Over time, the ostentatious lifestyle of the average Nigerian artiste has been a source of concern to many music fans.
Considering the unstable nature of ‘superstardom,’ it is a common
belief that many who fail to plan suffer for it. As such, there appears
to be an unending debate over how these artistes manage fame and control
their finances.
For 27-year-old Panshak Zamani, also known as Ice Prince or Chocolate
City Golden Boy, who lives like a true superstar, there are clearly no
limits to how false stories are peddled around many Nigerian artistes.
Ice Prince is the proud owner of a Bentley GT, a Range Rover Sport
Utility Vehicle, among others. Laying to rest some speculations that his
Bentley was bought with a loan facility from a bank, the 2013 BET
Awards winner says, “No, it is not true! It was paid for! Bought it in
Abuja from Sir Kefiano! He has got all brands of vehicles! “
On how he handles his earnings and fame, Ice Prince gives a word of
advice to fellow celebrities, “As an artiste, it is good to have real
life mentors and people that handle your finances. It is better to put
yourself on a salary instead of just blowing the money as it comes and
life will be easier.
“You need to also understand that the life of an artiste is usually
very expensive. So, One needs to be cautious. It is quite a new
experience to have fame and all that. Sometimes it’s a problem managing
all of them. But one thing that keeps me focused is that I always
remember where I’m coming from, no matter where I am. While there is
always pressure to keep up with trends, I believe that it pays more to
be yourself and be real to the world around you.”
Despite the fact that he became famous as a hip hop artiste, the singer chooses to be referred to as a musician that raps.
“I really do all kinds of things with my music and I like to dream
bigger than just a rapper. I know how to use my voice to sing, chant and
do stuff that is not necessarily rap. So I like to be seen more in that
light of a guy who can expresses himself with his voice however he
feels more comfortable.”
One area which strikes a chord in his heart is what is left of his
hometown, Jos. He becomes emotional when asked to speak about his views
on the current crisis that has engulfed the once peaceful city.
“It’s really sad because growing up in Jos was like the best thing
that ever happened to all of us from that part of the country. It used
to be the most peaceful place on earth. It provided us an enabling
environment to express ourselves and grow into what we are. So, it is
really sad to see what is going on right before us.”
On his relationship with his son, the single father of one says, “My
son is a blessing and I’m grateful to God for giving me him. I have a
cordial relationship with the mother of his son. We are good, just
trying to bring the boy up.”
The singer, who once admitted that he dropped out of the University
of Jos where he was studying Zoology because of financial constraint,
says he plans to go back to school some day.
“I intend to one day get some real education and study something else
apart from what I know now, which is music. But truly, I can’t say when
I’m going back to school yet. I pray I get the chance to do so one day.
I’ll love to study History,” he says.
Apart from music, he is also involved in some projects. He says, “I am working with a few artistes at the moment under my #
SuperCoolCat outfit. This is not a label but a collection of young people with the same dream working together.
“There’s a girl called Ruth Cobhamz who I can’t wait for the world to
listen to; an amazing rapper called Stunt and a few producers, such as
Sammy Gyang, Chopstix, City monster GRU and TMXO, who just produced my
newest track with Joell Ortiz and MI.”
