Killah Gee
Artists
Music
Born, Mpfulufhedzeni Gideon Mamuthamani, the talented lyricist has seen it all, from being looked down upon because of his disability, to fighting for his music to get recognition. But against all odds, Killah Gee is still at it, releasing songs that talk to the inner soul and spreading message of hope. Performed in “All we are well and capable magazine concert” amongst his many performances. What are Killah Gee's Goals and Vision? My vision is "To motivate, encourage and spread message through music. To perform and be recognised as an artist. Most of all to reshape the way in which people view the world and themselves". Says Killah Gee. I want "To motivate, encourage and spread message through music. To perform and be recognised as an artist. Most of all to reshape the way in which people view the world and themselves".
Albums:
- Amakripza
- Mutshakavhili
- Mamutha-money
- Vili kha khana
When SAMRO caught up with Killah this is what he Said:
Q. Who is Killah Gee?
A. I’m a Tshivenda hip-hop (Venrap) artist. When I was 5 years old I was diagnosed with poliomyelitis which left me disabled. My career started in 1997 when I used to free-style and record demos. When I got to matric, I formed a group called Mad Dog with four friends. We used to organise our own shows mainly on weekends in Pretoria and its surroundings. Since then, I haven’t looked back.
Q.You had a challenging upbringing having to deal with disability. How did being physically challenged inspire you to pursue music as a career?
A. If you are passionate about something, you will find a way to get to where you want to be despite any challenges you are faced with. I’ve always been determined to achieve my goals regardless of my physical challenges.
Q. How difficult was it to be discovered and release your first album?
A. It is always a challenge to find people who will believe in your ability and invest time to document your craft. Recording songs and getting the music out was not the only challenge I faced. I also had to deal with the fact that rhyming in Tshivenda was not popular when I started recording back in the day.
Q. You have performed in many places, how has the experience been as a recording artist?
A. It’s been amazing, every time I perform I’m able to meet new people and that broadens my stage performance skills. I used to be scared to do live performances because I didn’t know how people would receive me, as a person with a disability. But it’s been great to see that my fans appreciate me for my talent and can look past my physical challenges.
Q. You have a manager, who has been with you for a while, how important has he been in your musical career?
A. Stanley Mulaudzi is my longest serving manager, I have been working with him since 2010. As a manager, Stan has helped me to expand my market reach and to unearth different opportunities for my growing brand. He’s more like a brother to me and he’s helped me a lot even in my personal life. That’s how our relationship has grown and this is important to me because in him I have someone who always represents my interests in the best way possible.
Q. What do you hope to achieve as an artist going forward?
A. I have now built a considerable following for myself in different parts of the country and my music continues to be used in television shows like SABC 1’s Come Again. Now I also want to open my own recording company and sign artists that can achieve even greater things than I have.
Q. Message for other up and coming artists who look up to you?
A. People should know that easy come, easy go. Up and coming artists should not get into the music industry because of the fame, they must do it for the love of music. The industry is changing every day, so those who want to enter the industry should come with their unique flair because that’s going to help them solidify their place in the industry.
Q. You recently became a SAMRO member, why did you decide to apply for membership?
I have spent a lot of time with people who have been in the music industry and they always advised me to apply for SAMRO membership. Now that my music is playing on radio and being used on television, there are royalties I am entitled to receive. Also, I took this step because I wanted to protect my intellectual property.
Links to Killah Gee's Videos
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5JjUIXmMlc.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weNM8ZNnWCA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py_V7mvs0t4
Links to Issues
- http://ishemathelemusa.blogspot.co.za/2013/02/killah-gee-physical-challenges-doesnt.html
- https://issuu.com/zoutnet/docs/6_julie_2012_mirror_digital/7
- http://www.samro.org.za/newsletter/content/against-all-odds-killah-gee%E2%80%99s-eyes-are-prize-0