In today's episode of the As Told by Nomads Podcast, join me and Mazbou Q as we speak about how he champions his roots in music and in society. As Mazbou Q explains the evolution of his musical inclination, he shares about how music connected all of his life's experiences, just as how connected the stories of diverse minorities are in the pursuit of reclamation. As you tune in, listen as he talks about how the pandemic affected the advocacies of ethnic groups in New Zealand, the influence of social media advancement to music, how he reimagined his identity as a music artist, and as well as his thoughts on the brighter side of being eccentric.

Difference Is Also Identity

Growing up black in New Zealand was a challenge to young black children regarding influence and image. Even more for those who grew up learning music. For so many reasons, the same was for the natives of the land, but to be African, was a different type of isolation Mazbou Q admits. Most faces of urban culture were of the pacific people. And as a young African kid, finding your own black figure to look up to wasn't easy. For Mazbou Q, this made him feel so different. 

Tayo relates to this dilemma. As black folks, it's like getting caught in the middle of people defining your blackness for you and you trying to define your own blackness. But for Mazbou Q, the beautiful things come about when you decide to own your narrative. As a music artist, he uses his roots, difference, and the reimagination of his identity to shape his image and message in music as he branches out to different genres. If ever he feels eccentric, for him, it's essential to remind himself that his difference can be his treasure.

Outline of the episode:

• [03:20]    A de-colonized way of being
• [04:55] Did the pandemic stall the movement of the indigenous people in New Zealand?
• [08:24]    The Dynamics of New Zealand's Anti-COVID Response
• [13:06]    Mazbou Q's musical influence and exploration of different genres
• [16:04]    The struggles of growing up African in New Zealand
• [20:31] How content creation shapes music production today
• [27:42]    What does a music artist do to stay relevant during a lockdown?
• [32:12]    As a rapper, I came full circle to my classical background!
• [35:24]    All of your experiences and lessons in life can all tie in
• [37:14] Knocking on the differences of the younger generation

Resources:

Website: https://www.mazbouq.com/

The Future Was Album: https://smarturl.it/MZQTFW

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:

Personal Website: https://tayorockson.com

UYD Management: https://uydmanagement.com/

UYD Collective: https://tayorockson.com/uyd-collective

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayorockson 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TayoRockson

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