PilAto

Early life

Chama Fumba in one of Ndola's sprawling townships and his upbringing was rough one of the cities poorest neighborhoods brought him close to the pitfalls of poverty and the daily struggles of the masses.

At the age of 10 he already started indulging in poetry to keep his mind off the pressures that had befallen him.

Musical career

pilAto's music is largely broad-spectrum social commentary with generous overtones of contemporary Hip Hop after starting out as a poet Pilato is referred to as the voice of the voiceless, he is known to be a relevant voice in the dispensation of Democracy in Zambia.pilAto has managed to affix art and music on the political picture in Zambia today.

In 2010 Pilato won the Ngoma Award as Zambia's Best Poet. He was later nominated for Best Music Video at the Born & Bred Awards in 2011.

Music and politics

In between the year 2010 and 2011 he had released a song satirically referring to some non-performing Zambian MP's as "Mental Patients".

In 2013, he recorded a single entitled "Bufi" featuring Petersen, a highly politically charged song that labeled the late President Michael Sata a "Father of Lies". The song got a negative feed back as the supporters of the ruling party were up in arms and he claims he received numerous death threats over the song. In 2015 Pilato showed his support for opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema and put up regular performances at his rally's countrywide. His support for Mr Hichilema failed to clinch him State House; the PF won the election in what was one of the tightest election victories ever recorded since Zambia reverted to plural politics. 6 months later he recorded a song of Nashil Pischen Kazembe's 1970s hit "Aphiri Anabwela" but he changed the lyrics to "Alungu Anbwela". Unapologetic, the musician was bundled up and slapped with charges of conduct likely to breach peace . His case drew widespread media coverage even beyond Zambian borders.

Legal issues

Pilato on record was arrested once in his career over his songs that where considered as conduct likely to breach peace.

2013

In 2013 rumours came out to say that pilAto was arrested over the song "Bufi". In the song Pilato and Petersen sing about broken promises like cheap fuel, construction of roads and job opportunities for young people. They used words like Boza, Bufi, Ulabeja, Wenye which all mean the same thing: lies. But all these reports where dismissed by the Lusaka Police Chief Joyce Kasosa that Pilato has been detained over his latest song titled Bufi. The police Chef said the police department have not recorded any such incident and that Pilato is still a free citizen. Pilato also then confirmed saying he had not been to any police station.

2015

In June 2015 Pilato was arrested over a song remix of the legendary Nashil Pischen Kazembe's Aphiri Anabwela but featuring Pilato's lyrics which call President Lungu"a drunk," among several other insults. After he got out jail Pilato said he can not defame the Head of State with his song and that he was just merely bringing out his message.

Awards and nominations

Albums

Selected songs