…How Yo Maps Became Zambia’s Most Famed Music Star
It is barely five years ago when legendary hip-hop music giant Macky 2 declared a little-known artist as the ‘next big thing’ in the Zambian music industry after a collaboration between the two.
True to his words, Yo Maps, took the industry by storm and is today standing as one of the most celebrated hit-makers in Zambia.
Yo Maps slide into the limelight in 2018 with his smash hit single titled “Finally” in which he featured Macky 2.
Barely known to the world, King Buga prophesied Yo Maps to be the nation’s most budding talent and potential big thing on the music scene.
Born Elton Mulenga on 29 November 1996 in Kabwe Central Province, recorded his first song titled “Njikata Kuboko” in 2014.
The single, which featured T-Gear, would emerge as a hit in his hometown and earned Yo Maps collaborations with more popular figures including fellow Kabwe-native and hip-hop stars Jemax, Jae Cash, and Kaladoshas.
In 2018, Yo Maps would go on to work with Macky 2 whom he has widely credited to have guided him onto the scene.
Since their first project together, the duo’s chemistry has turned out exceptionally outstanding in their various hits such as Alabalansa, Teti Ndabe, and the most recent Mutima Wanga released in April 2023.
Yo Maps who currently sits on two studio albums dubbed “Komando” and “Try Again”, has also gone on to bag a plethora of awards.
In 2019, he won awards including the Best Artist, Newcomer, and Song of the Year Awards at the prominent Kwacha Music Awards.
He was nominated and won his first international award in 2022 at the AEAUSA Awards where he bagged the Best Male Artist Award, beating the accolade of top African artists including Nigeria’s Davido, Wizkid, and Fireboy DML as well as Tanzanian hit-maker Diamond Platinumz among others.
With his debut album, Komando released in 2022, Yo Maps became the first artist to hit 30 million streams on BoomPlay.
He released his latest album “Try Again” at the beginning of May and is currently working on a project to fill up the 60,000-capacity National Heroes Stadium set to be held on Saturday 27 May.
As foretold by the great King Buga, Yo Maps is indeed one of the biggest names in Zambian music at present and is looking set to soar to even higher heights.