Artist Information
| Born In : | Kabwe |
B Flow (Brian Mumba Kasoka Bwembya) is a Zambian Musician and peer educator influencer advocating for positive change through the art. His version of Dear Mama featuring Barack Obama proved successful with detailing the Genesis of B Flow.
Genesis of the Musician
Brian started out as a member of the School Boys’ Scout Club in Grade 1 at Kasanda Malombe Primary School in Kabwe. He left the club shortly and became a basketball player in Grade 2, after he was influenced by his ‘Basketballer’ Uncle Frank Byrne.
In 4th Grade, Brian moved to Serenje with his mother Mirriam where he joined the poetry club at Serenje Boma School and participated in competitions; reciting poems.
In Grade 5, Brian learned how to beat the African drum and became a drummer and singer in the school cultural group. He was also one of the only two male dancers in the group.
His favorite subject was English. He recalls how he made sure that he got the highest marks in English in class. Brian adds that every teacher of English instantly liked him.
In 7th Grade, Brian’s family moved back to Kabwe, where he attended Broadway Basic School. His new teacher of English Miss Sosala found Brian to be a good student and influenced him to join the Child’s Rights Club where he actively participated until 9th Grade. He also competed in local musical competitions such as music crossroads and trod-on.
He passed his Grade 9 examinations and was selected to attend Kabwe High School.
Because of his good writing skills and clear handwriting, Brian was appointed Chief Printer for the Kabwe High School Press Club in Grade10. He wrote inspirational weekly articles that were published on the school notice board. The same year, he was elected Chairperson for the school library’s disciplinary committee owing to his regular presence in the library.
Due to his passion for advocacy and peer education, Brian joined the Anti-AIDS/Drug Club the same year, where he actively participated in quiz and singing. He received numerous praises for his rapping skills too. He remembers that most people said they loved his “Flow”. So he named himself “B Flow” which became quite a popular name in school. In 3rd term of Grade 10, Brian was elected vice president for the Anti-AIDS/Drug Club because of his dedication to counselling his fellow pupils who used to smoke Marijuana and drink alcohol. Mentored by Mr Chikonde, every week Brian mobilized new members and taught the club about HIV and drugs. He was later trained by the Kabwe Adventist Family Health Institute(KAFHI) as a peer educator. His club won a number of quiz & talent competitions(Music, Drama and Poetry) on AIDS & Drug awareness in central province.
In Grade 11, he was elected Club President, a role that helped him teach fellow pupils about behavioral change. B Flow became famous in school for his rap verse on “I Know AIDS is real”, a song composed by his Club Patron Mr Chikonde which they often sang together.
Due to his dedication to studies and co-curricular activities, Brian was selected as a prefect in the 3rd term of Grade 11.
Brian’s good leadership in the club was identified by an NGO called Students Partnership Worldwide who featured him in the quarterly ”Tikambe” Magazine and trained him as a peer educator. Then he was elected Kabwe District President for all-schools’ Anti-AIDS Clubs.
B Flow’s passion for music kept growing, such that at the end of 11th Grade, he travelled to Lusaka and recorded his first studio demo ‘Osalila’ at Romaside Studio. He was sponsored by Lawyer Ignatius Choongwe who was impressed by B Flow’s performance during a talent show at Kabwe Sacred Heart Parish.
At the beginning of 12th grade, Brian was selected Students’ President (School Headboy). With this new position and having recorded a new song from a professional studio, Brian became a High School superstar. He performed at all school events and improved his stage presence, which prepared him for a professional musical career which was to follow. He recalls that almost every student called him by his stage name “B Flow”, despite being a respected Student’s President.
B Flow’s stage confidence was later amplified by his membership in the School Debate Club where he once emerged best speaker during an inter-school debate..
After his final High School examination, B Flow moved to Lusaka to live with his uncles and enrolled into college. He studied Marketing and Social Science at the National Institute of Public Administration and University of Zambia respectively. Whilst in University, B Flow was selected for a Peer Educators’ training, sponsored by the Society For Family Health(SFH) in 2008.
In 2012, B Flow decided that now that he was famous and influential, he would use his music to continue his peer education and influence social change. He believes that he has always been an advocate for positive social change.
