Chilu Lemba

Chilu Lemba is a Zambian born and South African based radio and television presenter, voice over artist and musician. He is widely acknowledged in the communications industry as one of Africa's top voiceover artists having narrated numerous productions for radio, television and stadium events such as the African Cup of Nations opening Ceremony, broadcast to millions of viewers around the world.

He developed a passion for writing music in his teens. His passion for music followed him throughout high school where he was the star of the school choir. After showing off his talent in a number of musical events, he was awarded the Chengelo Music Award in 1992 at the school’s prize giving ceremony. He attended Chengelo Secondary School Music Award in 1992 and has been involved in numerous musical projects since then. He is famed for writing and recording Afro hip-hop hits such as ‘Zambia Moto’ and ‘Shibuka’ featuring Alan Mvula and Joe Chibangu a Kora Award nominee.

Rap music became his obsession in the mid-eighties and this saw him becoming a member of many rap groups, beginning with The Fabulous Four in 1988, BoKab in 1991, Capellany in 1993 and the Man X Crew in 1994. Although his early musical compositions were highly influenced by U.S. based hip-hop artists, it wasn’t until the early 90s that he aligned his African identity with his music, adopting the name King Bongo in the process. Although hip-hop performed in indigenous languages is now commonplace across Africa, Zambia’s first rap hit containing verses in local vernacular was performed by Alan Mvula (formerly MC Suicide) and Chilu back in 1995. He wrote the song two years earlier, infusing Bemba and Nyanja languages into the lyrics. Radio presenter Nkweto Tembwe was the first DJ to play the song on radio in early 1995.

In 2000, Chilu contributed the smash hit ‘Shibuka’ to The Rhythm Nation Project released by the Mondo Music Corporation. His debut solo CD ‘Sound Legacy’ spurned a number of radio hits in his home country. Before releasing ‘Sound Legacy’, he previously released a cassette single titled ‘Keep Moving’. The single was launched when he was a member of The Man X Crew. It was recorded in 1994 at the Lemba family farm in Lusaka.

In 2011, he began recording his second album titled ‘Flowers, Needles & Drumbeats’. It was released in June, 2012. Promotional material included the video for the ‘Njota Remix’ which was nominated in the Best Foreign Video category at the 2014 Born and Bred Music Awards 2014. The video lost out to Zone Fam's Translate.