There's something magnetic about Jacob Hunter's confidence when he says, "I'm not a songwriter." It's the kind of statement that makes you lean in, especially when you realize this is the guy behind some of your favorite tracks, Davido's "Anything" and "10 Kilo," Tekno's "No Forget", and those soul-stirring Oxlade songs that hit different on late nights.
Born Marvellous Chukwuebuka Oweazim, Jacob has this way of talking about music that feels almost spiritual. He doesn't create songs, he says, he's just the channel they flow through. And honestly? We believe him. The story of how he did it, and what it taught him about his own artistry, is one of those conversations you don't forget.
Deeds Magazine: What first drew you to songwriting, and can you pinpoint a moment when you knew this was the path you wanted to pursue professionally?
Jacob Hunter: The thing is, I'm not a songwriter. I always tell people, it's funny, but I'm an artist. I'm a singer who knows how to write songs. I believe I have so much music inside, enough music not just for me but for others. So from myself, I pull out into others. I wouldn't say I found my place as a songwriter. I think I'm still bringing out my music. When you hear people sing songs that I write, it's just me sharing my music. I would say I'm a singer-songwriter, not just a songwriter. It's just time, as time goes on, you get to see a lot of things. I'm still the same guy that writes songs.
Deeds Magazine: Looking back at your earliest songs versus today's hits like "Anything" and "10 Kilo" with Davido, how would you describe the biggest shift in your writing style or perspective?
Jacob Hunter: Obviously, it's a privilege to write for someone like Davido. Working with Davido is challenging because that guy has so many ideas going on in his head. For him to accept yours is sometimes mind-blowing. But here's the part, I wasn't the type of guy that would write for someone like Davido. I normally don't do that type of music. I make more soulful music, Afro Pop, but not Davido's type of music because my music is more soulful.
Writing for Davido challenged me to bring out something different from myself. When we were sending ideas to Davido last year, we were going back and forth. The first draft I sent through Louder, shout-out to Louder, he's the guy that put me on with Davido, he was like, "This is a very great song, but this is not a Davido song." A lot of producers knew that Jacob does soul music, Afro Pop, he's not the ideal guy to call to write for Davido.
That got to me. I was like, "You know what? I'm gonna prove everybody wrong." So I went on a journey with Davido's career and listened to all his albums for three days. I was soaking that Davido feeling. That's when I did the first sketch of "Anything".
Deeds Magazine: Walk me through your experience co-writing "Anything." How did the hook, lyrics, or melody come together in the studio?
Jacob Hunter: The thing about Davido is he always finds a way to make anything good. You can send him a very rough idea and he turns it into something completely different. It's just crazy. So we sent "Anything," and then "10 Kilo" was different. By then, I was in his bag. I mean, I was no longer struggling to see how I can write for Davido. Davido was easy for me mentally now.
I think "10 Kilo" was the fastest and easiest song we did. There was no brainstorming. I'm a product of grace.
Deeds Magazine: How does your vision for a song mesh with an artist's vision to create the final result?
Jacob Hunter: When I write for people, I tend to write like them. I tend to create something that they would create. If I was this guy at this particular point of his life, what would I want to think about? "10 Kilo" was the easiest because I was in the hotel room. I did like two songs that day. I just vibed on the beat straight up, and it was "10 Kilo." We sent Davido the idea, he loved it, he killed it.
For me as a person, I don't really waste time writing. I'm not the guy that takes seven days to write a song. I believe that music is given and music comes from a source. I don't act like I'm the one creating. I'm just the channel for these things to walk through. So I make music as fast as possible. I write five songs and I'm done with five songs in one hour. It depends on the frequency at which I'm thinking and connecting at that moment.
Deeds Magazine: You've written for both established names like Davido and rising stars like Crayon. How does your approach change when you're writing for a superstar versus a rising star?
Jacob Hunter: There are two things here. I'm a product of grace and talent. When I meet an artist, within the next five minutes, I get to know how you think musically. It's just something for me. When I'm with an artist and I'm writing with an artist, I get to know how you think musically.
There are two people, there's Jacob Hunter the artist and Jacob Hunter the songwriter. So the artist has to sit back and the songwriter has to come forward. It's the duty of the songwriter to serve the artist. You have to move into where the person's head is at. If it's a song for a heartbreak, you have to get your heart broken in five minutes. You have to understand the frequency the person is on.
If I'm with Crayon, we vibe. I know what Crayon is thinking in the next few minutes. Most of the records I do with Crayon, we're always in the same space. We make songs together.
Deeds Magazine: With songs like "No Forget" and "Pounds & Dollars" for Tekno, you moved between R&B and Afropop. How do you pivot your pen to match an artist's mood or genre?
Jacob Hunter: "No Forget" is Jacob Hunter. "No Forget" is my type of music. It was actually my song, it's for myself, like personal stories. "Pounds & Dollars" is Tekno, that's me getting into Tekno's space, working with him. "No Forget" is what I would think, and it's an idea that Tekno actually liked. That's the difference. "No Forget" came from a real place. If you hear even the beginning of the vocals, you'll hear my voice, and it's soulful. That's my type of stuff, R&B.
