Jua Cali on why his scandal never blew up and music retirement
Legendary rapper and record producer, Paul Julius Nunda, known by his stage name, Jua Cali, has opened up on why he has never been involved in any well-publicized showbiz scandal.
The 44-year-old, whose music career spans 24 years, says the effort to stay scandal-free is one of the main reasons he has sustained his artistic career this long but also why he continues to command respect from his peers and even the new generation.
“As an artist, it’s your choice whether or not you want your private matters to be public. Some artists love to have their music and their private life out there. But, I do try to draw a line between the two. Jua Cali argues.
The rapper feels it’s not wise for artists to have their private lives play out in the public gallery.
“From my point of view, it’s a bad thing because music is all about perception. If you present a bad perception to the public as much as how good your craft is, you will always have a bad image and that’s not a good thing if you ask me. Yeah, it might work for you at the moment, the kiki and all that (publicity stunts), but in the long run it will cost you. And please don’t get it twisted, it’s not like I get involved in scandals behind the scenes and then hide them. I always try to be true to myself.
However, Jua Cali admits that he has been involved in a scandal before (he wouldn’t reveal it), which he dealt with quickly before it became public.
“In this artistic space, sometimes it is inevitable to be involved in a scandal. Yes, I have had my share, but fortunately, I was able to deal with it calmly and decisively before it got out of control and got the attention of the public. It was that one situation where you pray to God to see you through,” Jua Cali laughs.
Jua Cali also adds that he has no plans to retire from making music, even though some quarters of his critics want him to hang up his mic.
“I know some people are used to seeing artists emerge and after three or five years they are out of the game. That’s why my longevity seems to be a problem. But they need to understand that music is the only profession that has no retirement age. Creativity has no retirement. I can go months without releasing music and suddenly wake up with an idea. Music is my 9-5 job, it’s all I do, and I’m sure I’ll be doing it when I’m 100 years old,” he retorts.