1. Mazbou Q's parents moved to England, where he and his sister were born, Mazbou Q in Liverpool.
17 Facts About Mazbou Q
1. 2.
The family moved to New Zealand in the early 1990s and Mazbou Q grew up in Manurewa, Auckland.
3.
Mazbou Q says there weren't many Africans in the country at that time, so he saw himself as a pioneer in establishing a Black culture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
4.
Musically, Mazbou Q started with classical piano, then moved into heavy metal, fronting the Auckland band East of Eden.
5.
Mazbou Q chose the professional name Unchained XL in 2016.
6.
Mazbou Q had been producing music for some time and liked the independence he saw in self-producing and performing hip hop live.
7.
Mazbou Q toured the UK with shows in London, Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds and Cardiff, performing with artists Mungos HiFi, Afro Cluster and Eva Lazarus, and supported by his live band.
Related searches
George Floyd 8.
Mazbou Q released his self-produced debut album, "The Future Was", in July 2021.
9.
From 2020 to July 2022 Mazbou Q featured on nine singles, EPs and studio albums by other artists.
10.
Mazbou Q was in the New Zealand Womad lineup for 2022 which was cancelled because of COVID-19 disruptions.
11.
Mazbou Q is in the New Zealand Womad lineup for 2023.
12.
Mazbou Q has been heavily influenced by his Christian faith, and saw his music being a vehicle for positive messages and redemption.
13.
Mazbou Q is the lead producer at his Auckland-based audio production house Unchained XL Production Co.
14.
Mazbou Q was one of the organisers of the Black Lives Matter George Floyd protests in Auckland on 1 June and 14 June 2020.
15.
Mazbou Q spoke and wrote about the appropriation of Black American culture, including hip hop ghetto culture born from the oppressed minorities the South Bronx in the 1970s, and the lack of exposure for New Zealand Black African hip hop artists compared to Maori and Pasifika artists.
16.
Mazbou Q married Jess Johnston in 2014 and their daughter was born in 2020.
17.
In 2018, Mazbou Q identified as a Christian, which influenced his music and provided a framework for racial justice issues.