No End In Sight For Exit

Exit has played a vital role in contributing to the growth of Namibian music with his series of hits and body of work over the years.

He has been a part of the music game for a long time and is a praised member of the Namibian community who does not require much introduction – the music speaks for itself.

The star recently released his eighth studio album, ‘The Life of Kunta Kinte’, and The Weekender caught up with him to find out more about his latest project.

The album consists of 19 songs and features Sunny Boy, AJ, Manqoba, 2ko, Koxa, Top Cheri, K-Legend, Vundakan and Ras Sheehama. Exit mentioned that ‘The Life of Kunta Kinte’ not only documents true events, but represents the struggle that black people have gone through – and are still going through – in Africa and the world at large.

“It is all about the awakening of black consciousness.”

With eight albums to his name, the star’s aim, at this point in his career, is to create music with a purpose. He says over the last couple of years, his audience has broadened and he has grown artistically along with those who love his music.

“I am the son of the soil. I’m a component of the Namibian flag that is raised every morning. I’m the taxi and the bus driver. I carry the spirit of Namibia with me and I am a big part of the culture,” Exit says proudly.

He hopes fans walk away from listening to ‘The Life of Kunte Kinte’ with a spirit of patriotism, fearlessness and self-belief. Although he chose not to say much about the roll-out plan of the album, the reigning kwaito king believes that if you make it at home, you can make it anywhere.

“A lot of artists who get airplay on Trace are not known here at home, but I’m a mamba here, and that is important to me. I take pride in having control of my territory. People should just be ready for a surprise.”

Despite having so many albums under his belt, Exit maintains he still has a long way to go. His recipe for longevity is staying humble. “My family and true friends keep me grounded. They constantly remind me of who I truly am, whether I want to hear it or not. And just like in football, you cannot contest the legacies of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, so musically I believe I am like those football stars and that gives me the confidence to excel at what I do.”

Exit’s manager, Simon Neonga, says fans will once again realise why music is the star’s passion. “He does not force making music, it is for this reason that this album is a combination of various genres to cater for the majority, if not everyone. After listening to the album, people will definitely walk away with the true definition of who Exit is. That which he possesses is not talent, but a blessing from above.”