For us all, we saw a man commit a crime. But for Mr Real, it was an opportunity to score a hit song.
For producer Mr Real, also known as Real Self, it all started from a blog post.
The young producer from Lagos, Nigeria, saw the news on his mobile phone. In that day he read about a man who attempted to steal a dozen iPhones, from a shop in computer village. The crowd tried to lynch him, but the police were on hand to whisk him away.
This was a normal occurrence, and most of the time, it would never have made the news. But this time was different. The alleged thief was a popular person, named Seun Egbegbe.
That news became the inspiration for a single titled ‘Legbegbe’, which features street-hop acts, Obadice, Idowest, and Kelvin Chuks.
The Crime/Inspiration
Yoruba film-maker, Seun Egbegbe is a highly celebrated figure among Yoruba movie people, but he became a public bride when his romance with popular Yoruba actress, Toyin Aimakhu made news headlines in every medium.
In fact, the lovebirds only became public item when they fell apart, with Seun threatening to ostracise Toyin from movie making unless she did his bidding. Their secrets became public knowledge and it slipped out that Seun had presented a Range Rover SUV to Toyin as gift.
But on November 23, 2017, a mob at the Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos State, reportedly accosted and beat up a Yoruba film-maker, Seun Egbegbe, for allegedly stealing nine iPhones at a shop in the area.
However, the film-maker reportedly told policemen investigating the incident that he had no intention to steal the phones, but had stepped into his vehicle to pick some money when the sales boy raised the alarm.
Reports reveal that Egbegbe had gone to the shop around 10am on Tuesday and had told the sales boy he met in the shop that he wanted to buy some iPhones.
Egbegbe, who had been romantically linked with a popular Yoruba movie actress, Toyin Aimakhu, was said to have left the shop with the phones, telling the seller that he wanted to pick money from his jeep. Three other persons were allegedly inside the jeep.
He, however, reportedly attempted to leave in the waiting jeep without paying for the phones when the sales boy raised the alarm, drawing the attention of other traders in the area who stopped the vehicle and dragged Egbegbe out.
The producer was said to have been beaten to a pulp and was consequently handed over to the police at the Area F Command, Ikeja.
He would later be charged to court and granted bail.
The ‘Legbegbe’ Record
The record 'Legbegbe' was released on August 7, 2017 on the internet, and promoted via street DJs, and mixes in Alaba. It fits perfectly in with the plethora of House inspired beats that defines the Lagos mainland street sounds. Before December, it had become a niche hit.
During the festive season, via influential social media media personalities and dance videos, it circulated wildly, backed by the 'Shaku shaku' dance.
“Oya Eh Fun Wo LegbeGbe Gbe… Fun Won Je Bi Seun Egbegbe…”
That’s the anchor of this record. ‘Legbegbe’ when translated literally into English, means ‘side by side’. It’s a slang for when people stand beside you, and pick your pocket. They stand ‘side by side’ with you, and then your ‘iPhone’ disappears.
It can also be a blanket term for everything shady or 'sideways'. When someone says "bobo yen ma se e legbegbe," it means "that guy is being very shady."
Seun Egbegbe went after 8 iPhones, and that’s why the hook has the iPhone count.
iPhone 1 – legbegbe
iPhone 2 – legbegbe
iPhone 3 – legbegbe
iPhone 4 – legbegbe
iPhone 5 – legbegbe
iPhone 6 – legbegbe
iPhone 7, o ma lo – legbegbe (the 7th iPhone is leaving oh)
iPhone 8 – legbegbe
Mr Real, refused to officially comment on this article. But the use of events around us to make records isn’t knew.
‘Legbegbe’ has grown to become one of the biggest street songs in Lagos Nigeria, even without the help of a video. It’s a party starter all around the state, at events and more.