyond the four walls of worship into something richer—something deeply rooted in culture and identity.

Through determination and resilience, he embraced his unique Afrocentric sound, blending traditional rhythms with modern vibes to create timeless hits. From “Bolanle” to “Buga”, his music became a voice for the streets, a rhythm for the people, and a celebration of the Nigerian spirit.

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I started as a church boy you know, my dad is a clergyman, and from the mission house, I got inspired by music. I felt connected to music through the choir and all that. From there, I began to work on myself.

Somehow, I got to an age where I realized that culturally, I had something inside me that spoke volumes about my roots. From there, I started putting songs together that reflected my culture.

I later met Ahmed Ogunbanwo, who signed me in 2006. Even before then, I had started with jingle, backing up other artists. From that experience, I was able to gain knowledge in studio production and later started working on my own production as “BUGA.”

Of course, Buga wasn’t even the first song I recorded. I actually started with “Bolanle (Igbadi Aro),” which came before every other song. “BUGA” was the last track I recorded, but thank God, it blew up everywhere by His grace. From then on, people started calling me “Buga, Buga, Buga,” and that’s how my name became Jesse King Buga.

When it comes to your dream, nothing should stop you. Of course, a lot of people might have said, “Omo baba pastor” and all that, but at the same time, God deposited something inside me that no one could explain.

The most important thing for me was standing my ground. I knew this was what I wanted to do, and I never backed down. Today, I’m still doing it, and I thank God that everything worked out for me.

I actually came from a music family My dad is a pianist, and my brothers are into music as well. In fact, my younger brother is my producer. I’m a producer myself, but he produced “Mr. Wole” and many other songs on my album.

What we’re doing is trying to create music that resonates with our own people—music they can relate to and enjoy. My family has been very supportive. My younger brother, my parents—everyone supported me. People may have doubted me at first, but now that music puts food on the table, it’s clear that what I was doing was the right path.

Most of us started with passion, not money or fame. Fame comes later, but the fact remains that this is what I love doing. It’s something that’s inside of me.

When you have passion, you don’t think about anything else. You just focus on your craft, building confidence until you’re ready to share it with the world. The feedback from people has always been my biggest motivation.

When people see me and say, “Ah Buga, we love your song! It blesses our soul,” I feel good. That pushes me to keep going

The album tells the story of a normal guy on the streets of Lagos. “Mr. Wole” is just a random guy who loves having fun—going to shows, being introduced on stage as “Mr. Wole,” and enjoying life.

At the same time, he’s a family man, having fun with his wife. On the other hand, he’s also a guy with a girlfriend, trying to enjoy Valentine’s Day and all that.

The whole idea is about having fun, connecting emotionally, and making the world a better place to live in.

Nineteen years ago, I produced “Jennifer.” For me, Jennifer was a beautiful damsel, representing the beauty of women. The song was meant to celebrate beautiful ladies out there. Jennifer, as a name, carries an aura of inner and outer beauty.

When Funke Akindele reached out to use the song for her movie “Jenifa”, I felt great being part of such a beautiful project. It made me realize that we can still do more.

The whole theme behind “Jenifa” revolves around hard work—she is a beautiful woman who represents the people. The movie and the song both celebrate women who hustle, strive, and make a name for themselves.

Today, “Jennifer” is so big. She’s a household name, both as a movie character and as a song.

Funke Akindele is doing amazingly well, and I’m so proud of her. We started this journey over a decade ago, and today, “Jenifa” is one of the biggest brands out there.