HOOKING UP WITH BOUQUI

Bouqui

Though   she wears the gab of an artiste who does contemporary Christian hip hop, Bukola Afolayan , popularly known  as Bouqui in the music scene isn’t your run- of- the mill rapper.

She is an unassuming award-winning  diva who uses her music to impact on people’s lives. She bares her mind on a number of things including how her song made the list of the top 30 gospel songs in the world, and her  favorite qualities in a man.

How does it feel breaking into the music industry?

When I was starting out I wasn’t trying to break into the music industry. I was just doing music from my heart.

I was just being myself. When the big break came, it was just the grace of God, and  I was very happy that I could do that kind of thing. There was no music industry when I started singing in 1999.

It wasn’t like there was a structure in place. It wasn’t really about trying to break into the industry.

Why gospel gospel music?

I am a Christian and I love God with all my heart. So, I am doing music to glorify Him . It’s not  that I am trying to do gospel music because of what I do, but because of  the love that I have for God.

What I do pleases Him and it preaches the gospel. It’s not like I am saying, I want to be a gospel artiste. It’s not about wearing a tag. It’s about being me, so if it comes my way l  because it is gospel , it’s all good . I won’t say   I am trying to do gospel music.

This is because I know a lot of gospel singers who do not represent what they preach through their music. When you listen to what they say, where they hang out,  and  their  kind of lifestyle, that is not to say I am  judging  anybody.

I am exalting God through my talent which is giving the gift back to  the giver. I am not saying   I am not a gospel artiste.  My kind of music is  Christian contemporary hip hop.

What are the monetary reward for being gospel artistes?

You need to know why you are doing what you are doing. Success is achieving your aim. If I am out to make money and at the end, I didn’t. That’s not success, but if I am out to impact on people’s lives and I succeed in doing that, that is success to me.

A secular artiste sees money as the ultimate. That’s their own gospel. They talk about idolatry, sex, fornication  and other negative stuffs. Whatever you talk about tells me what kingdom you belong to.

But If you follow God, and   you represent God’s image  and you want to use the system of the world to preach God’s gospel  you are not going to get anywhere For God, money is the least of your issues. But you have to kill self.In that other kingdom, what they preach is self, in our own kingdom that has to die.

So while they are superstars, we are representing God’s image. The reason a lot of people always say that  gospel music is not lucrative is because they themselves are after the material things of the world.

Heard you relocated to America?

I didn’t relocate to America. I was on tour. I was in America for seven months because I had to be there on   tour. For what I do, I don’t just sing, I speak, and if I travel round the world to do it, it’s not my fault that other gospel artistes prefer to mount the stage.

They put me in fancy cars and hotels not because I can rap, but because I am impacting on people’s lives. There is a relationship between your intimacy, your purpose, and your provision. When you find purpose   in the place of intimacy   with God, provision will be given to you.

What are the new things you are doing currently?

I just returned to the country. I am trying to re-evaluate myself. I   am dropping a double CD in a couple of weeks from now. I also intend to  do   a new song .

When I was in  America in the last couple of weeks, I heard that my song ‘Celebrate’ made the top 30 gospel songs in the world. My songs was in the 22nd position. I was so shocked and so happy. It was just God’s  grace.

You were Once an On Air Personality

I am still thinking of going back to broadcasting. I had some openings in America to be presenting a radio programme, but I don’t know  if I am going to take up the offer.

Right now, I am at a major decision junction. I need to make some serious decisions that will affect the rest of my life.  I need to do it prayerfully and consciously.
   Whats your sense of style sense of style?

What defines my sense of style is the way I feel. It might be modest, it might be carefree. If I feel like wearing a gown I wear a gown. If I feel like wearing  trousers I wear it, but you see, style is not what you wear, style is who you are.

So, if I dress in a particular way, my style doesn’t change. My fashion sense might change but my style won’t change because  style is actually a totality of your  fashion sense.

My kind of man do you desire?

He must love God, he must be kind and possesses  spirit of forgiveness. He has to be meek  and not short- tempered. He also has to be focused, every other  thing else we can follow later.

There are points   you get to in life   that you realize  the things that use to matter to you a lot don’t really matter again.   I have seen so many good looking people that when you come close to  them  you begin to ask  yourself:’whether this person is evil’?

The truth is that your character is actually what makes you beautiful. It’s really not about the external things.