If my dad lived, I wouldn’t be an artiste – Macky 2
ZAMBIAN hip-hop star Macky 2 has revealed that his music career might have not existed if his father had not died, saying the loss changed the entire course of his life.
Macky 2, real name Mulaza Kaira, said his father was deeply committed to academics and had clear expectations for his future.
According to Macky 2, his father died when he was 15 and his mother seven years earlier – a double tragedy that forced him to mature early.
“If my dad was around, there was no way I was going to be an artiste. My dad was big on academics. I’m sure he would have wanted me to be an accountant, engineer or a lawyer, in general just having a formal job,” he stated.
Appearing on #DadsWithoutDads podcast, the award-winning artiste recalled that the moment his father passed, he became fully aware that his life had permanently changed.
“I was just 15 and I knew exactly what I was going through. I just remember knowing, telling myself and accepting that I’m now an orphan,” he said.
Following his father’s death, the rapper moved to live with relatives in Chingola, a transition he said came with hard lessons about responsibility and survival.
“I knew I didn’t have the opportunities I had when my dad was alive. I couldn’t afford to be nonchalant about school or how I carried myself,” he explained.
Determined not to be a burden, Macky 2 said he made a deliberate decision to prove his value in the household.
“When someone is trying to help you, show that you can make it happen. I deliberately tried to make myself an asset, not a liability,” he said, adding that he would do chores and avoid trouble at all costs.
“Why should you bring trouble when you are being kept?” he added.
The ‘Soilange’ hitmaker believes that the pain he experienced played a major role in shaping his independence and work ethic.
“Me losing my dad made me more independent, more aware, more deliberate about who I wanted to become. It made me work harder than I would have if he was there as a safety net,” he said.
Macky 2 added that the hardships that once felt overwhelming ultimately shaped his path, turning loss into the drive that built one of Zambia’s most respected music careers.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba February 28, 2026