Today we’d like to introduce you to Shopé.
Hi Shopé, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Mosope Adeyemi, but most know me as Shopé (a westernized phonetic pronunciation of my Yoruba name, Sope). I was born in Nigeria, West Africa, where I lived in Lagos for the first part of my life. In search of greener economic pastures, at 11 years of age, my family packed our bags, left everything, and relocated to Toronto, Canada.
Can you say culture shock? Think of all the things kids might say to the new, poor “African” kid. Yea, I got ‘em all. So being a Nigerian immigrant, I was teased, and as a result, I spent many years ignoring my Africanness at best and downplaying it at worst. As I matured, some things started to shift my perspective, one of which was coming to witness the lingering effects of racism, slavery and colonial structures on people of colour in the western world. In 2013 I visited Nigeria for the first time since leaving in 2000. Leading up to that, I had already been having convictions of re-connecting to my roots. Those convictions continually grew stronger, finally solidifying during that 2013 visit. I knew I had to find my way back home and somehow connect it to my Toronto identity.
At this point, I had also been making music for about three years, primarily Hip Hop/R&B music. So in the years following, as I began reconnecting to my African heritage, my music naturally started to take on more of an Afrofusion flavour, blending Nigerian Afrobeats with western Hip Hop/R&B. It was at this moment that I really began to see some real growth in my music career. Since then, I’ve been able to garner millions of streams, tens of thousands of followers and multiple international tours & festivals, sometimes opening up for the likes of. Tory Lanez, Jazz Cartier, Tyler Shaw, and Lecrae, just to name a few.
All this said, as the years progressed while I loved and valued Toronto for all the opportunities it provided for me and my family as immigrants, I began yearning for a new environment – somewhere better suited to grow and thrive. I felt I needed a city that spoke to the essence of one of my missions’ – amplifying the voices of those of us in the diaspora. A city that not only permitted but actually celebrated Black Excellence. A city ripe with opportunities for young, passionate, black entrepreneurs. One city came to mind; ATLANTA. So it was a no-brainer. Soon after, my wife & I packed our bags (and our kids) and about a thousand miles later, arrived in this beautiful city. Since then, we continue to connect and build as much as we can, hoping to not only grow in this city but also contribute to its growth.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to building the life you want is never easy. The challenges began right from the initial shock of moving from Africa to North America. We went from an upper middle class lifestyle to low income within a matter of days and remained in that position for a number of years as my parents rebuilt their lives in an entirely new context. I saw my Dad go from head of HR of a multinational bank to working as an overnight security guard, struggling to pay all the bills. Add to that a contentious home life, where my parents were often at odds with each other. Then at school facing the sharp criticism from kid teasing me as the new, poor African kid. This led to a period of not really having a define self-identity but rather doing what I had to do to fit in. It’s taken me many years to truly value my African culture, heritage, and continent. Thankfully, now I do. I now value my Nigerian heritage more than I ever have. That love grows by the day without diminishing my gratitude for the western world in which I inhabit.
One thing that was crystal clear in my family however was the importance of education. So I went to University planning on becoming a doctor (as does every “good African child”). So imagine the mix of delight & terror when in my sophomore year, I realized I didn’t want to pursue medicine anymore but instead wanted to make music for a living. I was terrified to tell my parents of my switch in direction because they had given up so much to make a better life for us. I eventually did break it to them, and they naturally were disappointed (my Mom actually yelled at me…lol). Thus began the work of not only building a career in one of the most risky industries but also proving to my parents that I made the right decision. Fast forward after years of grinding, struggling to make a name for myself, investing my own money, making wins and take losses (and converting them into lessons), it’s pretty clear that I’m doing what I was meant to do. It hasn’t been easy by any stretch, and it continues to require courage and tenacity. Thankfully as has been said before “Fortune favors the brave”.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m primarily known for my music. Being a product of two distinct cultures, I pull from both to create something that I believe is truly distinctive. My unique sound skillfully blends elements of Nigerian Afrobeats with North American Hip Hop/R&B. The product, aptly called Afrofusion, is an infectious mix of equal parts rhythm & melody that is honest and vulnerable, yet bold and confident.
As I have been bridging western & African cultures, I’ve been building a global fans to the tune of 7M+ streams and close to 100,000 social media followers across my platforms. Just this year (2022), I won the SiriusXM & SOCAN Foundation Black Music Artist of the year award. This is a highly prestigious award in Canada that celebrates Black creatives innovating the industry. Previously I have had songs used for the Olympics, won national competitions, toured across the US, Europe, Canada and Africa. Not to mention performing at premier festivals like SXSW, CBC Music Festival, CMW, and the JUNOS 2020 (later canceled due to COVID19), showcasing alongside acts like; Tory Lanez, Jazz Cartier, Tyler Shaw, and Lecrae, just to name a few.
In light of the struggles and successes I’ve been blessed to have, I wanted to expand beyond simply serving my personal goals. I wanted to create something with a bigger mission. As a result in late 2021, after years of research and planning, I launched CULTURE RICH WORLD (culturerichworld.com), a music & fashion house. Like me, I am certain there are many others out there who are either currently experiencing a struggle of reconciling their dual identities or need to experience it. Going (and growing) through my maturation process served as the seed for starting CULTURE RICH WORLD, and thus, is my contribution at helping others like myself bridge their western identity with their motherland.
I want Africans in the diaspora (and those on the continent) to be reminded that their culture is beautiful and valuable. Just as valuable as the western ones in which they inhabit. Because when we truly believe that, others will too. When you truly believe something in the core of your heart, your actions follow your convictions and others will have to take notice (as we are currently seeing with the global rise of Afro culture).
By extension, I want this same idea of pride in my blended culture (African & western) to extend to other non-African communities. There is inherent beauty in the cultures of the world. Ultimately, I believe God made the world diverse for a reason. An accurate display of His beauty and glory requires a vast array of human creative activity that no singular people group can completely embody. That’s why God made a… Culture Rich World.
My grand vision is to build bridges across cultures, and I will use every tool at my disposal to do just that. This, I believe is what makes me unique.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I try to remain humble, teachable and curious. A combination of these, I believe positions me to remain versatile, maintains a posture of continual growth through learning and nimble enough to adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of entrepreneurship.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@allofshope.com
- Website: https://culturerichworld.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/allofshope
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allofshopeofficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/allofshope
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/allofshope
- SoundCloud: https://open.spotify.com/artist/539ZsoCQY3Y24f38ZuIBgp?si=03AHBjbpQDya4vLVqQJtoQ
- Other: http://allofshope.com/
Image Credits
Matt Barnes Photography John Prince Balatbat
