Music, Mental Health, and Storytelling
- Personal vs. Relatable Themes: Alpha Romeo explains that while many fans assume his emotional songs are solely about his personal life, he often writes about situations he observes around him.
- Healing Through Music: B’Flow notes that Alpha Romeo’s tracks—such as “Where Have You Been” and “Greatest”—act as mental health songs that help people reflect and heal. Alpha Romeo adds that he likes pairing sad, deep topics with upbeat, danceable instrumentals because “sad music makes me happy”.
- Checking Up on People: Discussing his tendency to step out of the spotlight periodically, both men reflect on how important it is to check up on everyone, even those who seem successful. B’Flow shares a lesson from his former manager regarding bringing a simple gift to Michelle and Barack Obama, highlighting that celebrated people rarely receive simple gestures of love because people assume they already have everything.
Flaws in the Zambian Music Award System
- Lack of Recognition: Despite achieving legendary status and producing numerous hits, Alpha Romeo has never won a music award. He believes the award system has never been entirely fair.
- Voting and Eligibility Issues: He criticizes systems where songs released late in the year (e.g., September) win “Song of the Year” due to recency bias over tracks that sustained impact for 12 months. He also notes that conscious music and hip-hop are often overlooked due to limited categories.
- Need for Technical Adjudication: Both Alpha Romeo and B’Flow agree with producer KB’s stance that awards should be decided by knowledgeable industry professionals rather than purely through emotional fan voting or biased radio station submissions. Alpha Romeo also calls out the lack of recognition for foundational producers like KB and TK.
- Self-Motivation: Alpha Romeo states that missing out on awards no longer demoralizes him. He considers himself his own biggest fan and measures his success by the fans who show up and feel inspired at his performances.
Upbringing and Tribute to His Late Father
- Military Discipline: Growing up in a family of 10 children with a father in the Zambia Army (stationed at Chindwin and Arakan Barracks), Alpha Romeo describes his upbringing as strict and disciplined. Chores had to be finished before he could go play football (he played youth football for Green Buffaloes alongside Emmanuel Mayuka).
- Unwavering Support: Despite being a strict disciplinarian, his father was deeply supportive of his passions. Alpha Romeo shares fond memories of his father secretly traveling to Zimbabwe to watch him play football and regularly driving him to the recording studio, waiting patiently in the car park.
- Illness and Passing: His father passed away three years prior to the recording after battling a brain tumor that caused memory loss. Watching a strong military man become vulnerable was painful, though Alpha Romeo cherishes the mentorship and open hospitality his father extended to everyone, including many Zambian musicians.
“Fathering” the Zambian Music Industry
- Building Movements: Coming from the group No Intro and later rising to fame at K-Army with his 2010 hit “President,” Alpha Romeo used his platform to pull up other artists.
- Mentoring Superstars: He founded the Young Energy Movement (YEM) to allow young artists to record freely across different studios. He played a key role in introducing, convincing producers to sign, or mentoring major acts including Jae Cash, T-Sean, Chef 187, Bobby East, Judy Yo, T-Bwoy, and Young D. B’Flow even credits him as a “grandfather” to the new generation of artists like Dizmo.
- Lessons on Loyalty: Alpha Romeo admits he carried heavy financial and logistical burdens for the group early on. While he wished the collective had stayed together to headline major festivals, he accepts that people eventually want independence. Today, he keeps a small, loyal circle and focuses on people who bring positive energy and business.
Fatherhood and Parenting Philosophy
- Raising His Kids: Alpha Romeo is a father to a daughter, Stephanie, and a son, Ethan. He allows them to choose their own paths—letting Stephanie be more active on social media since she enjoys it, while keeping Ethan out of the spotlight.
- Instilling Confidence and Respect: He focuses heavily on building his daughter’s self-esteem and teaching her how she deserves to be treated, such as opening doors for her at the mall.
- Evolving Discipline: Unlike his own father, who used physical punishment, Alpha Romeo prefers talking to his children and building a strong bond. Both he and B’Flow agree that a close relationship acts as a protective measure because children behave better when they do not want to disappoint a parent they respect.
