United States of America (USA) artists under the banner of Next Level, who have been conducting masterclasses in different disciplines in the country at Kweza in Lilongwe, have said they are inspired by the amount of talent and positive energy in the country.
The USA artists have been holding masterclasses in dance, beat making, MCing and Graffiti which started on November 4 and ends today.
The artist educators are Queen Gabby (dance), Polaryss (MC), DJ Hoppa (beatmaker), Nosey42 (aerosol/street art) and Masta Minch (videographer) led by site manager MeccaGodZilla.
DJ Hoppa said the student collaborators have been eager to learn and share their skills.
“I cannot wait to follow their journeys and see how far they go but the talent is massive,” DJ Hoppa said.
Polaryss said “this experience has confirmed what I already suspected.”
“Malawi is full of talented and gifted people with a love for hip hop culture that cannot be taught. It is humbling to share space with such talented and vibrant artists,” the MC said.
Polaryss added: “My prayer is that this experience fuels a desire to create a flourishing hip hop scene in Malawi that far surpasses anything we could have ever expected.”
Queen Gabby, who is into dance also said: “These students in Malawi are pure magic. Their passion, dedication and wisdom radiate from them, far beyond their years.
“I see in them a spark of a future yet to unfold – a future where they will be the heartbeat of the Malawian hip hop scene, guiding the culture to new heights for generations to come.”
Nosey42, who is into street art said it feels very rewarding to teach students with such drive and dedication.
“Every artist in the workshop brought a wealth of talent and I can confidently say they will be playing a huge role in transforming the visual landscape in the coming years,” Nosey42 said.
The artist further said that the kindness and positive energy of the people in the workshop has been incredible.
Kweza Art, the host of the masterclasses said that one of the biggest takeaways from the masterclasses is the amazing talent in Malawi.
“It is a priviledge as Kweza to be tasked with facilitating this programme. As the name Kweza suggests, our main objective is to elevate the creative and cultural industry in Malawi. Coincidentally, Next Level is about elevating the arts, so, through this programme we are seeing talented Malawians raising their art,” Hub Manager Alfred Ochieng said.
