Bunny Mack Interview: “No Qualms” about Wale’s Sample of his Classic Song

Bunny Mack LP Cover

Yes, yes, it’s been several months since DC hip hop artist Wale released “My Sweetie” as an iTunes bonus track on his album “Attention Deficit.” The song is a celebration of sorts of his Nigerian heritage, as his lyrics are rife with references to African parties (“…make my jollof with lots of peppeh…”) and culture (“…when I meet your Mom I’m a still dobaleh…” (bow down) So you can kinda get it: “My Sweetie,” produced by the Apple Juice Kid, features a heavy sample of Sierra Leone music great Bunny Mack‘s 1979 classic “Let Me Love You.” That song became a dance floor smash worldwide, and the extended 12″ vinyl record can still command a hefty asking price. And, of course, it still packs the jams. So it was a pretty smart choice for a sample. But what about Bunny Mack? 

Non-Sierra Leoeneans have always been confused about the origin of the song. Nigerians think he’s Nigerian. West Indians think he’s West Indian. And the rest of Africa thinks he’s Nigerian. Much of the confusion may derive from the fact that his hugely popular album, Supafrico (1982), was released on the WIN label, which is a subsidiary of Lagos-based Tabansi Records. In any case, considering what has happened in the past with a few African artists, some of Bunny Mack’s relatives were understandably concerned. I, for one, was curious to know what he

Bunny Mack: Supafrico

thought of the whole thing. I got my chance to find out a couple of weeks ago when Afrofusion TV stopped by to see Bunny Mack, while he was visiting family in the US. He graciously granted us a rare interview, and what he had to say is, in essence, very useful advice for any up and coming music artist. It is always a pleasure to learn from the legends; we are grateful that he took the time to chat with Afrofusion TV, and we’re happy to share it with you! Wale released an official video for “My Sweetie” which I included below the interview. There’s no official video, unfortunately, for the Bunny Mack original, but some Youtubers have made a few mixes. Stay tuned to Afrofusion for more Bunny Mack, he talked about a lot more, but this is just a “sample…” Bless…