For much of the last decade, Nigeria’s digital comedy boom has produced entertainers whose careers now stretch far beyond a single medium. As the lines between comedy, music, acting and content creation continue to blur, figures like Nasboi and Kenny Blaq have shown that success in one creative field no longer limits credibility in another. Josh2Funny belongs to that growing class of multi-hyphenate entertainers, although music has always been part of his journey.
Born Joshua Alfred, Josh2Funny rose to prominence through viral comedy, from the wildly popular “All My Guys Are Ballers” skit to the global “Don’t Leave Me” challenge, before taking his unconventional humour to an international audience on America’s Got Talent. Yet, even as comedy propelled his career, music remained a constant creative pursuit.
That tension between public perception and personal ambition sits at the heart of on beHALF of JOSH, his third studio album, following A Break from Jokes (2020) and the gospel project Kingdom Boy (2022). A play on the phrase “half of Josh”, the title reflects his desire to introduce audiences to the side of himself that has long existed beyond comedy. Blending rap, singing, wordplay and storytelling, the project represents what he considers his most complete artistic statement yet.
In this exclusive interview with The Nollywood Reporter, Josh2Funny reflects on breaking free from creative stereotypes, the making of on beHALF of JOSH, why music has always been central to his identity, and what it means to finally present audiences with the full version of himself.
TNR: For many people, Josh2Funny is synonymous with comedy. At what point did music become something you wanted people to take seriously?
Josh2Funny: I think having “Funny” in my name kind of made people stereotype me as just this funny guy. But there’s a lot more to me than that, and I never really stopped doing music. I’ve always been making music.
This is actually my third official album. In 2020, I released A Break from Jokes, but it wasn’t well promoted because we were still struggling and hustling. Then, in 2022, I released Kingdom Boy, which was a gospel album. Now, I’m about to release this new project.
I’ve always made good music that’s separate from comedy, but because people already know and love the comedy side of me, that’s naturally what they associate with Josh2Funny. Still, the fans who genuinely listened to my music kept encouraging me. I’d get comments like, “Bro, take this music seriously because you’re really good.” People would ask me, “Are you joking with this music, or are you serious?”
The truth is, having a strong identity as a comedian in Nigeria can make it difficult to break out of that stereotype. When people see you, they automatically expect you to make them laugh. Even when you’re being serious, they still think you’re setting up a joke.
So I got to a point where I felt I needed to show people this other side of me. It’s always been there; I’m just letting people see it now.
On beHALF of JOSH marks an important milestone in your musical journey. What inspired the project, and what does it represent at this stage of your career?
I believe I was born with many talents, and I’m not just saying that to blow my own trumpet; the world has already seen different sides of me. But I also felt like I was boxing myself in by trying to be only the comedian people expected me to be.
One day, I asked myself, “If I have all these abilities and I know I can make good music, why am I holding back? Why should I keep giving people only what I think they want?” Sometimes, all it takes is putting that other side of yourself out there. Once people see it, they’ll embrace it, just like they embraced the comedy, the acting, and everything else I do.
So this album is really about introducing people to the full version of Josh. Josh isn’t just a comedian. I’m a rapper, I sing, I love wordplay, and all of those sides of me are reflected in this project. You’ll hear rap, vocals, lyricism and different dimensions of my artistry throughout the album.
That’s why I called it on beHALF of JOSH. It’s me giving listeners everything Josh has to offer, not just the part they’re already familiar with. The title is also a play on words, “half of Josh”, because it’s about revealing another side of me that people haven’t fully seen before.
Why was “Story” the right lead single for on beHALF of JOSH?
I actually didn’t approach this album the way most artistes do. Usually, people release a series of singles with the album already in mind, and then everything builds towards that project. That wasn’t the case for me.
I was simply putting out music to let people know this was another side of Josh. I wasn’t making songs with an album in mind at the time. So when I eventually decided to put out an album, I realised many of the songs I’d already released didn’t fit the body of work I wanted to create.
For example, “Dubem” did really well last year, and “Baby Tomato”, which I released earlier this year, also performed well. But neither of those songs fit the direction of the album. I wanted the project to be relatable while introducing listeners to a version of Josh they hadn’t really experienced before.
