01 Feb 2015

Kekgosi Maphakela aka ‘Raba wa Nkuku’ of Maun has released a six track House Kwasa album dubbed 1966.

In an interview, the 24-year-old said music had been close to his heart from an early stage. He participated in traditional dance, drama and school choirs during his school days. Although, he did not perform well in his Cambridge Certificate Examinations at Mater Spei College in 2008, he never gave up his passion for music.

He joined a local group named Thari E Ntsho which promoted poetry, traditional dance and ballroom dance.

Maphakela said through the skills acquired from the group, he composed one song. He said he was inspired by the gospel artist and producer Calvin Kaunda. “I used to listen to his music and I am so grateful today because he is the man behind the success of my first album,” he added.

Maphakela said Kaunda mentored and helped him to live his dream of becoming a true artist. He also appreciated Tonny Mabe’s assistance as she played a significant role in his music life.

He joined her group in 2012 as a dancer and Mabe encouraged the young man to utilise his musical talent and come up with a debut album 1966.

“The album was named 1966 just to celebrate the year Botswana got its independence. He said the song which is a hit is dedicated to the three chiefs who appealed for protection from the British.

Maphakela observed that all the six songs in his album carry strong informative and educative messages about life. The upcoming artist decried lack of support from the community.

He said most artists experience financial challenges to penetrate into the music industry noting that sponsors were not forthcoming to assist. Maphakela noted that through his savings made while working at a local car wash, he managed to produce an album.

The Maun artist also markets his album through participating in wedding functions, parties, clubs and stonkfels amongst others. “I have been doing beats at weddings and have realised that people enjoyed my singing,” he added.

Maphakela said from the beginning his family did not want him to venture into music but it was only one day when his father watched him perform at one of the local weddings and “he started giving me great support”.

He appealed to parents to acknowledge, nurture and develop their children’s talents so that they could make ends meet. He also urged other youth to stand up and explore their talents noting that “Mokoduwe go tsosiwa o itsosang”.

Maphakela also appealed to sponsors and the community at large to support local music in order to take the genre to a higher level. He also called on government departments, private sectors to engage him as way of supporting youth empowerment.

He also wants see himself participating in the fun filled Botswana Television local talent show “Mokaragana so that Batswana could appreciate his talent. It funds permit, the youthful artist intends distributing his album country. ENDS