DJ Naida Interview
DJ Naida is a 20 something year old young lady from Harare, Zimbabwe with a serious passion for music. She is a lover of life and mostly a happy person…
How did the name DJ Naida come about?
Naida comes from my second name, Danai… DJ Danai didn’t sound quite right lol so I swapped things around and came up with Naida. It sounded interesting & intriguing and I’d like to think that’s what I am, intriguing and interesting… hehehe 🙂
How would you describe your childhood?
Hmmmm…. that’s quite the question. Well my childhood was many things. Fun, hard, painful, beautiful and a little funny. I think like everyone I had my good moments and my fair share of really bad moments. Overall though it was an experience I wouldn’t change for the world because I believe it made me the person I am today and I like who I am. I am a strong, independent, driven, loving and passionate individual who appreciates all the blessings in life no matter how small. I grew up in a couple of different neighborhoods and my parents separated when I was pretty young. I got to live with my mum and younger sister and they are the people closest to me in my life. No one even comes close to them. All we really had was each other so we formed a bond that’s unbreakable and so strong. That bond formed the core of who I am today, and I thank God every day for them.
What made you fall in love with hip hop music?
Hiphop just allows you to express yourself in ways you usually aren’t able to. Believe it or not I’m actually a really shy person and with Hip Hop I found an outlet, a form of release, if I can call it that. Growing up I listened to a lot of Rap; 2Pac, Coolio, Busta Rhymes, Da Brat, Naughty by Nature, Missy Elliot, Left Eye (TLC) & Lauryn Hill were at the most influential in my life and I always found myself memorizing lyrics and rapping along to some of their greatest tracks. Hip Hop helped me confront and deal with things that I couldn’t deal with alone and our Love affair has grown from strength to strength since then.
You are a DJ, Producer, Female Rapper, MC, Songwriter and Artist. Which one comes first for you?
I don’t have a favorite so I can’t say which comes first. All those elements are a part of me and they all make me who I am. I think in a way they kind of balance each other out. They create this amazing Synergy that is the heart and soul of my being. Also I bore quite easily so having a lot of different things to do always helps me out lol… When I need to speak my heart the artist (Rapper/Singer/Songwriter) in me comes out. When I want to challenge myself the Producer in me surfaces. When I want to move a crowd and have a good time the DJ takes over…
As a female DJ you have broken barriers as a prominent female MC in a field that is male dominated… What motivated you then and what motivates you now to stand out and be successful at what you doing whilst at the same time overlooking the stereotypes associated with the genre?
I am such a feminist!! Initially I started DJing mainly because there weren’t enough female DJs that I knew of and also because I was drawn to the challenge. It bothered me so I chose to do something about it, represent the girls lol. I would go out and I’d see male DJs rocking the crowd and I wanted to know what that felt like. I like doing things that people tell me I can’t and shouldn’t do. As a woman being a DJ is considered taboo to an extent and I hate that, which is why I do what I do and I do it well. What stays motivating me is the fact that a lot of people still think I shouldn’t be doing this and look down on me just because I am a woman. I love proving people wrong so that definitely motivates me to push harder and be better. Same thing with being an MC, the industry is so unbalanced. There are way too many male Rappers and not enough female ones and that bugs me. So I like to show that I am just as good as the male rappers and even better than a lot of them too! 😉
In the Hip Hop industry female Rappers and MCs are few? What do you think are some of the constraints limiting the prominence of female MCs in the hip hop industry world over?
It’s a sexist thing. As much as I’d like to believe we’ve progressed as a race the reality is very different. There are just certain things women should still “not be doing”. And if they are doing it, only a limited number of them can do it at any given time. I feel like that how it is when it comes to female rappers in Hip Hop. When one female rapper is doing really well all the attention shifts to her and everyone else is put in her shadow and compared to her. It’s hard to get the right attention as a female rapper. If you’re not really hard core (so you can fit in with the guys) or if you’re not rapping about sex (so you can PLEASE the guys – see my problem here) nobody is interested in hearing what you have to say. It’s sad.
You are known as one of Zim’s most versatile hip hop artists where is this stature drawn from?
That probably stems from the fact that I do so much in and with Hip Hop. I am a DJ & MC which are both elements of Hip Hop and I used to do the dance thing too. Actually I still do that but just in the comfort of my non-judgemental home lol. Within my artistry I also like to fuse Hip Hop with various other genres. In my music you will hear RnB, Jazz, House, Afro Pop, Reggae, Dancehall and anything else I can fuse my music with. I love taking risks and I love being versatile and a little different. Music is an art and art embodies various elements, emotions and experiences.