So I had to revisit songs I’d made over the past couple of years and record new ones that fit the vision.
As for “Story”, it wasn’t originally recorded for the album either. It was one of those songs I listened to again and realised fit perfectly within the project. That’s why it made the final tracklist. It wasn’t planned; it simply found its place in the story I wanted the album to tell.
When you’re creating music, what does your songwriting process look like? Do songs usually begin with a story, a melody or a particular emotion you’re trying to express?
I don’t really have a fixed songwriting process. I actually like to say that I don’t create the music; the music creates itself. If I said I create it, that would suggest there’s a particular formula I follow, but most of the time there isn’t.
The songs come in different ways. Sometimes I hear an instrumental and the first melody or idea that comes to mind is what I build on. Other times, I start with a concept and think, “I want to write a song about this,” before developing the melody and production around it.
Most of the time, though, I begin with the sound. I create the musical foundation first, then write the lyrics and shape the story around it. It’s a very organic process.
A lot of it also feels divine. Often, a melody just comes into my head, almost out of nowhere. Sometimes I don’t even have a story yet; I just have the melody. Then I ask myself, “What story fits this melody?” and build the song from there.
Looking back on your journey, what’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about pursuing multiple creative careers at the same time?
I learned that lesson the hard way because I let people get to know just one side of me. The biggest lesson I’ve taken from that is simple: be yourself, no matter what. Don’t let your fans decide who you are. They didn’t choose you before you started creating; they only began following you because they connected with what you were already doing.
As a creative, you have to lead your audience. You have to guide them through your journey and introduce them to every part of who you are. Your story belongs to you, not the people watching you. Don’t let anyone else define it.
Looking back, I wish I had started showing this side of myself much earlier because I’ve always loved making music. The reason I leaned more into comedy wasn’t because I loved it more; it was because comedy was more accessible at the time. Music requires funding, whereas with comedy, all I really needed was a phone, a camera and the willingness to create.
If I’d had the resources back then, I probably would have made a lot more music. It’s something I’ve always loved doing.
As your music continues to evolve, are there artistes or producers, in Nigeria or beyond, you’d love to collaborate with, and what do you think those collaborations would bring out in your artistry?
There are a lot of artistes I’d love to work with. In Nigeria, I’d love to collaborate with Asake and Wizkid, and I believe those collaborations will happen very soon.
On this album, though, I’ve already worked with artistes like Ice Prince, Raybekah and Lady Zamar, among others. In the past, I deliberately avoided collaborating with some of the bigger names because I wanted to build my own sound first. I wanted to fully understand the kind of artiste I wanted to be before bringing other people into that process. Now, I feel like I’m at that point where I’m ready.
I’d also love to work with Don Jazzy. I think that would be an amazing collaboration. Internationally, I’m open to working with anyone as the opportunities come. Chris Brown is definitely one artiste I’d love to collaborate with.
Beyond this album, how do you envision the next chapter of your music career? Should fans expect music to become an even bigger part of what you do?
Yes, definitely. Music is going to become an even bigger part of what I do. Very soon, I’ll be hosting concerts that combine both music and comedy. Anyone who’s attended my shows already knows they’ve always featured both elements, but in the past, the music was mostly tied to the comedy.
Now, when people come to my concerts, they’ll get the full experience: comedy alongside real music. That’s the direction I’m taking.
More than anything, I want to introduce people to a new side of me. It’s not just Josh the comedian anymore; it’s Josh the creative, the artiste, the genius. I want people to experience every part of what I have to offer.
Years from now, when people talk about Josh2Funny’s contribution to entertainment, what do you hope they’ll say about your impact, not just as a comedian, but as an artiste and creative?
Honestly, I don’t know. I think that’s for people to decide. It’s like the story of the three blind men touching an elephant; everyone experiences something different.
Some people know me so well for comedy that that’s all they see. Others know me through my acting and see me primarily as an actor. Then there are people who’ve connected with my music and see me first as a musician.
I’ve also done a lot of covers and comedy songs over the years, so different people have encountered different versions of Josh2Funny. At the end of the day, whichever version of me people connect with is fine because they’re all authentic.
Whether you know me as a comedian, an actor, a musician or all three, it’s all part of who I am as a creative. They’re all Josh.
