AURA

There many definitions to poetry as there are poets. One has defined poetry as “the spontaneous over flow of powerful feeling. Emily Dikinson said, “If I read a book and it makes my body so cold no fire ever can warm me, I know that is poetry”……………..

Poetry is the chiseled marble of language; it’s a paint-spattered canvas, instead the poet uses words instead of paint, and the canvas is you. In a word poetry is an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices so as to evoke an emotional response.

7:30 caught up with one of poetry’s valuable possessions, we are very pleased to present to you  our featured star of the month “Aura”

Tell us a little bout yourself who is Aura? How did you get your name?

Well I’m a women, daughter, fiancée, and friend to someone, I am also a performance poet, singer, jewelry designer, 2D animator, internet geek and a wannabe chef! Aura is actually my birth name (my parents are artistically inclined)

How long have you been writing poetry? When did you write your first poem? How old were you when you started?

I wrote my first poem when I was 12 and have been writing for just over 10 years.

Do you remember the first poem you wrote?

Not the very first poem but I found one I wrote when I was 13! It had an overdose of big words and was rather dark and enigmatic, LOL!

What inspires you to write a poem?

I can’t really say I’m inspired by one thing but I do find that I am not a topical poet, but rather , I am influenced by situations that happen around others or myself.

What is your definition of poetry?

Poetry is free expression, not just in words, but in all aspects of art.

How long does it take you to create a poem from thought to completion?

It really depends on the poem. Some take me less than 30 minutes whilst some I’ll start, hit a blank, then maybe finish it off a couple days, weeks or even months later.

Have you ever published your poetry or considered on publishing it?

My career as a poet is primarily built on performance foundation so for the longest time I never considered publishing! But it’s something I’m seriously looking into.

If you could collabo with anyone, who would it be and why?

JILL SCOTT! Because she is AWESOME  next question….

From your work which one is your favorite poem?

Hmm, that’s a tough one, but I’d have to say “plastic toys” (a.k.a. Boom Boom Pow)

How much thought do you put into your poetry?

A lot most often the writing process begins in thought before I get anywhere near a pen.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am currently working on my album “the auricle” which I am working on at the infamous Mt Olmpus (where Synik’s “SynCity” was born). And it is being produced by the legendary begotten Sun (Kudakwashe Musasiwa).

Do you get nervous during performances?

Yes! All the time, but that’s what gives me the adrenalin to push through.

What advice would u give to new comers?

Stay true to yourself, no one can do you better than you can

How do feel you differ from rest of the music industry?

What sets anyone apart from another is the amount of time and commitment you invest in your art.

So what part of H-town did you grow up in?

My family moved a lot. I grew up in Avondale, Greendale and Mt pleasant before moving to Gweru, Bulawayo, Johannesburg ten back home to H-town 4 years ago

So far what has been the proudest moment of your career?

When I was invited to perform at a UN conference in Joburg

What has been the worst nightmare for you & how did you get through it?

3 years ago when the recession hit Joburg I had to drop out of Uni and work to take care of my family. It was tough but prayer goes a long way.

 

courtesy of chocolate princess

If you could categorize your music, what genre would you it best fit?

Neo-soul-jazz-hiphop-kinda-sorta-ish LOL

Finally what do u think of 7:30 Apparel?

7:30 apparel is dope! I respect the hustle, we need more and more local labels and im glad 7:30 Apparel has joined the ranks!

Q-Rigga

http://www.reverbnation.com/qrigga

Name
My name is Lloyd Ngwenya aka Q-Rigga

How did the artist/band get their name?
My name came from a quest (Quest to be Right In God's Great Arms) after I die so I guess so is everybody else's too

When did your career in music start?
My career in music started in 2001

From your songs which one is your favorite?
My favorite song rite now is the last one i recorded because its the mood or kind of feeling I am in right now..

if you could collabo with anyone, who would it be and why?
If i could collabo with anyone right now i would want it to be Chris Brown, Pro kid and or Kuli Chana.

We all know you can spit what we want to know is can u sing
No i cannot sing to save a life.lol

What projects are you currently working on
I am working on my album right now at a studio in Kempton Park Joburg

Did you have a mentor for your career? If yes who? what did they benefit your career
I don’t have a "Mentor” as such but a long list of people and experiences that push me to better myself everyday.....

What is you biggest inspiration to follow and keep following in music
My biggest inspiration would probably be my everyday experiences and God, then a beat and the right place and people to work with.

What current project are you working on?
I do perform at shows like outdoor ones, hip hop shows, parties and such well u know how dats like...

Do you perform in public describe those occasions
I do perform at shows like outdoor ones, hip hop shows, parties and such well u know how dats like...

So what part of h town did you grow up in
I am actually not from any part of h-town but I was born and raised in Kwekwe.

Do you get nervous during performances?
Of course i do,lol but that’s the rush that inspires me to live and get thru that moment...
What advice would u give to new comers?
Stay true to yourself and don’t speak about anything that you are not about in your music because words have power and they will haunt you for life...