Please tell us a bit more about H.O.M.E (Heart Of ME) What inspired it?
Home was inspired by a burning desire within me to make music that other people could listen to but at the same time make music that was true to me. I spoke my heart on that Mixtape and at the same time I took a risk with some of the tracks on it because at the time it wasn’t the kind of thing you’d normally hear on a Hip Hop Mixtape. Some people didn’t understand it, others were intrigued by it but at the end of the day I did me and that was the most important thing. It was called H.O.M.E. (Heart Of ME) for that reason.
What message do you try to convey with your music?
My music conveys a lot of different messages but ultimately I’m all about positivity, strength, overcoming, confidence in oneself, celebrating life and spreading love. Eish I’m such a sucker for love though. I have way too many love songs, I NEED TO STOP WRITING LOVE SONGS lol. But it’s like that because I believe Love is the driving force behind our very existence. Without Love we are empty, lost, purposeless….
Which obstacles did you face when you were starting out in the industry?
Getting people to take me seriously was one of the biggest problems I faced as well as trying to fit in in a very competitive and sometimes dirty industry. I think I still face the same problems now and on a bigger scale actually. Also building the brand and getting people to believe in it was not easy at all. A lot of people don’t understand that it takes a long time to build a brand, years at times and you just need to keep fighting, keep building and keep pushing until you eventually get to where you want and need to be. I am still pushing because I’m not even halfway close to where I need to be so I still have plenty of obstacles left to overcome only difference now is that I am better equipped to deal with them.
You’re a DJ on Zimbabwe’s No.1 Station Power FM. How did you join the station?
Let’s call that a fortunate series of events lol. I took my CV to radio and eventually they called me. Davies Mugadza (A Veteran Power FM DJ) was also very instrumental in helping me get on air. He helped convince the station to give me a chance, I’m so grateful for that. He also trained me and showed me the ropes and he believed in me.
What is the name of the show? And what time can people catch it?
It’s called the Club Hive and it’s on every Friday Night from 9pm till Midnight.
What advise would you like to give to female DJs and MCs?
If you have a passion for this don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do. Many will try to discourage and deter you but do not let them tell you what to do with your life, with your gift. Your gift is God given for a reason, so you can share it with the world. It’s not easy and a lot of times you might want to give up but believe me there is no greater feeling that finally getting to live out your dream and knowing you got yourself there!
How can African artists support each other?
Firstly by being proudly African. We tend to bring each other down a lot and favour music and products from other continents over our fellow Africans’. We need to take pride in our continent and all the magnificence it has to offer. Listen to, share and buy African music, take pride in the African story. I think the reason why we have so many African artists trying to sound American is because that’s what Africa supports and that’s not right is it? We need more P Square’s and D Banj’s who have now crossed over because of support from their fellow Africans. So please like your Favourite African artists Facebook Pages, follow them on Twitter and buy their music online!!
Which artist would you like to work with locally and internationally? And why?
Locally definitely Oliver Mtukudzi. I think something crazy beautiful would come out of that combination!!!! I admire his work so much and I love how Originally African he is. His sound is beautiful and so unique. Internationally Lauryn Hill and Jean Grae. They are two very talented MC’s and I’d love to just learn from them and be inspired by them. I also think EARTH SHIFTING music would be made there.
Do you have any new project in the works?
I am definitely working on something. I’m just not sure yet whether it’s going to be a Mixtape, EP, LP or Album… I don’t want to release an Album until my Brand is where I want it to be but a lot of people keeping pushing I should do it so I am a bit conflicted. I’ll decide soon but definitely I will be releasing some kind of project in the second half of the year.
Where can we get your music?
What advice would you give to upcoming musicians?
It’s a lot of hard work but you need to push your music and push your brand if you want to make it. There is always someone better and more talented; you just have to want it more. Social media has opened up so many doors and you need to use that to get your music to the world. Don’t just focus on getting your music heard in your home country. You need to have a bigger vision from the onset! Dream Big and Push HARD!!!
How can your fans connect with you?
Twitter: @DJ_Naida (www.twitter.com/dj_naida)
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Facebook: DJ Naida (www.facebook.com/djnaida00)
