Interview with Rapper/Actor Sam (Dope G) Sakala

Sam (Dope G) Sakala is a multitalented rapper and actor. He is founding member of Hip-hop collective, Zone Fam. Dope G has an all-round flow and captures his audience with immaculate storytelling, multi syllable rhyming and his ability to draw in his audience. His first major acting role was in the series “Love Game”, and now you can see him as ‘Taonga’ in the popular Zambezi Magic series “Fever”.

We caught up with him for an interview:

KAPA187: For those who may not know, briefly tell us about yourself.

SAM SAKALA: There are so many sides to me so it’s always hard to generalize but I will try. My name is Sam Sakala. I am Zambian, born and bred in Lusaka city. I went to government schools, a point I love to stress. Single mother raised with an active baby sitter in the form of a radio and eventually a black and white TV which I think are the biggest influences that helped shape my character and ignited the passion that I am making a living off of now.

KAPA187: From the time Zone Fam came on to the scene with your breakout single “Shaka Zulu on em”, you, as a group, have seen a lot of success, winning awards both locally and abroad. How have you been able to consistently produced good music?

SAM SAKALA: We have stayed consistent by firstly working hard. Secondly we have tried as much as possible to stand out by doing what others would consider risky due to lack of a precedent and lastly just by aiming as high as we possibly can and keeping the bar high.

KAPA187:  After having a lot of success in music what prompted you to go into acting?

SAM SAKALA: I think acting was a gift given to me by the music. For my first acting role, I got a call from someone I had mingled with in the music circles who had asked me to check out an audition they had advertised. I was quick to turn down the offer as I thought it was ridiculous so that original role passed me by. In the same period, there was an opportunity to do voice overs for an animated series that someone was doing and they wanted me to be on board. So after the first rehearsal, I realized I was able to use my voice to play a character completely different from who I am and I figured if I could do this with my voice then I might as well try out acting. So I immediately called the person who had called me about the acting audition and they told me the original role they wanted me to play was taken but there was one role they had found no one for and I was called in for a closed audition. I nervously went through the audition after which I was convinced I made a mess of but about a week later, I got a call telling me I got the role to play Chilufya in ‘Love Games’. We went through some refresher courses in acting with the guidance of legendary actors such us Mr. Jeff Sitali, Wesley Kaonga, Bob Nkosha and Benne Banda just to be prepped for the screen and that is how I ended up with ‘actor’ in my bio.

KAPA187:  In the popular Zambezi Magic series ‘fever’ you play the character Taonga. How did you get that role?

SAM SAKALA: For Fever again, I got a tip off about an audition that Global Studios were having that someone felt I should be a part of. I quickly googled them just to make sure they were legit because I had gotten offered a few gigs after Love Games that I was skeptical about. I went in to audition and there were so many talented actors trying out for it so even this time I doubted I was going to get the role but I somehow did. The rest is history.

KAPA187: For those who haven’t watch ‘fever’ yet how would you describe Taonga and are there any similarities between the character you portray and yourself?

SAM SAKALA: Taonga is a good guy from a well to do family of which his is the heir to the family business. He is a mommy’s boy so he comes off a bit naïve and he is engaged to a young lady who comes from another powerful family and their union will make the respective family empires stronger. He ends up meeting a young lady named Mwaka (played by Grace Rumsey) who unlike Taonga, lives on the edge and his life takes a complete turn at this point. I don’t think there are any similarities between Taonga and Sam or Dope G.

KAPA187: ‘Fever’ has become wildly popular in the few weeks that it has been on air. Did you anticipate this reaction?

SAM SAKALA: The response has been overwhelming. I knew it was going to be popular but not to the extent that it has reached. I thought because Zambezi magic is relatively new people might not catch on quite as fast but we are humbled by the response.

KAPA187:  What needs to be done to take the Zambian film industry to the next level and how long do you think it will take?

SAM SAKALA: I think the first step is catering to the local market. There is a demand for local content where film is concerned and there are also talented people who would make it happen but unfortunately there aren’t enough people with the financial power coming forward to pump money into this industry. I however commend the organizations and individuals who have taken the first step to fund the arts industry and also the consumers who have given local productions a chance. I think we are at that next level we spoke of 10 years ago and Zambia will get seen by the world but it starts with local support first.

KAPA187: In contrast to the film industry, the music industry in doing quite well.  What changes have you observed from the time you started music to now, and what more needs to be done?

SAM SAKALA: One of my favorite changes in the music industry is just how diverse it has become. You won’t find a Dope G song sounding like a Wezi, Chef 187, James Sakala or Willz song. There is more variety for the listeners as opposed to what it was maybe 20years ago. What more needs to be done is just the emphasis on quality. Some people sadly feel the need to keep a certain level of mediocrity in the music so as to appeal to the masses but that is hurting us in the long run. We should maintain the same standard we would maintain when catering to the local market as we would to the international market. So better writing, packaging, production and engineering for both the music and the visuals that accompany the music are key.

KAPA187: Between acting and music which do you find more fulfilling?

SAM SAKALA: They both have their perks and somewhere somehow they are intertwined. For example, when I am on stage performing, I put on an act so that is me getting the best of both worlds. I really cannot pick one all I can say is I am having the time of my life doing both.

KAPA187:  As a collective Zone fam has been very successful. You have also been successful individually. It is refreshing to see how much you all support each other. What is it that keeps your bond so strong and prevents envy and jealousy?

SAM SAKALA: We are brothers. We have been through so much together and we know of each other’s struggles and hurdles that 3rd parties will never understand. Jealousy is a weak emotion; I know that when my brother wins, I win so I am here for all the stuff my teammates venture into in their own individual capacities as they are here for mine.

KAPA187: You single “My Hair” that was released late last year is a massive hit. What was the concept behind it?

SAM SAKALA: My hair was inspired by the women in my life who I watched stress about their hair as I grew up around them. It is such a huge issue that some women and girls find their identity in the hair they have or lack. I was just trying to tell our women that true beauty shines from the inside and all these external factors shouldn’t worry them at all. Since its release, I have had so many women tell me how I helped with their self-esteem and to me, that ability to impact on someone’s life positively is more important than any award or monetary reward.

KAPA187: Are you currently working on a solo album? If so tell us what your fans can expect from it?

SAM SAKALA: I am working on a solo album. It is my first album so the people should expect 20 something years’ worth of bottled up emotions and topics that I am pouring out into this body of work. I have put together a team of some of the best producers in the land to help me bring out the best version of Dope G there can be. Come July, I should be ready to share my work with the world and I am optimistic that people will purchase this album in numbers.

KAPA187: Apart from music and acting what else are you involved in?

SAM SAKALA: I am trying out this thing of sticking to one thing at a time and doing it to the best of my abilities. I had taken a break from recording the time I was on set shooting for Fever and now that it is done, I am focusing my energies on this album. I have also learnt of so many other parts of the creative industry that I have been exploring so I am just waiting to get done with the album and I can go and get creative in yet another art related field.

KAPA187: Any last word…

SAM SAKALA: To all the people supporting Zambian entertainment, we thank you so much, we shall keep doing our best to keep you entertained. To my fellow entertainers, this has been a pretty tasking period as there have been so many disagreements and people airing their dirty laundry in public and in turn bringing the entire fraternity to being viewed in a bad light.  My plea is that we remain united as this is the only way we shall push our country forward. God bless you all.

BY KAPA187