I was thrilled to be able to speak with him the night before the video dropped. I eagerly scribbled away trying to catch every word, and fully intrigued with what he had to say. That is why he is my Spotlight Series this week. I hope you get to know and appreciate him as much as I have!
Professionally, Ibe first fell in love with photography. Which he still continues today. You can follow him @IBEphotography on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Photography was his first step into entrepreneurship and he learned how to navigate it well. With 11 years under his belt, Ibe has been to NY Fashion Week twice -twice!- that is still on my to-do list! He loves to work with models, and he has filmed many videos. Which was a contributing factor in what steered him into producing music. As an artist at heart, music had always played a part in his life. But when he tried rapping he realized it was not for him. Not to say it was bad, but not his particular style. He produced an R&B album called 'Boss Moves.' "I had a boss mentality behind it," he explained, "It was my first time coming out in to the world and saying 'I'm for real!" African beats seems to be his niche! Ibe explained to me that African beats "have a lot of percussions in the background. As well as flavor that makes you want to move you body." He is certainly not wrong. I've seen him perform twice now and both times I really felt moved to dance.
He directs his own videos with his own artistic vision as well. As I mentioned earlier, the 'Memory' video -which is dope as hell!- is the concept of forgetting his girlfriend's birthday and... well I won't spoil it too much but let's just say she gets her revenge....
Another question I ask in every interview is what the individual is most proud of. I love hearing the responses. They are always so pure, honest, and inspiring. For Ibe Bello it is everything. From his photography career, to being a father for a four year old daughter, to his music, and being a disciplined person. He is proud of it all. As well he should be! "It has been and is a lot of long nights," Ibe confessed, "but you persevere past levels to reach new levels. It is not always easy. Sometimes you have to wait your turn. But when you know what you love, you go far."
So what is in store for Ibe Bello? Well for starters you can find his music on most streaming services. On November 12th there is an Open Mic Training Day, which he will be a part of. It is an underground artist showcase of talents. Ibe being one of the headliners! I know there is much more coming from him! And the more I know, the more I will share for sure!