Hey BNers, did you miss us? Well, we do, and we’re back! As you know, Doing Life With… is a BellaNaija Features series that showcases how people live, work, travel, care for their families and… everything in between. We are documenting the lives of all people and ensuring everyone is well-represented at BN.
Our last conversation was with the indefatigable Pastor Emmanuel Iren. Did you miss it? You can catch up here.
Today, we’re doing life with Eman Kellam, a Nigerian-British comedian and TV host popularly known for the “Pranking My African Dad” skit, released over 10 years ago and has amassed millions of views across different platforms. In this short conversation, Eman talks to us about his childhood influences, a project he’s working on and other cool stuff. Enjoy!
Hi Eman. How do you do?
I’m all great thank you, I hope you’re good too.
It has been ten years since the prank video. Did you know it was going to be the “blueprint” for most African, especially Nigerian, comedy videos for many generations? How has it been since then?
Now, blueprint is a big word to use, ha-ha. But it’s a pleasure forever to be part of African culture with my dad. It’s been almost 11 years, and it’s been amazing to see how everyone has interacted with the prank video. My dad and I see it all: the memes, the songs, the quotes in movies. It’s an honour. Seeing how much the video means to our culture does put smiles on our faces. It was a fun moment for us, and we’ve been lucky enough to share it with the best of the world. Since then, life has been great. I’ve hosted some TV shows and done some red carpets and I can’t complain. God is good.
You said in the caption when you shared the video again last year in December that the next 10 years are going to be insane. Tell us about that
Well, I can’t give away much, but what I can say is that people should expect the unexpected. My lips are sealed. But it’s going to be a fun couple of years, that’s for sure.
You’ve sat down with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, selected for YouTube’s Inaugural Voices and recognised on many platforms. What moment from your journey so far stands out for you, particularly?
I’d say a moment that stands out the most is probably my interview with Denzel Washington, I was very young and he was rather graceful. We had a blast and he actually said my interview was his favourite for the press tour he was on at the time and he really wanted me to interview his son. So that’s a key career moment that’s stuck with me.
That’s really cool. Congratulations
Thank you.
Now, tell us briefly about your background, growing up in Southside, the Nigerian influence, and any key moments from your childhood that shaped you into what you are today
I was born in South London. I always talk about the Southside because it’s not only where I was born; it’s also the area that shaped and raised me into the man I am today. I was lucky enough to be born in an area that is truly a melting pot of different cultures. I have friends from all over the world because of the area I was raised in and I’m very thankful for that as it exposed me to conversations and experiences that I might not have been able to have if I wasn’t raised here.
My Nigerian influence and home life have always kept me on track and made me lock in when it’s go-time. I watched my parents come to the country from Nigeria and make it happen. I’d hate to see all the hard work they put in go to waste. So, I make sure I do my best in everything. I also went to arts school in the Southside; The Brit School. That was where I really locked in and further developed my love for film.
I studied broadcasting, journalism, and film and television studies, among other things. Those were the best two years of my life. I’m truly thankful to the teachers who took the time to understand my thought process and gave me a space to learn and grow, especially my former tutor, Dean Peckett (RIP).
As someone who grew up with a lot of “Nigerianess” in the house, an interesting fact about Nigeria that you’ve heard?
That every Nigerian parent who moved to the West apparently graduated first of their class. I’d like to see the receipts, haha.
If you are asked, what’s next for Eman Kellam? How would you respond to that?
I’d say expect the unexpected. This year I’ll be rolling out @Southside Presents, my community hub with the mission to bring people together from across the diaspora through music, film and events. The name is a love letter to my south London roots but also a tribute to my South Western Nigerian links to Ondo state through my father’s side of the family. You’ll find out more about it all very soon.
Aside from that, my lips are sealed.
How do we get the lips unsealed?
You can’t, haha.
Do you have an unconventional thought about the world that you want people to agree with?
The most controversial opinion I have is that pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza. Like seriously? Bread, cheese and fruit? It’s not making sense.
I agree. What’s a typical day in your life like, Eman?
My days can be very different. It all depends on what I’m doing and where. One day might consist of me having to go to another country to host for a TV network. Another might just be a day of me catching up on missed time with my family and friends (community is very important to me though. So family and friend time always take priority), whilst others might entail me in meetings with my team. It honestly varies.
If you could remove three things from your life, what would they be and why?
Three things I could remove from my life would be: LA traffic because nobody likes LA traffic; people who are rude to people who work in hospitality because everyone deserves respect no matter their job description and lastly, slow walkers. Just trust me on that one, haha.
Your dad speaks Yoruba fluently. Do you speak it too? If you do, let’s hear some
I’m more of an understander, but – Oruko mi ni Eman Kellam. Mongbe ni London.
Say something to yourself in the future
Don’t lose yourself, don’t lose youth and stay prayed up.
__
Many thanks to Eman Kellam for having this conversation with us and answering all our questions – and swiftly too, we must add.
Do you love this content, have any feedback for us or want to be a BellaNaija Features contributor? We’d love to read from you. Shoot us an email: [email protected]. Join us on Saturday for the next episode!
The post Doing Life With Eman Kellam appeared first on BellaNaija - Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
English (US) ·