ZaNyimbo TV E24 - KBG Chats with Mercah | "Koso" Copyright Stare & Global Afrobeats Goals (@kbg)

The "Yo Shaba" hitmaker is in the building! Mercah sits down with KBG on Za Nyimbo TV for a candid conversation about his journey from a high school rapper at Chaminade to becoming a force in the Malawian Afrobeats scene. Mercah pulls back the curtain on the "King" meaning behind his name, his evolution through dancehall and Afro-swing, and the importance of maintaining an authentic Tumbuka identity in a global market. He also addresses the viral social media controversy surrounding his hit song "Koso," the truth about his viral TikTok trends, and why he’s prioritizing international collaborations with artists like Timaya and Mr. Drew. This episode also dives into: Musical DNA: Family connection to the legend, Maggi Kadrum. The "Koso" Changing the title from "Foso" and dealing with copyright takedowns. Identity vs. Boxing: Why he refuses to call his music "Northern Sound" Creative Process: Recording freestyle vibes in less than 40 minutes to keep the energy real. Smart Career Moves: Navigating "dirty" industry games Loss of his original YouTube channel to hackers. The truth about his degree in Journalism vs. the "dropout" stories in his songs. 🎧 Whether you are a fan of "Yo Shaba" or an aspiring artist, Mercah’s mindset on competition and consistency is a must-watch. 👉 Watch, subscribe, and turn on notifications for Za Nyimbo 👉 Follow Za Nyimbo on WhatsApp Channels (links below) Chapters: 00:13 Intro & Welcome 01:23 Meaning of Merchah 02:15 Music beginnings 02:49 Chaminade rap roots 03:39 Intro to Dancehall 04:15 Transition to Afrobeats 05:09 "Yo Shaba" origin 06:12 Melodies & writing 07:24 Easiest genre to rock 08:01 Mzuzu roots & family 09:20 Relation to Maggi Khadrums 10:01 Understanding consumers 12:24 Navigating industry attention 13:52 Chasing music, not hits 15:53 Studio perfectionism 17:22 Recording the album "4B" 18:04 Overthinking vs. Vibe 20:21 TikTok success stories 22:12 First big co-sign: Gwamba 25:01 Dealing with labels 25:48 Playing it smart 28:02 Competition is a disaster 28:34 Collab story: Namadingo 32:17 Collab story: Dreamo & Classic 33:18 Testing time with Nigerian sounds 35:43 Identity & Tumbuka pride 37:17 Degree vs. "Wani" CAP 38:27 Love & life experiences 40:03 The "Malawian Sound" debate 41:43 Recording in French 43:39 Exporting Malawian sound 47:04 The cost of global features 50:19 Building a home track record 52:46 The "Koso" social media stir 54:32 Title switch: "Foso" to "Koso" 56:31 Copyright takedown truth 58:51 Hacked YouTube channel story 01:00:43 Advice: Know your worth 01:02:45 Stop comparing yourself 01:04:02 Outro & Credits #zanyimbotv #podcast #malawimusic #Mercah #YoShaba #Koso #MalawiAfrobeats #TumbukaIdentity #Gwamba #Namadingo #MalawiToTheWorld #ZanyimboPodcast Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @zanyimbotv   Welcome to Za Nyimbo, this is where we celebrate art in its entirety and celebrate the musical geniuses making the urban music scene in Malawi exciting. For more Malawian Content, Please Subscribe, Comment and Share Our Content.