User:Damaradikding/sandbox

Damara Dik Ding (Singer)
Arthur !Nanub (born December 08, 1980), better known as Damara Dik Ding is singer-songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer from Windhoek, Namibia. He is known for once being the ring leader of the most influential groups of Kwaito, the Matongo family. Damara Dik Ding is new solo artist but certainly is no stranger to the music industry. He made his debut back in 1997, when he started rapping with a childhood friend, André Gariseb, as the duo King Arthur & Lé Dreg. During the years 1999-2006 he joined the Matongo Family and co-composed, arranged, produced and recorded 2 albums with the group. After a full nine year stint, which included two acclaimed album releases and NBC (Namibia Broadcasting Coorperation) Music Makers plus a Sanlam NBC Music Award, with the group, Damara Dikding went solo in 2007 to pursue a successful solo career. He composed, arranged, produced and recorded the R&B/Hip-Hop album SEUL in French and English and broke through to the more mainstream European music market.

Music Career As a teenager Damara Dik Ding was surrounded by the avant –garde culture of urbanism in the Namibian Capital, Windhoek. He was witness to the uprising of the Namibian music moment from its roots. His early music experience started on playing the keyboard being mentored by his cousin Piet !Nanub and before long he started playing party gigs alongside Piet. While still with the Matongo family, Arthur reassessed his goals of establishing himself in the music sector and made the important decision to reinvent himself by attending Marketing and Audio Engineering courses at College Audio Engineering in Cape Town, South Africa. After graduating with newly acquired skills in the art of digital recording, producing and engineering, Arthur entered the Namibian music scene with local talent.

Damara Dikding has also been working with other well known Namibian artists including Jericho, LP Family and Omzoo. He was commissioned in 1998 to produce the bulk complete debut album ‘Sebalon’ of Damara 5 (Boli Motseng, Black Diamond and Mannekie Zulu). In February 2009, Damara Dinkding reached another milestone and founded his own music production company, Chesta Record and within 8 months he composed, produced and recorded his debut album, which is set for release in before April 2010. The first single 'Bakuten' featuring Trowizazz was well received and created massive buzz on radio airwaves, on the streets, and on the Internet. The 'Bakuten' music video spinned in heavy rotation across the nation earning major airplay on TV daily. The video popularity of the song expanded as it aired on the continent’s premier music channel, Channel O. The video stretched Damara Dikding The video help Damara Dikding gain international attention when it was nominated for in 2009 Channel O Music Video Awards in the best. As if that was not enough, 'Bakuten' was also nominated for 2009 Sanlam NBC Music Awards in the Best Ma/gaisa/Damara Punch, Best Collaboration, Best Kwaito, Best Music Video, Best Song of the Year categories respectively. The prominence of the 'Bakuten' expanded oversees to Europe, where it was featured extensively by DJ Edu on the BBC’s 1Xtra - Destination Africa show (described as the hottest radio show underground sounds of Africa in the UK).

All these early accomplishments attributed Damara Dikding to become one of the most prominent recording artists in the country with a significant following of loyal fans dispersed around the world. With unapologetic, catchy, witty and in your face lyrics - Damara Dikding is asserting himself as the young man who speaks about transforming the mindset and moving out of poverty with his brand new single '/Hasase Gai' (loosely translated; born poor ). He clearly states "I'm really feeling tough times in Katutura and I'm thinking how I should get out of it". As an artist, he feels that he has no qualms about expressing his thoughts in his music. "I create from a place of reality and my music is a representation of who I am...and I'm outspoken. I believe that I'm on top of my game, own my craft and takes pride in who I'm as an artist" says Damara Dikding.

Currently he has completed a 13 track album which will be released under his label Chessta Records. Namibian artists such as Jericho, Auntie Souza, Rafiq, LP Family, Damara 5 and Omzoo have all had the opportunity to have songs produced by Damara Dik Ding. Damara Dik Ding was a Channel 0 nominee and was called out to perfom on Big Brother Africa.

Personal Life

Damara Dik Ding born and bred in Katutura, Windhoek was raised by a single mother who was a primary school teacher. Since his mother was a big soul music fan, Arthur spent most of his youth listening to music from his mother’s private collection. According to Damara Dik Ding, he could easily relate to hip-hop because it easily portrays street life seeing that he grew up in a ruff neighborhood. After his run-ins with the law for drug dealing and assault he spent some time in jail during which time he realized there was something better out there for him to do and make a positive impact on the society.

Discography

Nominations

References 
 * 1) http://www.inamibia.co.na/music/namibian-music/item/7607-damara-dik-ding.html
 * 2) http://beta.mnet.co.za/mnetvideo/BrowseVideo.aspx?channelId=38&CategoryId=33
 * 3) http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/5s-tNd8EaWY
 * 4) http://www.informante.web.na/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=6496
 * 5) http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews
 * 6) http://www.shakara.be/2010/08/09/blog/video-damara-dik-ding-feat-trowizazz-bakuten/
 * 7) http://namtunes.com/index.php/videos/viewvideo/22/music/dixon-feat-sally-damara-dik-ding-zanele-and-jericho-down-low-namtunes

External Links

Official website