Exposed Vocals Interviews ‘T-KaSh’

Born Takunda Ngwanya,  T-KaSh hails from Harare , Zimbabwe a landlocked country in the southern part of Africa . Raised in the countries well known ghetto called Mbare one of the most famous ghettos in Africa. Growing up in the hands of his grandparents and later on his Uncle and aunt ,Music has been the medium of his connection with his father who passed away during the artist’s early childhood years .Despite discovering his love for music at the age of 6 it took a 20 year old T-KaSh to grab the attention of a music genius Fun_f the owner of Nation Music Entertainment and  Global Records ( Big shots ) executive producer who has been the driving force behind T-KaSh’s burst onto the mainstream .Clearly this kid has a lot to offer for music not only local but worldwide. As he calls himself re face of Music .

Exposed vocals : So tell us your story . where did you grow up ? What made you decide to become an artist ?

T-KaSh : My name is Takunda Ngwanya aka T-KaSh but those who are pretty close to me call me Mbk (Undercover name haha ) I grew up in the dusty streets of Mbare the famous ghetto “Mbare ” that the world talks about . Before I left for Botswana later on , I grew up under the Watchful eye of my beautiful grandparents my mother’s lovely parents ( Everson and Nelly Mauwa ) whom both have gone to be with the Lord . When my father ( Wilson Ngwanya )  passed away a year  after my mother had relocated to the United Kingdom they took care of me , what my father’s family refused to do . Growing up without a father is something that I wouldn’t like any child out there to go through , take nothing away from the great work my uncle (Peter Maworere) who has been a great father figure to me . Seeing other kids with their fathers and that ideal family  always made me feel something was lacking . I always prayed  as a way to communicate with my father then listening to my favourite rapper then  50Cent ” get rich or die tryin ” inspired me into doing music as a way to share what I would have shared with my father if he was still alive . For example there is a song in my Father And Son EP , called Here To Stay , I talk about this https://soundcloud.com/tkash-mbk/here-to-stayfun_f-t

Exposed vocals : how did you come up with that name ? What was your inspiration behind it ?

T-KaSh : ” T-KaSh ” was actually an adjustment , it used to be T-Ca$h when my mother ( Ivy Mauwa ) went to work in United Kingdom she would send money home .She wanted my sisters and I to have a good lifestyle and These were during the years when I was doing my primary schooling .  I had my own share of the money  so I  would go to school with a packed lunch box  and pocket money on top of that . This was something considered not normal basing on the living standards in that area ( Mbare ) where people struggled to get food for a nights meal so carrying a lunch box to school as a child was considerd luxury . I would share my food with friends and buy them food , one day from no where my friend just called me T-mari (“mari ” Shona word translated Money in English ) from then onwards I started calling myself T-Ca$h . And I saw myself as an African 50cent haha. Later on in 2012 I decided to make the name musical so I switched C with K and $ with S now it was T-KaSh with a K .

Exposed vocals : What do you think about online music sharing ? Do you give your music away for free ? Why ?

T-KaSh : Online music sharing is the best way of sharing your music with the world at large because the world is large and it’s not all areas that you can reach physically what’s the second best way ? Online Sharing , especially during this era were by the Internet has become part of our lives and almost everyone in the world has access to it .My favourite rapper Lil Wayne gives out his music for free . I give my music for free and I take every opportunity I get to do so , In April this year I released an EP ( Father And Son ) it was $2 a copy and that’s next to nothing haha comparing with how much I used go produce that , so  I made it as cheap as possible for my fans and online one can get it for free ,  https://soundcloud.com/tkash-mbk . My music is meant to inspire and communicate with different people and that’s the best thing in my life , what do they say about the best things in life ? They are free .

Exposed vocals : Since everyone was a start-up once , can you give any smaller or local bands or a looking for gigs and airplay some tips ?

T-KaSh : for local rappers getting airplay in my country is not an easy thing because the djs might just decide not to play you no matter how much your music is good . I remember dropping cds at a radio station @ZiFMSterio my first ever cd nicely packaged and everything properly done , I believed it was the one and the whole team was 100% sure , but I guess , the receptionist simply took it and threw it in a box , my first airplay had to come from a feature despite having single tracks submitted . So all I can say is patience and just keep doing you , remember the first thing that made you an artist . Right now my music is hot in the streets but djs at various radio stations might decide not to play it , but I stay steadfast and keep cooking , I remember reading my  favourite south African Rapper Casper Nyovest’s tweet complaining that as much as he is the countries hottest mc some stations don’t even play his music though he submits but he hasn’t stopped bringing the heat. In terms of gig’s and shows Don’t wait on gigs create them , where ever I go and there are performances you are sure to see me next on the stage that makes me a force to recon trust me , and don’t shy away anytime should be tea time for you . My manager (Fungayi Fun f paradzayi ) knows , I create my own gigs , I have lost count of how many times I even perform at church or in the streets .

