NKOLE NKOLE, Lusaka
THE award-winning rap group, Zone Fam, is now down to three members after rapper Thugga left the group to pursue a solo gospel career.
The announcement was first made on April 1 via the internet and was repeated the next day, quelling rumours it was an April Fools’ prank.
Thugga had been a member of the award-winning hip-hop group since its formation in 2009.
His decision aroused mixed reactions from fans of Zone Fam, some of whom supported him and wished him well, while others expressed shock at the news.
Speaking to the Weekend Mail, Thugga shared that he was taking on a gospel career and would begin recording new music soon.
“I’m going to start working on a gospel album,” Thugga confirmed. “I just want to minister to people through music and to let them know the goodness of God.”
He said one did not need to be “holier than thou” or to come from the church to make the step.
Thugga, however, mentioned that there was a lot coming out from Zone Fam this year which people should look out for.
He said the fact that Zone Fam would now exist without him as a member, did not mean he had cut off ties with the remaining members of the group.
“On the music side, yes, things will be different but the friendship remains the same,” Thugga insisted.
He shared that he had been considering the decision to shift to gospel music for months and his former group members had given him complete support during the process.
Thugga expressed his gratitude for having performed as a member of Zone Fam in the past five years the group has been together.
He says everything he is today is because of what he fed on with the remaining three Zone Fam members whom he considers his brothers.
“Every little detail, everything you see, is because of all the years I spent with the guys. They are my brothers,” he remarked.
Thugga will soon begin recording his first solo album with Radio Café and will be working closely with associated gospel acts such as Magg 44, Pompi and Abel Chungu.
He indicated that he would not like to restrict his recording and performing to rapping alone but would go with whichever direction he feels the music is taking him at various points.
“I always write my own music and would like to release an album sometime in the second half of this year,” he added.
Zone Fam’s remaining members are Jay Rox, Yung Verbal and Dope G.