Online Reporter
Sipepisiwe Moyo, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
Emerging from the vibrant soundscape of contemporary music, is Makhosi Sifelani popularly known as MKBEATS who is a dynamic musical producer that seamlessly weaves together the rhythms of Hip-Hop, House, Kwaito, and Afro pop. With a sound that reflects both innovation and cultural depth, MKBEATS is poised to make a significant impact on the global music scene.
He was part of the 2024 USA Embassy Next Level Academy Hip-hop programme which was held in Harare where he showcased his beat making skills and got to engage with other talented artists in the industry from every corner of Zimbabwe. The programme ended by MKBEATS participating in a beat cypher done in front of a crowd of hundreds of people.
He participated and won in a producer battle which was hosted by Hip-hop Power Festival on the May 31. With each beat and bassline, MKBEATS is not just making music, he is creating a movement that invites listeners to dance, feel, and connect.
Drawing inspiration from influential figures such as DJ Mustard, Wichi1080, Wonder girl, and DJ Snake, he combines their diverse influences to create a fresh sonic palette that captivates audiences.
MKBEATS is channelling his creative energy into exciting new projects such as producing for Kwela Initiative’s hip-hop music project which is set to drop this month accompanied by a concert. He recently released Amapiano remixes of original songs such as the remix of Neyo’s Miss Independent into Amapiano and also some three step songs.
His remixes have been played in local house music events such as Garden Of House. This is to showcase their versatility and artistic vision. These upcoming releases aim to celebrate the rich musical heritage of Africa while incorporating contemporary elements that cater to a global audience.
Below we delve deep into MKBEATS’s journey in the industry.
Q. What sparked your interest in music production, and who were some of your early influences?
A. My journey in the music industry was inspired by my father’s music collection. He listened to a lot of music especially from South Africa, consisting of Kwaito, Afro pop, Afro jazz, house music and soul music. But the immediate spark was from the 2013-2015 music era this was a time when music from USA and South Africa was really booming, it’s when I discovered my itch for music with DJ Mustard being my main inspiration.
Q. How do you balance traditional African sounds with modern styles in your music?
A. I sample a lot when I’m producing beats and during the process I am able to mix different elements of music either traditional African sounds or modern sounds.
Q. Can you walk us through your production process, from conceptualisation to finalising a track?
A. I don’t really have a specific way that I produce. I can be randomly listening to music then I get inspired. I’m sometimes inspired by classic music, music that a specific market of can relate to for instance, sampling Lovemore Majaivana to make a Kwaito beat, such a production will be aimed at Bulawayo artists. Sometimes I wake up being in a creative mood and I will just open my beat making programme, Fruity Loops and find myself just creating some music.
Q. How do you select the genres and styles you blend in your music?
A. I make music that I listen to that is Kwaito, Hip-hop, Afro pop and House music. So when I’m selecting a genre to make, I always juggle those genres.
Q. How was your experience in the 2024 USA Embassy Next Level Academy Hip-Hop programme, what did you learn?
A. One of the best lessons I took from the academy was the power of collaboration as it was one of the things I was looking forward to when I applied to the academy. The opportunity of being around producers with different skill sets helped me in acquiring more beat making knowledge during collaboration sessions in the academy.
Furthermore, as I’m very keen on sampling, during the academy we had the opportunity of venturing into sampling world sounds or sampling anything that was around the venue. And since it was something I had never done before, it was so exciting and it definitely changed the way I make beats, because I took the practice back home with me.
The Next Level Academy experience also taught me a lot on the business side of music, which is a very tricky or challenging side. We had the chance of getting advice from various industry professionals who mainly taught us the importance of drafting and understanding contracts as is not an easy skill to acquire.
Lastly, I got to have my first ever experience on stage in front of a large audience as a producer, which is something that rarely happens in the producer community. This boosted my confidence in my craft as I got the opportunity of being in a beat cypher in front of multitudes of people.
Q. Winning the producer battle at Hip-Hop Power Festival — how does that feel, and what’s next?
A. Winning the producer cypher gave me more confidence on my production. It also showed me that besides making tracks I can actually use my beats to compete in various competitions.
Q. What drives your passion for music production?
A. I always attach my beats to emotions, so if I made certain production while I was feeling happy. I would like the listener or artist to feel the same and actually create music based on a happy mood.
Kwela initiative is a programme which aimed at hip-hop music in Bulawayo. It resonates with urban music communities its cultural expression and social impact. Fans can expect different flavours of production from me in the project. They should expect trap music, kwaito music and more.
Q. What inspired you to remix Neyo’s Miss Independent into an Amapiano track?
A. As I mentioned before that I’m sometimes inspired by classic music. Miss Independent is a classic RnB song that people still jam to, so I wanted it give it that new fresh sound and to have it appeal to various audiences.
Q. How do you see your music evolving in the next few years?
A. I see my music being recognised internationally as I will be releasing my own music as a producer in the future.
Q. What drives your passion for music production?
A. The need to always create unique sounds drives my passion. The world deserves good music.
Q. Any advice for aspiring producers looking to make a mark in the industry?
A. My advice for aspiring producers will be, abuse the internet to market yourself so that the world gets to know you.