Exposed vocals : where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration ? What is your usual songwriting process ?

T-KaSh : every song I have written has been based on what am going through in life and I take this into a feature too . My favourite songs have been written in the studio while the beat was playing loud ,for example this song https://youtu.be/XhyMJfkyVx4 called Dead Stories from my Father And Son EP . What am not going through I don’t write and sing about . My music is my life . My usual songwriting process is the chorus comes first , I take time on the chorus because that’s what stays in the head , you can listen to these two songs https://youtu.be/4HVoVcACSMs ( keys to the city ) & https://youtu.be/JM6Al7cc1Aw (Hello Mula ) I took my time writing these hooks and both tracks am being featured ,big shout out to Drenyc and NdiKaCee asekuru.

Exposed vocals : Do you have a band website ? What online platforms do you use to share your music ?

T-KaSh : yes here is my website , https://tkashmbk.simdif.com (website) , https://soundcloud.com/tkash-mbk ( Soundcloud.com ) , https://m.facebook.com/T-KaSh-Mbk (Facebook) , https://youtu.be/SoyiHSTHuCw (YouTube )

Exposed vocals : if you were given half a million dollars and a year off , what would you do ? How would you spend it ?

T-KaSh : Phew ! Half a million dollars haha first I would change my name back to ( T-Ca$h) haha , on a real though I would go to Dubai I really want to go and spend a holiday there though ,buy all the nice things the place has to offer and obviously eat the nice food that ain’t offer back home , I think I would write an album there cause the holiday would be a movie , haha . But I wouldn’t want a year off because music has become part of my life right now it has become oxygen so question is would I survive without Oxygen . I would take the half milli but a year off I would decline though.

Exposed vocals : how do you find ways to promote your music ? What works best for you ?

T-KaSh : I am that go an extra mile artist , I like doing what no one else is doing or simply modify what other artists are doing and do it better , My secrete is ( I didn’t want to say this though haha ) I first research on how this would reach everyone in the world not just a few people cause at the end of the day we all want to be heard all over , currently what has been working for me is online sharing it’s platforms such as #ExposedVocals that help us as artists get heard by the world and it’s high time artist start cutting a piece of the cake to such platforms.

Exposed vocals : so , what’s next ? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about ?

T-KaSh : I am currently doing final touches on a track titled #GovernmentName which I collaborated with an artist called TMD who is more like a brother to me . This track is a single from our joint mixtape titled #ZimboLifstyl that will be dropping anytime this August. Let it be known that I haven’t dropped any Single track yet this year  , imy name has been appearing on features only so , people should be on the look out for my Single track which will be part of My Solo mixtape dropping September called MBK-1 Mixtape but for now it’s this song Government Name !!! Flames …

Exposed vocals : if you weren’t making music , what would you be doing ?

T-KaSh : I would be a lawyer , defending a firm at the court , haha , am a law student so when am not making music , it’s books books books books and books

Exposed vocals : how do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities , while trying to stay ahead in your music life

T-KaSh : if there is one thing I thank God for everyday is how he gave me wisdom , do you know while I was doing my High school I was a Head Boy ( Student Leader ) same time I was the First Aid Club President and I was writing music and recording same time I was studying for exams at the end of the day I am successful in all . I have perfect time for everything I give everything’s it’s on time when am at the studio it’s studio , when am doing something else it’s that thing everything has its own time .

Exposed vocals : what should fans look forward to in 2016 ?

T-KaSh : Good music from T-KaSh , my Mixtape ( Mbk-1 ) 21 songs mixed and mastered by the hottest producer in the country right now Fun_f , am not sleeping  and if you love my music don’t sleep on me on this one . I have the best team in the land working on this project BiG Shots ( G.Records ) , Fun_f , Lloyd Soul , klassiq,  these three guys are not sleeping because of my fans , I love you all for loving my music and Look out for fire features in this mixtape Ta$ha , King Aktive , J.Nova , The list is endless ,