Young T WokOngha, real name Tulina Ndafyaalako, made his breakthrough onto the local music scene in 2006 and is still going strong.
“I started doing music in 2006 when I was still a Grade 11 pupil at Ongha Secondary School. That was my first chance to see the inside of a recording studio with a producer. I also performed a few gigs at school,” he says.
He says American rappers had a big influence on the type of music he liked as a teenager.
“My big sister brought me an Eminem cassette, titled ‘The Eminem Show’, at the village in 2001. She was very impressed with how I was learning to speak English fluently so fast.
“When 50 Cent dropped ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003, I didn’t want to listen to anything else. Locally, Gazza’s ‘Zula II Survive’ was my favourite. Qonja rocked with his 2006 classic ‘Koek n Jam’.
“I used to listen to a lot of Sunny Boy’s music too,” Young T says.
‘ALL ABOUT CHANGE’
He says his songs are inspired by everyday life experiences.
“My music is a reflection of the current happenings of that specific period when I’m composing. My message can never stay stagnant, since life is all about change. I’m constantly evolving and so is my music,” the artist says.
“When I was in the ghetto and hungry, that’s what you would expect me to sing about. When the Lord blesses us and we’re no longer as hungry as back then, that is what I’m also going to sing about.
“On the other hand though, I’m blessed with storytelling.”
Young T says although he grew up influenced by hip-hop, he evolved when he made music his full-time career.
“I needed songs I could actually sell and earn a living from. The Namibian hip-hop industry was completely dry commercially. I had to come up with a sound that appealed naturally to people. It’s very difficult when you start new,” he says.
“I’m lucky I was blessed creatively. I fused hip-hop with African sounds. I created something unique people seemed to like.”
Young T admits that he sings kwaito here and there, but wouldn’t call himself a kwaito artist.
With a very strong catalogue of music that comes from 18 studio albums so far, he says his first big gig was at a fashion show at a Windhoek hotel in 2014.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF
“I gained real valuable listeners from that night, and I could tell during that event already that the dream of becoming a career musician was becoming a reality. Hard work always pays off in the end,” he says.
Young T says he is currently spending a lot of time helping upcoming musicians.
“There are talented young people out there, and all they need is proper guidance. The music cannot die with us, we have to pass on the torch to the young ones,” the former arts student says.
He is currently working on his next album, and taking his time with it, he says.
“I want it to put an undying stamp on my name and brand, because it will probably be my last album.”
Young T says he wants people to remember him as someone who could comfort, encourage, discipline and teach people through his music.
He says his fans often message him online to tell him how his music has helped them get through tough times.
The artist won the song of the year and best kwaito artist awards at the Namibian Annual Music Awards in 2017, and says his biggest regret as a musician is that he used to be too ambitious to pause and listen to advice.
“But when you’re focused on a certain target or goal, listening to too much advice can easily derail you. So it could be a win-lose situation,” he says.
Young T is single and has a son, with various small businesses keeping him going.
“Music-wise, I produce and do engineering for other musicians, but the music business is not really lucrative in Namibia,” he says.
“I have various small-time businesses that help me to stay afloat. I’m into transportation, media and design, and online freelancing. I have good investments beyond our borders too.”
Young T says his faith also keeps him going.
“The Lord has really been coming through me. There are envious people trying to close doors on me, but jealousy is everywhere,” he says.
The artist says he produces, mixes and masters his music in his own studio.
He believes the country has a lot of talented musicians who can make it beyond our borders.
“I just sense a certain type of energy of a few people trying to block others out of jealousy.”
To grow Namibia’s music industry, he says those in power should focus on unifying and building a music industry “of structure and coordination, rigid and without any obstacles”.
“If we continue like this, all those good songs that end up circulating in the neighbourhoods will continue saturating the industry until it becomes collateral damage for all of us. We need an organised industry with structure.
“Talent alone without hard work will take you nowhere.”
He says persistence and consistency is key.
“For me, God the creator has to be first always, throughout my career. I wish all the talented people out there good luck and prosperity.”
