By style Reporter
When local hip-hop musician King 98 gave a scintillating performance at the launch of his debut album Francesca in Harare on May 1, fault-finders thought it was a fluke.
It’s 81 days since the 21-year-old rapper marked his grand entrance into mainstream music and his rapid rise — powered by his music-crazy father — is just phenomenal.
King 98 has not looked back and has intensified his presence on the regional platform performing at sold-out shows in Zambia and Mozambique, thanks to the growing bond between him and South African star rapper Nasty C.
“I want to thank Nasty C for having me by his side. He has done so much as I launch my music career,” King 98 said in an interview with this publication last month.
In May, King 98 gave a spirited performance that won him the hearts of Zambians at the Phoenix Rising Teen Awards and Music Festival at the Polo Arena in Lusaka. Following the performance, his music is receiving considerable airplay among Zambian radio and television stations including Diamond FM, Prime, ZNBC stations, Movie TV, Que TV and CBC TV.
He also charmed Mozambicans when he performed alongside Nasty C and Mozambican Laylizzy. The trio also joined hands in the video titled Wacko, which in its first week of release clocked more 100 000 views on YouTube.
Last week, King 98 returned from a two-week visit to Nigeria where he recorded a single with top Nigerian singer Zlatan.
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“It was a fruitful visit to Nigeria and the video of a song he did with Zlatan is being polished and will come out soon,” said King 98 manager’s DJ Nosh.
DJ Nosh confirmed King 98’s itinerary that will see the rapper globe-trotting, including performances in Australia next month.
“He has a tour of southern Africa lined up alongside Nasty C, but in between he will have two shows in Australia on September 13 and 14,” he said.
According to the itinerary, King 98 and Nasty C will kick off the southern African tour on August 10 with a gig in Pretoria before travelling to Zambia, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Vaal (South Africa) between August and October.
In September, he will feature at a gig dubbed All-White Everything in Australia alongside top South African DJ Tira and Crooger. DJ Towers will be the host wheel spinner at the two shows that will be held in Perth and Melbourne.
The youthful rapper will wrap up the southern Africa tour alongside Nasty C with a gig in Harare on December 21.
“It’s all systems go and King 98 is leaving no stone unturned as he pursues his wish of becoming a hip-hop icon. It’s a tight schedule, but the young man is not sitting on his laurels,” DJ Nosh said.
He said he was happy that the musician was also getting recognition locally after he was roped in among local and regional artistes that performed yesterday at the Tuku Memorial Concert.
