Abdulrasheed Bello, the Nigerian music producer and filmmaker, popularly known as JJC Skillz, has shared touching details about his early life, how he moved to the UK, and how bullying gave him the name he is known by today.
Speaking in a recent interview with livewithlynda, JJC Skillz said he was born in Kano State, Nigeria, but lost his father when he was just 14 years old. After his father’s death, his elder sister adopted him and took him to London, England, to continue life there.
According to him, life in the UK was not easy at the beginning. He revealed that some Nigerian boys started bullying him and mocking him for being new in the country. They started calling him “JJC,” which is a slang for “Johnny Just Come,” meaning someone who is new or unfamiliar with the system.
Despite the bullying, JJC Skillz said he never allowed it to bring him down. He explained that his mother always taught him to be proud of himself and his skin colour. “My mom always call me ‘Baba Dudu’ and say I am black and shine”
He said those early experiences made him proud of being Black and African, even though some people looked down on him because of his background and appearance.
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JJC Skillz also talked about how he found his way into music. He said he started mentoring young boys on the streets of London and later formed a music group called Big Brother, which became quite popular.
JJC Skillz is known for his contribution to the Afrobeats movement in the UK and Nigeria. He is a rapper, producer, and director, and has worked with many big names in the entertainment industry both locally and internationally.
He was formerly married to top Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, popularly known for her hit series “Jenifa’s Diary.” The couple got married in 2016 but went their separate ways in 2022. They have twin boys together. Despite the breakup, both of them have continued to focus on their careers.
Funke Akindele remains one of the most successful actresses and producers in Nigeria. She broke box office records with her movies like “Battle on Buka Street” and “A Tribe Called Judah”, and she’s also involved in politics, having once contested as a deputy governorship candidate in Lagos.