NANDELE
Born in Maputo in 1981, son of the first black director of the Mozambican National Radio after the independence, Nandele Maguni travels with his family to Zimbabwe, where he lives until he is 7 years old. He grows up in a family from the Makonde tribe, being exposed early on to the music of Fela Kuti, Kanda Bongo Man, Hugh Masekela, Steven Kakana, Miriam Makeba, amongst others. Through his father comes also the music of Michael Jackson, Kool And The Gang, Bob Marley and Toots And The Maytals. All these great musical references helped to shape Nandele´s taste and in the 90s he was already freestyling to hip-hop beats, on sundays, on the National Union Of Journalists. Also in the 90s a friend of his dares him to play on a grunge band, inspiring him to learn to play the drums. This project had a short life and in 2004 Nandele takes up the drums on the hip-hop group Projecto Kamuflado, playing in many venues and drawing the attention of some producers. After a short residency on the historic bar Gil Vicente, with the Boom Bap Crew, Nandele is invited to stay in Gil Vicente´s resident band as a presenter and singer. At the same time he is spreading his good taste in several DJ sets throughout Maputo. His growing interest in electronic music and the possibilities that this style brings to a live show, leads him to start producing his own beats and form a new audiovisual project called Awesomakossa. In 2013 he was invited to be the DJ of the band Azagaia & Os Cortadores de Lenha, accompanying one of the most important rappers from the lusophone world.