In this hour-long interview, Ugandan rapper Navio sits down with host NuveySHAWN Ayella to discuss his career, upcoming projects, and longevity in the music industry.
Highlights:
The Navio Orchestra Show: Navio details his upcoming 10th concert, which will be a unique hip-hop show backed by a 40-45 musician orchestra [04:46], [06:18]. He explains he’d been wanting to do this for years, feeling that hip-hop should continue to lead the way in production value, just as it has with music videos and live band performances [03:40], [04:52]. A live album of the orchestral arrangements would be released a few weeks after the show [07:03].
Career Longevity: With 20 years in the game, Navio attributes his consistency to being “stubborn,” his genuine love for hip-hop, and a desire to showcase Uganda’s musical diversity [15:52], [16:42]. He also credits fellow artist Lyrical G for teaching him about consistency on a regional level [36:00].
The Song “Cold” and The Myth: He discusses his collaboration “Cold” with former Klear Kut groupmate, The Mith. He explains the song reminds listeners of his roots as a battle MC and conscious rapper [08:22]. He also shares that they recorded the track in a penthouse studio to get out of their comfort zone and spark creativity [12:02].
Handling Criticism: Navio advises new artists to treat music as a business and let their craft be the answer to critics [18:55], [19:34]. He discusses recent industry conflicts, including a controversy over awards [27:54] and a comparison to the Kendrick/Drake beef, which he dismisses by pointing to his own extensive accolades (60+ awards, 1000+ shows) [37:23], [38:44].
Origin of his Nickname: He shares that “Navio” came from his basketball days. French exchange students would yell “Avion” (plane) for his dunks, which local kids misheard and repeated as “Navio” [24:14].
Business and Branding: He emphasizes that artists must think beyond just recording. He discusses his “Navio X” projects, such as a tourism initiative that involved traveling Uganda with a mobile studio, resulting in an album [50:54].
Klear Kut Reunion: Navio reveals the group recorded a third album (“K cubed”) which was entirely lost when the studio was robbed [01:08:00]. This, combined with members living abroad and the COVID-19 pandemic, has delayed a reunion, but he remains hopeful [01:09:27].
The podcast concludes with a rapid-fire round where he chooses between some of his most popular songs [01:04:28].
You can watch the full episode below:
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