Master’s degree for local VenRap star

The name of a 29-year-old award-winning VenRap artist, Mulalo “Bhamba” Mutoti, is now also being mentioned in completely different circles, namely that of academia. The artist recently completed his master’s degree in environmental and water sciences.

Bhamba has definitely refuted the adage that the youth league in the music industry is characterised by lazy youngsters who don’t want to go to school and better their lives.

“The journey towards achieving my master’s degree was not easy – I had to work twice as hard and not allow my music career to stand in my way,” Bhamba said. “I had always known what I wanted in my life, so it was easier for me to set goals and achieve them.”

In 2013, Bhamba released his début VenRap album, Down to Earth, which featured popular tracks such as Masindi, So Hard, Vhuyani hayani and Vhutshilo hanu. This album earned Bhamba a Tshivenda Music Award for Newcomer of the Year.

He thanked his parents, Mrs Ntombana and Mr Ntsieni Alfred Mutoti, who supported him during his studies. “They are the kind of parents who will always tell you to believe in yourself and work harder,” he said. “I can't imagine my life without their support. They are my pillars of strength.”

He said that education was a necessity if one wanted to function well in this world. “If you have some education, you are able to access and achieve a lot of other things,” he said. “If you are educated, you just choose what you want to become in life.”

He attended school at Tshikhudini Primary, Muledane Primary, Mahwasane Primary, and Thohoyandou Secondary. He obtained his honours degree in hydrology from the University of Venda.

“Education is the key to unlocking different doors,” he said. “But without education, one just stands outside the doors as a frustrated being. All I can say is that nothing will stop me from singing and composing more music. Not even my degrees. I love music.”

Bhamba, who grew up at Tshikhudini village and later relocated to Thohoyandou Block J, has just released a mixtape, entitled Black Cover. The mixtape is available online for free.

For more information or for bookings, call 073 608 7312, 082 082 8802 or email [email protected].

Date:29 July 2016

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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