Victoria Falls’ Top Kings set up studio

VICTORIA Falls-based Top Kings, an Afro-fusion duo made up of twin brothers, Nkosenhle and Nkosilathi Ncube, believe they have matured enough to be able to stand on their own in the music industry.

After breaking into the music scene as Mosi-oa-Tunya High School pupils a few years ago, Nkosenhle and Nkosilathi recently set up a studio with the aim to produce their own music.

The duo said it invested over US$2 000 from their savings to establish the studio located in the Chinotimba suburb. So far, the studio has a computer, studio monitors, speakers, studio headphones, a laptop, a recording mic and a keyboard.

To try out the studio’s equipment, the duo is working on producing a song Ungandabukeli.

Nkosenhle said they always had a dream to record with big studios and producers, but were restricted by lack of finances. This inspired them to want to own their own studio.

“We wished to record with big studios like JP Studios (owned by musician Jah Prayzah), but we couldn’t afford it. Instead, we focused on establishing our own recording label for us to have a stable career in the industry.

“However, we still face these challenges (financial), especially in terms of equipping the studio. So far, we’ve managed to buy some of the stuff (studio equipment) that will get us started and we’re ready to work, even though we still lack some of the essential studio equipment such as a subwoofer, keyboard and other gears that might be required in the process of producing music,” Nkosenhle said.

“We’re looking for well-wishers who wish to support and assist in developing our talent.”

Nkosilathi concurred that financial challenges and the lack of support from the local community inspired them to think outside the box.

“So bad was the situation that we even failed to pay for the production of one of the songs that we recorded with DJ Tamuka because of financial problems.

“This is why we’ve invested in our own studio where we’re already working on our future projects,” he said.

The twins who are due to release a single with an Afro-beat sometime this week believe the new studio is a new era in their music journey.

Nkosilathi said the studio will be accessible to other budding local artistes as they want to empower others.

“Every Afro artist is free to come and record and have their first projects with Top Kings Studio. Recording is going to start around mid-August,” he said.

With three albums, Level Rachinja, Ukufa Kuyabuya and Iskorokoro as well as several singles including hit song Amakhekhekhe which earned the twins a nomination for the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards in 2019, the Top Kings are raring to go. Their first project was recorded at GRZ Studio by

Gangster and the album had 12 tracks.

Their second album released in 2019 was recorded by Oskid Productions in Harare. Other projects including Amakhekhekhe were recorded by DJ Ace Kater.

Top Kings also produced a single titled Umama Wengane in collaboration with Madlela Skhobokhobo and the song was produced by Brooklyn from Bulawayo.