Award winning journalist and renowned Hip Hop artist Harold Kapindu also known as K-Bonnie has written his debut book titled “Outside Lukin’ In – A Guide to Malawi Urban Culture”.
In an interview, Kapindu said the book documents and highlights the history of urban music, fashion, film, festivals, radio and social media.
He further stressed that the book has also been written to avoid distortion of facts through word of mouth.
“History is well kept in literature. The book has been written to document Malawi urban culture and lifestyle. However, on the music part, the book focuses more on Hip Hop because it is a genre that gave birth to Malawi urban music as we know it,” he argued.
An Extract in Chapter 1, Kapindu writes, “Hip Hop was never on radio when legendary rapper now producer Tapps Bandawe was dropping tracks in the 1980s. Other big names like Criminal A and Bywell C were hot in the streets but never got mainstream radio love.
“The late Phillip Mwala Moyo played the first Malawian rap song on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) in 1992. The song was titled Beat19 done by the now defunct Mzuzu based rap group, Boyz Lazzy which later rebranded to Bubu Lazzy before becoming a duo known as Jeff ndi Langa.
“Beat19 was recorded at MBC studios in Mzuzu.”
He further added that the book has been written to enlighten each other on modern digital marketing and promotion tools in as far as arts and entertainment is concerned.
An Extract in Chapter 2, Kapindu writes,”Video sharing platforms are modern tools for marketing and promoting art as well as other products. These platforms have algorithms which determine and help seek audiences for a particular product.
“According to a BBC article which was also published in The Nation Newspaper on 28 March, 2023, music is part of Tik Tok’s DNA, and tracks that go viral on the App can become huge mainstream hits.
“Besides, social media influencers are the new promoters. Artists should learn how to use influencers because the more the number of followers and subscribers, the wider the reach.
“Some of the most prominent social media influencers in Malawi are Pemphero Mphande, Kelvin Silugwe, Dorothy Cash Madam Shonga, Ben Wandawanda, Nthanda Manduwi and Onjezani Kenani.”
According to Kapindu, “Outside Lukin’ In – A Guide to Malawi Urban Culture” also solidifies his creativity and credibility as a journalist and writer.
“I decided to write a book before the full roll out of Artificial Inteligence (AI) so that I can solidify my creativity and credibility. I realised that in the coming years, people will be questioning if something has either been done by AI or human,” he said.
The eight chapters book is scheduled to be released on 28 July, 2023.
The book will be available on both soft copy and hard copy.
The digital soft copy will be available in the first week of release, from 28 July while the hard copy will be available from the following week.
Soft copies are being sold via mobile money on Airtel Money 0981286494 and TNM Mpamba via +265882640450 and Bank A/C 1005215273
Buyers are being encouraged to take a screenshot of transaction details and send it to 0991099394 on WhatsApp.
Commenting on future plans, Kapindu said, “After the release of this book, I will start working on my autobiography titled “When the Sheep Becomes Elephant in the Room” which was scheduled to drop in 2020 but was never released due to reasons beyond my control. Some of the reasons that I can disclose include lack of finances and Covid-19 pandemic.
“I am also currently working on a fiction book inspired by the effects of climate change and Cyclone Freddie in Malawi. The book is titled “Iwalam” which is Malawi spelled backwards, a political insinuation that Malawi is moving one step forward and two steps back.”
Kapindu is an award winning journalist and rapper with a vast knowledge in online, social media print and broadcasting. As soon as he graduated from high school, he joined Star Radio as a presenter.
He then enrolled for a course in journalism at Polytechnic – Continuing Education Centre. After college, he joined Malawi News Agency before he was redeployed to Ministry of Information E-Media as an internee. He then got a full job at Timveni Child and Youth Media Organization as a Social Media Administrator and reporter.
Kapindu has also worked with Dziko FM as a News Editor. He has also contributed news articles and columns in The Nation Newspaper, Nyasa Times, Malawi Voice, Nyasa Showbiz and Zambuye.com.
He has also worked with brands such as Zathu Pa Wailesi as a media ambassador, UMP Awards, Miss Culture Malawi, Lake of Stars, Glam and Glory Cosmetics, Marketing Machines and Boudoir By Doll Mabel among others.
He authors a weekly Urban Trends column in The Nation Newspaper.
“Outside Lukin’ In – A Guide to Malawi Urban Culture” has been dedicated to his uncle Jimmy Rodney Rashid Kapindu who succumbed to Covid-19 in 2021.
