Rapper GNL Zamba has been quiet for some time, but for a good reason. This after he revealed his brand new band, made an new album announcement, and told us when he is rejoining his fans in Kampala. We had a chat with him and here are the excerpts.
What is the name of your new album GNL?
My new album is a collaborative project with my partner Miriam Tamar called Nsimbi and it come’s out June 22nd.
After some silence for sometime, why have you decided to release this year?
I’ve been working on several projects since I left Uganda in different fields- film, music and business. I’m taking my time, honing my skills even further, taking in what Hollywood has to offer so I can continue to grow as an artist and individual. I have both the Nsimbi album and a solo album called The Spear coming out, so I’ve been very busy and I know my fans won’t be disappointed.
Who inspired the new band and the new album and how is it working with the love of your life on something so big like this that will impact the whole world?
Miriam and I collaborated on a few songs in Uganda, but we were both focused on our solo careers. Part of the reason we’re together is that we have many shared values and a vision for an egalitarian society and we both love to learn about other cultures. We both believe in the power of music to spread positivity and to cross cultural boundaries, so we decided to work on concept based album that would explore these themes. We really build off of each other creatively and it works well because we agree on themes and Miriam handles her verses and the melodies, and I can still write my separate verses, so we each contribute differently to the songs. Once we had a full album, and realized how well we worked together we decided to form Nsimbi.
For the Ugandan fans, what can they expect from the new Zamba?
My Ugandan fans can expect woke, unifying, refined lyricism and storytelling…3.0. with extra emphasis on representing Uganda’s diverse traditions. As I am spending more time out of the country I want to share our beautiful culture with a more realistic take on life, authentic af. I want to redefine what it means to be proud of one’s culture. This is the album that should have proceeded all. A balance of ancient and afrofuturistic.
When will you be back in Kampala?
We plan to be in Kampala this year for a big concert to share these new projects with my fans and also celebrate 10 years of Koyi Koyi with the hiphop generation.
Tell us what tracks to look out for on the new album and the messages behind them.
Wow, there are so many amazing songs coming out. The album is 13 art pieces. With our first single “Mujje,” we wanted to introduce a main theme on the Nsimbi album, which is that Ubuntu feeling. Miriam sings “Raha ya dunia ni amani na upendo.” She actually sings a lot of Swahili on the album because she studied Swahili in university- her Swahili is better than mine! We have another song “Dunia Ni Matembezi,” which means “the world is walking,” where we talk about the importance of getting out and exploring the world. Traveling spiritually and physically. The album has messages of wisdom from our ancestors that we can remember and apply today to live with more love and joy.