US based Zambian rapper Chanda Mbao released a new song “Open your eyes” which is currently number 9 on the DJBooth.net independent charts–right after Talib Kweli and before Mac Miller.
Making his DJBooth debut (which is a top 5 blog in the U.S), the Zambia native introduces himself with an enlightening cut off his forthcoming project release. Backed by a fluttery beat from Sam the Kid that is powered by a dope piano riff, Mbao takes aim at the systems that look to manipulate and disenfranchise the common man with a crisp, fluid flow. Fans of educated hip-hop can find more conscious cuts on Mbao’s Desiderata mixtape, set to drop this spring.
DJ Booth article : http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/chanda-mbao-open-your-eyes
DJ Booth Chart : http://www.djbooth.net/index/music-charts/entry/C29
Listen to the song here : https://soundcloud.com/chandambao/open-your-eyes
By kapa187
Nice to hear that.
Wait! I need to hear him first.
ANY RUBBISH IN ZAMBIA CLIMBS THE LADDER. I HOPE IT’S NOT THE SAME WESTERN COPIED RUBBISH WITH THE SAME BASELINE.
Hope the same
You are just jealous. Please stop the pull him down syndrome.
If the market accepts what you are doing, go for it bro. In music and art there is no right and wrong. There is just expression, in one way or the other. Style, is the manner or form in which the artiste chooses to express him/herself. If the market welcomes you, never mind individual opinions. As an artiste your focus is the large proportion of your audience, not singled-out critics who might not even be within your market zone… Do your thing, bro! Forward with it.
Equilizer wa lasa. You must be a statistician!
Anyone who is a christian, or muslim, or rasta, is imitating or borrowing something foreign. Democracy is a borrowed concept from Greece. All music and art borrows from other influences. If we are to say kalindula is a Zambian music, well, we had no electric guitars in Zambia until we borrowed from foreign ideas. So, this stuff about imitation and stuff, is nonsense. Elvis Presley “borrowed” from the negroes. Bob Marley “borrowed” from American and British rock n roll. Paul Ngozi borrowed from the rock groups of the seventies. Franco of Congo borrowed from Cuba. Cuba borrowed from Africa. So, to criticize our musicians for “borrowing” from other influences is very hypocritical, especially if someone advocates things like democracy, christianity, wears western style clothing… etc
Ma PHD already before he’s heard!
Exactly… Bantu bali high… Ma PHD
In other countries there is such a thing as a “riddim culture”, where a producer produces a rhythm, and that is what is marketed. Different artistes may ride the same rhythm and express themselves on it in their own unique way. Riding on a popular rhythm is one way of getting into the market which that rhythm has broken into. If let’s say Jay Z is on the same rhythm, and your version attracts more attention than his version, that automatically raises your rating into the ranks of Jay Z or over. This is called strategy. Music is also a business. Encourage others. Do not discourage. Especially where the artiste has not even done anything wrong, and we have not even heard his songs yet for us to make such judgments.
Ba Equalizer stop being an apologist for follow fashion monkeys. There s a diffference between borrowing and copycatting. I borrow something and go on to do my own thIng with it. What I’m doing hasn’t been done by others. Thats what we call innovation. That’s what elvis Franco and otther artistes u r citing did. Your argument at 5 states. Everything is foreign but then tries to prove nothing is foreign! Ala Logic doesn’t allow for suchrunning aroundd in circles. The market has told African artists Be origiinal! If you want to imitate you ve got to Be better than the original or u won’t sell cos pipo don’t like imitations
Thank u Cheetapankwa. Equalizer’s argument is so hanky panky. There is also a difference between borrowing and being force-fed. Democracy is not borrowed from the Greeks. Western style democracy may be. There are different types of democracy and Africans had their own. Currently the Democracy we practice is not borrowed it was forced on us by Europe and the US.
To music: Originally Paul Ngozi was a copycat of rock musicians (I’ve been looking for you)before he realised he had to be innovative and created his own sound(Bauze, Maliposa) ‘borrowing’ or with influence from Rock and fusing with traditonal Zambian.
So-called rhythm culture comes from the rap industry which was born from DJs rapping over a popular tune. Previously royalties had to be split between the original composers and the rap artist. So to run away from this royalty thing producers would copy or create a melody that yu could rap over differently. You as an African can have your own rhythms
ummm riddim culture is from jamaica (dancehall/reggae)…in hip hop there are no riddims..producers sell beats and at times sell these to more than 1 artist
I don’t know his music but the lad needs serious fashionistas! The shirt, tie and suit simply don’t match. This reminds me of that thrift song, I gat 20 dollars in my pocket and I am gonna do some serious shopping ….. well salaula is quite popular in the US these days. Teddy Chilambe hit it over 30 years ago in Zambia with his “Salaula, Salaula” song! These are just my personal views!
Ha ha!