Tulina Ndafyaalako is a musician with one of the most requested, sought-after and played music in Namibia at the moment.
Known by his stage name Young T WokOngha, or simply Young T, this 27-year-old is the toast of his home village Ongha. It is almost rare to get into a taxi where at least one or all of his albums are played on full blast.
Young T was born and raised in Ongha in the Ohangwena region. That is where he went to school and where he found the love for reading and music were birthed.
He has fond memories of his childhood and describes his mother as a disciplinarian who always put her family first.
“My mom made sure we were well-behaved. We were known as the household where all the children were well-behaved. My dad always worked away from home so my mom was like a single mother,” he says. “My older sister sparked the love for music in me. While she was a student, she would bring back home music by the likes of Westlife and they would make me sing along.
“In 2013, my brother bought me 50 Cent’s ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’ album and that is when I fell in love with hip-hop,” he recalls.
A very young and reserved boy while growing up, Young T was happiest spending time alone with a book and later on, music. These are traits he exhibits till this day and he still considers himself an introvert which can come as a surprise given that he grew up in a big household with nine siblings.
Young T moved to the city when he started studying business administration at the University of Namibia in Windhoek in 2008. That was a move that didn’t go so well as he had to drop out eventually.
“I wasn’t coping and I didn’t have financial aid. I was also failing because I really didn’t know anything, coming from a background where I did science in school.”
His family’s reaction wasn’t that bad and they soon rallied to support him in his new career move – music.
“They were shocked, of course, but they understood,” he says.
He adds that being one of the best performing pupils in his region in 2007, his family were used to him excelling in school.
“My late brother hired me in his company and that’s when I started saving money to invest in my musical equipment – some of which I still use today.”
Even though music started off as a hobby when he was younger, Young T started seeing a future as a musician.
“It was experimental at the beginning. I was heavily inspired by hip-hop and as I grew up, I started introducing an African groove sound to the hip-hop.”
This has become a recipe for success with his unique sound resonating with his fans. Young T is inspired by ancient history and the desire to tell stories depicting the day-to-day issues that people go through.
“I want to inspire critical thinking with my lyrics. I can’t imagine myself doing music that makes me seem to be what I’m not,” he says.
After success with his album ‘Philosophical Pages’, he has since signed a marketing deal with one of the biggest record labels in the country, Mshasho Productions.
His music is released under his own music production company, UGU Records while Mshasho Production deals with marketing and exposure which allows the young artist to still maintain creative control of his music.
His partnership with Mshasho Productions is clearly working and the friendship between him and The Dogg translates into their music and making for great collaborations.
Aspiring for more
Following in the footsteps of his more accomplished peers in the Namibian music industry, Young T has business aspirations and hopes to make a name for himself in the property industry.
“I want to go into property development and I have already bought two plots of which one is already developed. A tyre business is also in the pipeline.”
He only plans to release five more albums before leaving the music industry.
Listing the challenges he sees hampering the growth of the music industry, Young T names lack of originality as one of the biggest factors.
“Artists are under pressure from music coming from outside. Emtee comes up with a great style then everybody wants to do the same.”
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