The crazy thing about “Rapid Fire” is that Genio didn’t make the beat for me; it was for Tomi

Thomas. I just came inside, heard the beat, and was like, “Guy!…” The thing about these sorts of

songs is that they’re really easy for me to make. I’ve probably made like nine of those types of

songs, but this one was sweet to make… there was something about it. I just did one verse and the

hook and was just playing it. I didn’t necessarily have much plans for the song, I just knew the

song was made. My friend, Tomi Agape, was on the song, but we cut her part short and then Phi

(manager at the time) was like, “Let’s put Shane, this rapper from South Africa and this girl from

Ghana, her name is Amaarae.” I was like, “Yeah, I know her, cool.” When it all came together, it was

like, “Oh shit.” Shane’s verse was even cut short because he rapped on the whole thing. Amaa killed

the song, too. The thing with “Rapid Fire” is that it was made with a purity that was intentional.

The way the songs were made, the way we shot the video, the way we called all the guys, the way we

all stayed there till the video was done–it was a pure era. People were just watching us live our

lives, but we didn’t even know. We’d just record music and go about. It was just me, Ashley (Okoli),

Odunsi (The Engine), and everybody. That’s how “Rapid Fire” came about. With the video, I’m very

inspired by crime and Nollywood, so that’s where that came from.

It’s a special record produced by Odunsi (The Engine). It’s inspired by a lot of HAIM (rock band).

Again, it’s just pop music. I used to listen to a lot of HAIM when I was younger. I don’t think they

sing that much again. Also, I would say early Post Malone. There’s a way Post Malone used to sing in

his early days that resonated with me and I feel like I picked up a lot of things about feeling

comfortable enough to sing like a popstar on crazy beats. So, the feeling of the beat just made me

feel like this is freedom for me. The thing about me is that when I make a song, I love bringing

people on and seeing how they approach it. So, I put Tay (Iwar) then I sent it to Amaa(rae) to hop

on it, and she did.

It’s inspired by Europop. There’s this song named “Steal My Sunshine” by Len, it’s a very old song.

Basically, the foundation of Mandy comes from a very pure time in my life because I didn’t know

anything about the music business. The project just came from a sense of wanting people to connect

to this sound that has been missing but still resonates with you. When I made “Raining Outside,” it

was around 2017, and I wanted to make a song about being there no matter what. I’m not saying I’m

the perfect friend or the best man in the world, but I’m just saying I’m always going to be there. I

feel like that resonates with the heart of people because there’s no greater feeling than when

somebody knows that you have their back– it makes you feel good. Also, all my projects are centred

around women because I grew up around my mum and her sisters. All my life, I’ve lived with my sister

and my friends and her friends. So, “Raining Outside” is kind of an ode to all the girls in my life,

too, just to let them know that I have their backs and they never need to bother when they have a

friend like me; I also put a little sexiness in the song. The funny thing about the song is that

when I originally recorded it, I did a whole different thing. I came the next day, and I heard it,

and I was like, “Bro, what’s this rubbish?” and I deleted it. I then started singing line by line

and sang the whole thing again. I made “Raining Outside” in Magodo (Lagos) in GMK’s house in 2017.

All the songs on Mandy & The Jungle were made two or three years before they dropped.