As hip hop music genre continues to make headway in the country, it is also becoming a regular fixture in the gospel circles. One young hip hop artist TNO has released a gospel album called Umunthu. The album addresses social issues affecting Malawi on top of spreading the gospel. Our Entertainment Editor EDITH GONDWE caught up with TNO, real name Edward Chikhwenda, to discuss more about his new album, his career and his take on matters affecting the music industry.
Q
: Who is TNO?
A
: TNO is a versatile Christian artist who is passionate about music and can rap, produce and design graphics. TNO’s real name is Edward Chikhwenda Jnr. and he is a 25-year-old civil engineering graduate who works as a projects engineer.
Q
: What inspired you to venture into music, let alone gospel hip hop when hip hop is generally associated with secular artists?
A
: I started taking an interest in music back in 2006 when mp3 CDs were becoming popular. My friend UsigalaNakanga introduced me to hip hop and crunk music by the likes of T.I and Kanye West and I easily fell in love with hip hop and rap. As I began to idolise these rap stars my interest in music grew once I learned how to produce music on the computer. I was on my way to becoming a hip hop artist I had always wanted to be until I first stumbled upon gospel hip hop by an artist known as Lecrae. He changed the way I looked at hip hop. I realised that hip hop can be used to also convey ones beliefs and preach to unbelievers, something I had never thought about. His music really touched me and inspired me to take a new direction. In 2011 I made a decision to commit my life to Jesus Christ and began to reflect it in my music with the purpose of glorifying his name and making him known to others.
Q
: Tell me more about your approach to music.
A
: I basically approach music as a medium and agent for change. I believe music is powerful because it connects with people on a spiritual level and it can easily impart emotions and ideologies. I believe music can convey my message directly to whom I want it to reach without fear or favour and above all I believe God can use music to his glory because he is the one who blessed us with this gift.
Q
: You recently released a project titled Umunthu, what inspired this album?
A
: The Umunthu album I recently released was inspired by the growth that God was administering in my life. I was being challenged by the situations in Malawi and the many social injustices I had been observing over the years. It seemed that there was so much that I could do to influence change by using the gift of music God had blessed me with. I wanted to take my listeners with me on a journey in history in order to show them how far we have fallen and that there is still hope for change if we embrace the message of loving our neighbours as we love ourselves. Everyday when I looked at the news I was always saddened to see how our country is suffering but no one is speaking out. People are being cruel to fellow people and all we do is just watch. We watch when politicians make us empty promises or when the rich thrive off the poor. We watch when people bribe each other at public institutions and we watch when people favour each other in the communities we live in. All we do is watch. I was moved to do something about it so that I die with no regrets knowing I fought for a better Malawi and the message of God; love.
Q
: Whats your take on music and the youth? Is it used to their benefits or we are missing something?
A
: I believe music has a great influence on the youth especially in this generation. Just take a walk in the streets and you will see a lot of young people plugged in to headsets. Everyone is in their own world and all we get to see are the behaviours that spring forth from the seeds that music is planting into their lives. Music is really beneficial to the youth because it helps them to go through tough and depressing times. On the other hand, music is pushing young people towards the edge. It can easily incite immoral behaviour and reckless living. In essence it can easily gravitate towards good or bad but it is influential all the same.
Q
: What are the plans with this new album?
A
: With this new album I plan to do things I have never done before. I plan to push this album towards the education sector if God permits as I see this album containing a lot of history and educational information. It is by far my most researched project musically. I intend to push this album to the tourism sector so that the world might have an insightful view of our nation and Africa at large as our motherland. I intend to push this album to the uncommon people who we usually neglect in our societies such as people in prisons so that they also have music shows with a difference. I intend to do all these things God willing over the period I will have before I work on my next project.My last words to those who are reading this would be do not be afraid to dream and when you do, do not be afraid to act on those dreams because you never know just how those dreams will impact the world. n
