Eedris Treated Me Like Nobody–Timaya

Bayelsa State-born singer, Timaya, has opened up on his relationship with controversial rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem.

The ‘Dem Mama Records’ boss told Punch in an interview that Eedris, who had an altercation with 50 Cents some years ago when the American rapper visited Nigeria, never gave him (Timaya) a chance to succeed.

Timaya admitted being Eedris’ back-up singer some years back and even described him as his boss, but said the former Remedies music group member never gave him money except for N1000 he collected from him once.

The self-acclaimed Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa said Eedris did not even know his name then, saying that the rapper always called him ‘that Bayelsa boy.’ He wondered why the rapper suddenly claims he made him (Timaya) who he is today.

“Eedris did not make me who I am today. I was the one that went to meet Eedris in his house. He never treated me well. I would stay at the front of his gate from morning till night and he would send somebody to tell me to come back after a week.

“When I returned the following week, he would not see me. I used my money to pay to attend his shows even though I was his band member. I was not celebrated,” Timaya narrated.

He further said, “The only money Eedris paid me in his life was N1,000 and it was after we had the Kuramo Beach show. That was nothing compared to the money I had been spending on transport. I was not bothered because I wanted a platform and I was learning.

“Like I always tell people, whatever you want in life, you just need to make sacrifice. Even if they feed you poop, you are not going to eat it forever.

“I gained a lot from that experience. It was through him that I met Sound Sultan and a lot of people. Eedris and I don’t do the same kind of music, so he does not influence me musically.

“I have never been in a studio where he was recording before and he never gave me that opportunity, so how did I learn anything from him.”