Meet Thabo Chinake a rising rapper from Harare, Zimbabwe professionally known as K The Chosen and based in Canada. Chinake moved from home in pursuit of a Bachelor of Commerce from the Haskayne School of Business, graduating in 2021, where he faced his fair share of challenges as a young international student. Amidst the homesickness and academic pressures, he stumbled upon a collection of letters his mother, an English teacher, had written to him 22 years earlier before he was born. These letters, filled with love and hope, provided him with the strength he needed to overcome his doubts and rediscover his creative spark.
In his own words, “My mom, who was an English teacher at the time, wrote the letters when she was pregnant with me,” says Chinake in a story published by the University of Calgary. They were tributes of love to her unborn son, and to the adult she envisioned he would become. “Her words helped me bounce back,” he says. “They gave me space inside myself to move.”
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| Thabo Chinake, aka KTheChosen Image Credit: Mikey B Photography |
Today, he serves as an account manager at a prominent staffing and recruitment firm. However, his true passion lies in the realm of hip-hop and creative expression. "Sometimes when I'm not in the exciting world of recruiting, I'm in the creative world of hip-hop," he says in a LinkedIn post.
In the realm of music, K The Chosen isn't just an artist; he's also a dedicated advocate for Calgary's creative community. His artistry goes beyond personal expression; it extends to collaboration and community growth. With collaborations that span local poets, Indigenous drummers, and music producers, he embodies the essence of artistic inclusivity and unity.
K The Chosen's artistic journey was nurtured by his father, who introduced him to hip-hop through his own experiences as a DJ. Even though his mother might not have fully approved of the content, Thabo was drawn to the intricate wordplay and captivating beats of hip-hop.
“My dad is a lawyer but he used to be a DJ,” Chinake says in an interview published by Calgary Herald. “So a lot of my early hip-hop listening, to the disappointment of my mom, came from my Dad. He played me, Eminem when I was nine or 10. I was a bit young for such mature content, but I just loved the wordplay, I love the beats. I was listening to hip-hop pretty much the majority of my life.” Moreover, his father's affinity for jazz instilled in him an appreciation for instrumental music. Over the years, he has expanded his musical horizons, influenced by the dynamic tastes of his friends and peers.
K The Chosen's artistic prowess hasn't gone unnoticed. His recent feature on "10 R&B And Rap Artists From Alberta To Add To Your Playlist" by Complex solidified his presence on the international map. The tagline "friendly neighbourhood rapper" perfectly encapsulates his persona as an artist who is both relatable and innovative.
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