Zimbabwean rapper EXQ has told the BBC that he has big dreams of performing at the O2, after his first sold out show in the UK.
“Shout out to everyone who came, it was beautiful. My dream is to perform for a bigger crowd, I want more, I want to be in O2 with maybe five thousand, ten thousand.”
EXQ has been in the music industry for 21 years, starting off in the early 2000s doing urban grooves, a genre which incorporated urban dancehall, urban jazz, and Zimbabwe’s urban Sungura music.
But EXQ’s sound has evolved with time and he’s still dropping songs, like his most recent collaboration with Zimbabwean singer Takura, One More Time.
But it’s not his ability to adapt and change that EXQ cites as the reason for his continued success in the industry, he also points to something more practical.
“You have to invest money also. I think when you do that you really work hard so that you come up with a good product,” he said.
EXQ has also benefitted from some wise advice from Zimbabwean legend Oliver Mtukudzi. In 2007 they released a song together – Pane Rudo.
“He told me: ‘When you do have shows make sure you perform very well ’cause everybody’s watching.’”
You can hear EXQ on This is Africa this Saturday, on BBC World Service radio and partner stations across Africa, as well as online here.