How do feel you differ from rest of the music industry?
I suppose most of them are all certified liars and I strive to stay true...

How do you balance your music with other obligations?
Well first i have to do what needs to be done as in the obligations then where there is some time left all to myself that’s when da music is made when my mind is at peace..

So far what has been the proudest moment of your career?
Getting my music played on Big Brother Africa..

Where do you think your largest fan?
Kwekwe Zimbabwe

What is the furthest show you have done from home?
Africa day show in Joburg city..

What has been the worst nightmare for the group & how did you get through it
Getting my stuff horribly mixed by one or two people, well I jus moved from and started all over again with somebody else...

if you could categorize your music, what genre would you it best fit? (Name 2)

Hip hop and Rap music...

Finally what do yall’ think of 7:30 Apparel?

I think 7:30 apparel is the coolest since they took some time to talk to da Riggaman....thanx

Mokoomba

Meet Mokoomba the hottest new brand of raw afro-fusion energy that is setting dance floors ablaze throughout afrika and all the way to Europe.mokoomba are 6 guyz from Victoria falls with a serious ability to get you grooving

MOKOOMBA stems from the deepest respect that the tonga people have for the Zambezi river and for th vibrant life that it brings to their musicand culture

How did the band get their name?
The word Mokoomba is a concept. It signifies the Zambezi River as the vibrant source of life for the Tonga people and our culture as our provider of food, water and recreation.
        
When did your career in music start?
The band was formed in 2007 and in 2008 we were lucky to win the Music Crossroads Competition in Zimbabwe and went on to compete regionally with the best bands of other Southern African countries (Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique). We came first there also. The grand prize was a European tour, an opportunity to record our first six-track album Kweseka (Drifting Ahead).

From your songs which one is your favorite?
It’s a difficult question because as band, we love all the songs.

If you could collabo with anyone, who would it be and why?
We have done a highly successful collaboration with DJ Gregor Salto from the Netherlands and I think we are open to work with any band or artist that is keen on developing something new and interesting. 





What projects are you currently working on?
We are planning a few local, regional and international performances before the year 2012 ends. We will announce as soon as all is in place.

Did you have a mentor for your career? If yes who? What did they benefit your career
We have had a lot of help in different aspects of our career so far and for that we would like to thank the late Alfred Mjimba, Mathias Bangure, Poney Gross, Manou Gallo and Marcus Gora.

What is you biggest inspiration to follow and keep following in music?
Our biggest inspiration is the audiences that we meet and perform for everywhere we go. It is such a rich experience to create music and an even better one to see people enjoy and be touched by it.


 Do you perform in public describe those occasions?
We perform at concerts and festivals in Zimbabwe and internationally. We also hold music and cultural exchange workshops in schools when we travel to other countries.

 So what part of zim did you all grow up in?
Victoria Falls and Binga

Do you get nervous during performances?
Like any young musician, we used to get nervous when we started out but now that we have a lot of experience playing in many different settings, we no longer get nervous

 What advice would u give to new comers?
Be yourself and be unique, the world is hungry for something fresh and that is the only way you are going to be taken seriously as a new act.

How do feel you differ from rest of the music industry?
Mokoomba’s music is different from the rest of the music being produced in Zimbabwe because it has its roots in the Tonga and other cultures close to the Zambezi River and secondly the band has talented individuals, always experimenting in order to create new sounds.

How do you balance your music with other obligations?
We have very supportive families who help us a lot and give us the opportunity to focus on our music.

 So far what has been the proudest moment of your career?
The proudest moment of our career is being only the third Zimbabwean band to be selected for the World Music Expo showcase, something that has only been done by Oliver Mtukudzi in 1998 and Chiwoniso Maraire in 1999.


Where do you think your largest fan?
Our biggest fan base is in Zimbabwe but also spreading rapidly in Europe and other parts of the world.

What is the furthest show you have done from home?
The furthest performance we have done was the Voice of Nomads in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia in Russia or the Afrika Festival in Tampere Finland.


What has been the worst nightmare for the group & how did you get through it
Our worst nightmare as a band was being invited to perform at a New Year’s Eve party at Pamuzinda Safari Lodge. Just when we started out set, the racist owner started yelling abusive words because he did not want to hear African music. It turned out to be a big misunderstanding because the theme of the party was “Out of Africa” literary.  We just had to keep playing till the end but had learnt our lesson, never play there again.

If you could categorize your music, what genre would you it best fit?
Afro-fusion

Finally what do yall’ think of 7:30 Apparel?
7:30 Apparel is hot and funky gear, the way to go for all creative people who know what time it is.

K.arma

K.arma, ahh. We so what we reap….We reap what we sow! we reap what we sow .The law of cause and effect. And we are all under this law…..

