PLEASE NOTE: This is the third part of DJ Edu’s Zambia Ku Chalo special edition focused on Zambia by the BBC – THIS IS AFRICA.
DJ Edu starts with an introduction from the previous interview with rapper Xaven, “Xave mentioned that it was her feature on a song by Chef 187 that launched her into her career, and when I was in Zambia, I had to catch up the man himself.”
He continued, “I found him at producer Mag 44’s studio along with another giant in the Zambian music scene Pompi.” DJ Edu met the celebrities and exchanged greetings.
DJ Edu, “So guys we are here to talk about the state of the Zambian music industry because all of you have stakes in it, so let’s start with you man, what is the state of the Zambia Music industry right now?”
Chef 187 well composed responded, “Well, that is a very general question,(laughs) yes I can say, the Zambian music industry is in a very exciting space right now, there is a lot going on, as always there are new artists coming up, there are old artists that have been around for quite a long time and still doing amazing works, that are still doing their own shows and managing to pull people from different walks of life. There’s what we call the Zambia Association of Musicians, we are about to have an election, we are about to choose a new executive. I think it’s the first time when a lot of people get involved, so yeah, it is an exciting time for Zambian music.”
DJ Edu asked, “So what does the association do for the artists?”
Pompi took the question and responded, “The association was basically supposed to be a voice for the artist, obviously with policy makers. It didn’t have the capacity it needed in order to function effectively because the artist engagement wasn’t there, but now artists are more engaged. Music has now become, I think you can say a credible career, there was an era when even parents would question whether they raised you right if you chose to be a musician (laughs). But things have changed now. There’s credibility behind the profession. The streaming has saved us a lot as well, so yeah, it’s growing, I think it’s shaping up as an industry.”
DJ Edu, “Thank you, Pompi and Chef, I know you have done some hip-hop, and you’ve fused it with some Kalindula as well. How do Zambians actually appreciate Zambian music? Do they really appreciate the Zambian sound?”
Chef 187 responded, “Well, I think Zambia have grown to like to appreciate the type of music we do as Zambian because we try by all means to embrace what we feel is the native Zambian sound. I like to use Kalindula influences on my music because I believe that Kalindula sound has been embedded in us as a people over time, so it’s very for anyone who is Zambian or who has grown up in this landscape to gravitate towards that music because it’s been in them for quite a while even when they don’t realise it.”
DJ Edu, “So Mag 44, we have spoken about Kalindula, amapiano, Afrobeats, how are those competing with Zambian music out here?”
Mag 44, “Ah, I mean in Zambia, Zambian music will always win because (laughs)… But you know our big dream is Zambia Ku Chalo. The goal is to sell Zambian music to the rest of the world, to make it an export, and I think the next part is here. Its happening, its happening one step at a time you know we are talking about Sampa The Great being on that Black Panther with Chef, Yo Maps doing a song with Omarion, Pompi doing concerts in Uganda and filling up stadiums… so you know, it’s like it’s starting to happen.”
The episode ended with DJ Edu asking Chef 187 for a freestyle, which he hesitated but did, and so did Pompi. Thus was the second episode on the special edition focused on Zambia tittled Zambia Ku. On the third episode, Towela Kaira and Yo Maps will feature. Be on the lookout.