Deeds Magazine: Oxlade's "Piano" and "On My Mind" lean into soulful, intimate vibes. What special considerations guide you when crafting songs for a voice like his?
Jacob Hunter: Oxlade is like my brother, like my blood. We listen to similar artists. You need to see how Oxlade and I vibe, we share telepathy. I believe we're both musical geniuses and we connect on a very beautiful level. I can do a song and Oxlade can carry it. Oxlade can do a song and I'll carry the song. Is that crazy?
We're both R&B guys. We listen to a lot of Chris Brown, Michael Jackson, especially Michael Jackson. So it's not really hard for me to get in pocket when I'm writing with Oxlade. I don't try to get in his pocket because we both make music from a genuine place. He's able to match up to my energy level, I'm able to match up to his energy level. We both had vocal coaches while growing up, same style, same vibe.
Deeds Magazine: Your co-write "Upstanding" gave Morravey a standout moment. What did you focus on to help shape a unique sound for a newer artist?
Jacob Hunter: Morravey. The first time was in a session. We just vibed. There were a lot of people there because I was not the only person that wrote on that song. There were a lot of people that created with me. It was just a place where everybody had very good energy. I brought my idea, you bring your idea, and we created something good. Two songs actually, "Upstanding" and "Ifineme". It was just a place where a lot of songwriters were present, so we all created something good.
Deeds Magazine: When you see streaming numbers climb or success with your songs, does that real-time feedback influence how you write or choose which songs to push next?
Jacob Hunter: Honestly, I'm grateful, but I know it's all heading to a destination. The songwriting is just my entrance into the industry. I come from a place where you have to do what you have to do to survive. Music is expensive. Music is not something you just do if you don't really have a lot of money. So I had to create for people in order to create for myself. It's all means to a destination.
I'm still gonna keep writing songs for as many people as possible while I'm dropping my own songs. I think the real goal is to have my songs, the ones I wrote and the ones I sang, number one at the same time. That's the real goal. So it's all just means to a destination. I believe I'm just a product of grace.
Deeds Magazine: Viral TikTok challenges and Instagram reels now drive hits. How do you factor in social trends when you sit down to write?
Jacob Hunter: Unconsciously, maybe, but the aim is to create a very good song. I think the songs that blow or go viral on TikTok are good songs. So I don't think about TikTok first. I think maybe when I'm done with the song and I hear it, I'm like, "Oh, this line could actually go viral." I don't think about TikTok first because I believe if the song is good, it's gonna fly regardless. I don't really think about TikTok first, but at the end of the day, you have people that are listening and they're like, "Oh, this part will be very good for TikTok." So I think about it sometimes.
Deeds Magazine: As Afropop and African songwriting continue to break global boundaries, what's one piece of advice you'd give to emerging songwriters hoping to achieve the kind of success you've found?
Jacob Hunter: I would have a lot of things to tell songwriters. The first question I would ask is: what do you want? Why are you writing these songs? You have to know the heart of whoever is writing those songs. Are you writing these songs as a songwriter? Because when you think about the songwriting industry right now, it's an industry filled with artists. There's no songwriting industry, there's a music industry. In Nigeria, songwriting is getting recognized now, but a lot of artists are writing for artists. For people who just want to be songwriters, my advice is: keep writing songs. Keep writing songs and try to practice getting into the head of whoever you're writing for.
For someone who's a songwriter and a singer like myself, I would say always be honest with yourself and never be contented. Don't be contented because you have money or because you think this is all you have. It's all timing. Keep building, keep writing songs for people, keep writing songs for yourself. Don't shortchange yourself. The songs you're writing for people are still part of the plan, it's part of God's plan for your own artistry, for your own music. It's shaping you.
Keep writing songs, keep making music. Music is something I'm in love with. I've been in love with music for the longest time. You won't find anybody that loves music the way I do. It's coming from a place of obsession. I'm obsessed with this stuff. So I'll tell you: be obsessed, because that's the only way you can be great at something. Be obsessed. Keep doing it over and over again. I'm not trying to motivate nobody here, but if you can do it, keep doing it. Always give yourself a reason to keep doing this stuff. If you love it, continue. That's it, basically.
Talking to Jacob Hunter feels like getting a masterclass in staying true to yourself while being exactly what others need. His whole approach, this idea that he becomes whoever he's writing for without losing himself, is something most of us could learn from, whether we're making music or just trying to navigate life.
What stays with me most is his obsession. Not the unhealthy kind, but the beautiful, all-consuming love for music that makes him write five songs in an hour and listen to Davido's entire discography for three days straight just to understand how to serve him better. That's the kind of dedication that separates the good from the great.
And maybe that's the real lesson here. Success isn't just about talent, It's about being so obsessed with your craft that you'll do whatever it takes to master it, even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone to write for someone whose music sounds nothing like yours.
