No doubt, Alhaji Sulaiman Alao Adekunle Ks1Malaika is one of the most influential musicians to reckon with as far as Fuji Music is concerned.
At 53, Imeku Fuji musician has transformed his brand of music. His newly released song, Gudu Gudu Kan has become the toast of every parties in Lagos, Ogun , Oyo states and others in Nigeria.
Gudu Gudu Kan, according to Ks1malaika , means King of his generation despite challenges of his peers to take over his throne as music impresario .
Alhaji Adekunle is widely known as KS1Malaika on the Fuji scene and across the world but only a few knew how he came about the name. The highly focused musician, it was gathered, got the stage name during his childhood in the Agege and Lagos Island suburbs, where he was raised and frequently participated in Quranic schools and performed Ajisaari/Were (Islamic wake-up chants) during the Ramadan season. Those close to the musician claimed that as a young singer, who began his career with the support of his parents at the tender age of 10, was loved by many for his angelic vocals, graceful delivery, and his youthfulness, and was nicknamed ‘Malaika.’ The alias is loosely translated in Arabic as angel or a celestial being.
Ks1Malaika has continued to remain focused on his career with gratitude to God at every given opportunity saying he faced so many challenges starting and never believed he was going to get this far in life and in his chosen career. “I always give thanks to God. I never knew I was going to be where I am today. God has blessed me, no doubt about that but I am still begging Him for more because no matter how much you have in your account, you will still see someone that has been there before you. So, I am still asking God for more blessings because I want to be bigger than what I am now,” he said.
Unknown to many, Malaika stands tall as one of the Fuji music stars, who has achieved so much for himself and has built a massive discography of over 40 studio, collaborative, and freestyle albums since breaking into the music scene in the early 1980s. He started out at the tender age of 10 in 1983 but didn’t release an album until 1994 when he released his debut album entitled ‘Mr Wonder.’
With housing properties scattered across Ebute Metta and Lekki areas of Lagos State, Malaika believes nothing gets better without unity. For a better Fuji music industry, he says, “There must be cooperation and love to make the industry better. So if we close ranks and work as one, then the industry would definitely get better.”
When he turned 40, he had wished to support younger colleagues and individuals when he turns 50 but at 53, Malaika has been able to help a long list of upcoming artistes achieve their goals while, at the same time, being on top of his own game, with several tunes that have continued to set trend in the last decade.
Not one who blows his trumpet because he believes his over 4 decades old career is still fragile that he keeps handling it with utmost care.
“One thing is that I don’t like talking about my achievements. Although it’s good to talk about it, it’s not in my style. My career is moving but it’s very fragile and that’s why I always handle it with care because it’s not easy for me to come this far. But some may get it easy, I don’t get to do things easily. So, that’s why I guard my career jealously and religiously.
I don’t joke with it. I always pray to Almighty Allah for up and coming artists not to pass through what I went through before I got to where I am today.”
‘ My new song, Gudu Gudu Kan translates a lot about what i am facing withing my rivals in the music industry. I urge my fans to keep streaming the song. I am still working hard to drop many songs that will trend. My fans should watch out for my brand. The sky is still very wide’, Ks1malaika said.
