WHILE it is a norm for most African parents to urge their artistically talented children to forgo their passion and focus on school, Nyashadzashe Alison “Nag Beatz” Gurira (18) has been fortunate to get support from his parents to pursue his dream.

Nag Beatz is an “A” Level student at Churchill Boys High School in Harare who is following his passion in music production and beat making.

The teenage producer is aiming for the top in the local hip-hop genre having found motivation from fellow stars in the game like Nkosilathi “Volts JT” Sibiya, who pursued his music career while enrolled at University of Zimbabwe where he is studying electronic telecommunications.

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have been devastating for many, for Nag Beatz it was time to hone his musical talent.

And some artistes are taking notice of the unique sounds he produces.

He is adamant that music will not obstruct his academic pursuance because it may not pay enough for his desired.

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NewsDay Weekender caught him for a chat.

Background

We are the only two children in our family and I am the first child. I grew up in Chisipite and still live there with my parents and younger sibling.

Venturing into showbiz

I grew up playing drums in church, so one day back in 2019 I came across a video on Instagram where a dancer, Hiikey was making beats and I just liked how he was doing it. I told myself that I should try making beats since I already knew how to play drums.

That was the beginning of my journey that has grown into a habit which I later nurtured into a career under the moniker Nag Beatz.

The nickname came from my friends who would call me Nag and I then added Beatz when I started making the beats.

When it comes to music producing, I have allowed myself to be versatile and I am able to work on a variety of genres that includes, hip-hop, Afro, trap and drill.

So far, I have worked with both rising and well-known names in the music industry.

Role models

As a producer I draw my inspiration from prominent producers such as Kyle Beats, Nick Mira, Chuki Beats and Jax Dabeatbully. My sister has been very supportive since the beginning, while my mom and dad also love what I do despite that sometimes they complain about me doing too much of beats, at the expense of schoolwork.

Balancing schoolwork and music

I consider myself a goal getter, hence I make sure that whatever I set my mind on works perfectly in the end.

The choice to make music came while I was already pursuing my academic dreams, so I am chasing the two goals. As someone who is thirsty for both, I try to balance my time on the two.

During COVID-19 national lockdown, I used to have more time in the studio, but with the relaxation of COVID-19 regulations and schools re-opening to physical classes, my time in the studio has been limited.

When I am in the studio, however, I make sure that it is serious business, but as of now school has been taking up most of my time since I am writing my advanced level final examinations.

Lately, I have not been able to make beats as usual, but during the previous school terms, I remember bringing my laptop to school and would start creating beats during break or lunch time.

I sometimes make beats while putting on my earphones during the night just to avoid making noise for my parents.

Overall, I would say I just try to find a balance between the two, some days I do more school than beats and some days it is vice versa.

Career highlight

Working with artistes like Bling4 and R Peels has been my the highlight of my musical journey. It gave me confidence and motivation to believe more in myself and the talent God has given me.

I also take time to render my skills to aspiring artistes in my area.

Targets

Now that I have managed to strike some deals with local artistes, I am aiming for the top and I believe I will reach there soon.

In my endeavours, I wish to work with bigger artistes in the industry and have my work recognised internationally.

Other talents

Besides producing and beat making, I am a drummer and I like filmmaking too.

Boredom

When I do not feel motivated to make beats, I listen to a lot of music just to get motivation. As a result of the stiff competition in the industry I sometimes feel like I am not making any progress at all.

Follow Rejoice on twitter @rejoicephi1998
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