This interview was conducted in July 2011. I have not posted it because 1. I am useless and 2. I also I needed a segment of video edited and did not have the tools on my computer to do so he he he, which further enabled my procrastination. This is the first male MUNTU, and I must say I could not have picked a better specimen to kick-off representation of Zed dudes.
Nationality/ies: Zambian
Age: 30
Countries you have lived and studied in: Zambia, South Africa
African countries you have visited: Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe
Countries you have lived and studied in: Zambia, South Africa
African countries you have visited: Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe
Education: Diploma in Information
Management, Institute for Management For Information Systems, (IMIS)
Profession(s): Record Label CEO and Manager of Zone Fam, Compliance Officer for a Pension Fund
Personal Interests: Music, Art, Poetry,
Community Work, Youth Empowerment
Social Media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blog, Website): Holstar,
Slam Dunk Records Ceo, Slam Dunk Records Zambia, @SDRCEO, SlamDunkRecordsTV website and YouTube channel, Holstar on ReverbNation
10 Questions
Muntu means person in
the tongue of Mwana ba Afrika’s mothers before her. As an acronym it stands for:
Man (because I am male)
Under
National
Trust
and
Urbanisation
This is how I see myself and Zambia at the moment. I trying to bring something new and hip to the
table while serving my people at the same time.
Describe yourself in 3
words, list 4 things you that make you happy and describe Africa in 10 words.
 |
3: Ambitious, Understanding,
Personable.
4: Interacting with and making people happy. Spending time with Family. Achieving something,
particularly when people say I can’t gives me great satisfaction. Reconnecting with old friends, like I am with you
right now.
10: Potentially the new
world. Challenged internally but destined for greatness.
Recommend 3 websites,
blogs and/ or books, 4 movies and/ or series and 10 songs and/ or music videos.
3: Of course I have to promote
my own site: sdrtv.com. From there you
can visit the other sites and blogs I’m affiliated with.
MS TV ran by artist Mufasa Shulizee keeps me up-to-date with music
from Zed and Africa to stuff coming out of
the US.
Letters to a Young Sister by Hill Harper
Everything he talks about in this book is what people
should look up to and be inspired by regardless of their gender.
4: Heroes: get the whole DVD
set, it is an amazing series. I am an
Anime fan, if I had to pick one film it would be Narutu. I enjoyed the Hollywood film 10000 BC, it was
funny and epic. The Lost Boys is a great vampire flick.
10:
2. Get Out by Zubz
He is a Zambian rapper who grew up in Zimbabwe and is based in
South Africa. This release was controversial as it talks about
kicking out the oppressor. The video showed on Etv and SABC and within a month there were
complaints. It went to court and it was
banned!
3. Thula by Young N9ne
This Zambian
singer/ rapper is based in the USA and really talented girl. This is the first song I heard and it’s still
my favourite from her.
4. Dear Future by Dope G ft Holstar and produced by Tekzilla.
This was
my group’s breakout song: it has done wonders for us, people love it!
8. Asinamali by Tumi and the Volume
10. Rolling by Chamillionaire
What have you or do
you contribute to Zambia’s development economically, politically and/ or
socially?
 |
| Duncan and his hip hop group Zone Fam |
I have been especially dedicated to developing, cultivating
and showcasing hip hop music in Zambia. We have come from a point where in 2004-5
there was no one listening to us, instead they were choosing to listen to
international acts. We only had one show
on Zed radio playing locally produced stuff, now we have 5 or 6 shows across
stations dedicated to this genre of music.
I have also made sure to be a part of many of the organisations that
have helped to bring this about. I want
to give a voice to those that wouldn’t otherwise be heard. I promote whatever I can in the hopes they get the
platform to showcase their talent that they wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.
I worked in youth media, in the sound engineering department
for the radio show TrendSetters that has now evolved into the multimedia group Media
365. I also worked for Bwafano
Home-based Care for HIV/AIDS in Chazanga Compound in Lusaka. They are the lifeline for 17,000 orphans. It was a great experience as it brought home
the effect this pandemic has had on our future, and fulfilling as I could see
that we are taking steps to deal with the situation.
What do you think is
special about being an African man?
When you walk into a room you immediately either intimidate
or are labelled. You usually don’t turn
out to be what people think you are. I
could be rich or poor, a criminal or a good guy.
We are always under- or overestimated so there is that element of
surprise.
I personally think the African man symbolises strength and
not in the just in stereotypical physical sense of being able to keep a
family safe from dangers and raising a proud family.
What do African men
need to improve and how?
We need to learn how to work together more and network amongst
ourselves. We need to lessen the burden
that African women have to bear in the family, the homestead. This is more than just providing the money
for food. We will be making huge strides even if it is something simple such as
taking just one thing off her list of things to do.
What do you think is
special about the African woman?
I defer to a poem I wrote called African Woman credited under
my alias Holstar:
What do African women
need to improve and how?
Zambian woman have a harder time working together because of
some of the constraints in society right now. They need to find a way to rise up and stop
being subservient. They should see themselves as equals they already are to
African men and take charge as ultimately they are the heads of the household
and in-charge of the daily activities of the family. I will say there are women are getting
educated and/ or coming back home from abroad and taking care of business here
in Zambia, but there is still much room for improvement.
What role do the
African diaspora and the global community have to play in the continent’s
development and identity?
Both have a huge role to play. Sharing our diverse African
culture with the international community and preserving it is what we on the
continent need to do. In a way our
culture is seen to be dying out. We need to be at the forefront showing that it
is very much alive, it is evolving and it deserves a more prominent and
respected place on the global stage.
Sometimes it feels like the diaspora is not doing enough for
example how BET did not air the best African act this year (2011)! Yes you gave
the award but we want to see the win as that means something.
Are you satisfied with the way Zambia and Africa are portrayed in the
media to the world?
No, it’s a bit better these
days but like I said no, I am not satisfied. They
don’t show the good things and the major advancements that are taking place
here and in Africa. Most us are still
considered 3rd world and we need to show our achievements to move
forward, especially in the tech field, as well as socially and in the medical
field. Even with HIV/ AIDS. There are
huge advancements that aren’t shown, such as how in Zambia we have brought down
the amount of new infections considerably.
3 Places and/ or Things That Make Zambia Special
4 Things Duncan has Learnt From
Like this interview? Check out the other MUNTUs :). For more of Duncan's poetic and musical side, check out this post.