A couple dayz ago I got a chance to talk to a very popular HRE based rapper, K.arma and was able to uncover a lot of information about one of the best up and coming artists in the  game great noww!!!!……

Name? Karma

                                             

How did you get your name? The name Karma is derived the law of itself; I’m a huge fan of esotericism

When did your career in music start? My career actually hasn’t started yet, im still to release my official album and mixtape as well, right now im just building the hype coz im still going to school

From your songs which one is your favorite? My favorite so far is throw your hands up feat Jrock

 if you could collabo with anyone, who would it be and why? I’d really love to do a track with Rocqui coz I relate to him a lot

We all know you can spit what we want to know is can u sing? Na I cant sing to save my life

What projects are you currently working on? Im currently working on my first EP

 Did you have a mentor for your career? If yes who? What did they benefit your career? Yeah I’m really inspired by Nas, I follow his every move, his very introspective it makes me analyze myself and my music

So what part of h town did you grow up in?

I grew up in Marlborough

Do you get nervous during performances?

I don’t get nervous been a performer from the start

What advice would u give to new comers?

I’d say be you, that’s the simplest way to put it

How do feel you differ from rest of the music industry?

I feel I put a lotta me in my music and that’s how you are defined

 How do you balance your music with other obligations?

Sometimes I get stuff mixed up but I really try to stick to a time table

 So far what has been the proudest moment of your career?

The first time I got on tv.lol

What is the furthest show you have done from home?

The furthest was in Bindura

What has been the worst nightmare for you & how did you get through it? The worst was dismantling my first EP, I just had to move on coz that’s what it is

 If you could categorize your music, what genre would you it best fit?

My music is Hip-Hop really, hard poetry kinda.

Finally what do yall’ think of 7:30 Apparel?

7:30 apparel the best

Navy Seal

down load music

Aside from growing up as a fan of military cartoons,NavySeal droped one of the #dopest mixtapes.“Across the boarders” The Bulawayo native put one of the complete projects I’ve heard so far this year.The tape includes trax like “Wat'z It“ which features hip-hop heavy weights Mcpotar& Synik & “Hatidzokere Shure” which features pop singer Sisiyanti. Navy seal is currently working on his second mixtape “Across the boarders 2”

If you not a fan now is the perfect time to catch up………Meet Masimba Sigauke also known as………...................... 

 

Name: Navy Seal

How I Got The Name: Got it from a white boy in my class, back in high school. We were fans of military cartoons like G.I Joe, Transformers. The name had nothing to do with music, but eventually stuck on to me in my class.

Hometown: Bulawayo

When & Why I Became Interested In Music: At the age of 11, when the Eminem era began. I enjoyed his & DMX’s music very much. During that period I switched from D’gong/Kwaito to Hip Hop.

Proudest Moment Of My Career: When I finally completed & released my debut mixtape.

Collaboration: Regionally It would be L-Tido. I’m a big fan. I believe he’s the best hip hop entertainer in Africa. Locally it would be Mariachi, & M.C Chita. They’re my 2 favorite local hip hop emcees. I enjoy their style of hip hop….No Homo!

Top Musicians: In their particular order-50 Cent, Rick Ross, Meek Mill, L-Tido, Mariachi.

You play Any Instruments: No.

Famous Musicians Learned From: 50 Cent. I’ve adopted his style of rap, only this time I manage to provide a “local-international” touch to the raps, that way I’m able to keep my music as original as possible.

What To Expect In 5 Years: More music-mixtapes, E.Ps, albums, videos, shows nationwide, local & regional hip hop nominations & awards, to mention the least.

Likes & Dislikes: I like watching & playing football. Dislike fake niggaz. They’re like watching a science fiction movie.

Public Performance: Not really. I’ve performed a few times in public, in the past. It was exciting, but the crowd was not responsive.

Do You Get Nervous During Performances: Only the few minutes before stepping on stage. Once I’m on it, I’m in my zone.

Advice To New comers: Be patient, persistent, and be yourself. Don’t try to imitate the next rapper or be bothered by what he or she has, or achieved. Focus on your goal, & don’t try to cut corners to get the job done fast.

Balancing Music And Other Obligations: In whatever situation, music comes first, but I live “family over everything”.

Largest Fan: I think my largest fan would be…..#sigh# not sure, but maybe a good friend of mine Mariann Mhlanga, in Harare.

Furthest Show From Home: Curtain raising for Stunner in Gweru, in 2011.

Worst Nightmare: When I almost failed to complete my debut mixtape back in January. I took the rest of the work into my hands to fulfill the project.

Music Category: Street Rap.

Greatest Achievement: Completing my debut mixtape, “Across The Borders”. Took me several months of patience and impatience.

Goals Set For The Next 3 Years: More music, videos, & shows.

Preparing Myself: I bring together the right team, determined & efficient people to work with. That way I stay on the right path.

Definition Of Ideal Job: Entertain the people by giving them the good music they want to listen to.

Last but not least what do you think of 7:30Apparel : Fresh outfits, good music, & an impressive blog. Keep it up, the game needs you!!! 

download tape here