Singer and filmmaker, Jesaja Angula, AKA J Bentley, is working on a film titled Vambo Lokasie, to seal what he claims is his brand. He has already released an album with the same title.
He is thus cautioning upcoming artists that they have no right to claim the name ‘Vambo Lokasie’; because it is his own brand that, he created ten years ago. J Bentley created the brand after he released his hit single, Vambo Lokasie in 2007, from all the criminal activities that was rife in the area while he was growing up. “It was dusty, notorious,” says J Bentley, who is also the founder of the “StreetDreamz Music” and “Miss Face of Windhoek”, both charity organisations, helping the less vulnerable in Windhoek and nearby towns. More upcoming artists claiming to be from Vambo Lokasie are now starting to sing about Vambo Lokasie, not knowing that it was part of the song he sang many years ago, which he says has turned into a brand. He also saw some clothing products and other accessories with the label Vamboe Lokasie advertised on social media without his permission. “I always see a lot of people on social media claiming to be part of something they don’t know anything about or how it came into existence and the reason why it was established,” he protests.
People that can sing about Vambo Lokasie as a brand must only be those that are part of the outfit, such as himself and other artists of BlackGhost, NguttiFruit, Dhope and Skizo, who played a role in growing the brand, he maintains. “I just think people should respect the creators and the original brand owners because they are misinforming people about Vambo Lokasie and our history,” J Bentley moans further. He was born in Lusaka, Zambia but came to be raised in the notorious streets of Vambo Lokasie, hence the title of his first album and his upcoming film now in its final production and is to be released this year.
J Bentley recently returned to the industry last year with a more matured and stronger album titled ‘Not-Guilty’, which was released end of November. The album was aim to give hope for the year 2018, and for him to step-up his game, by penetrating into the international market and making music that can cater for everyone.
According to him, he is currently working on massive projects both in music and film industry. The film Vamboe Lokasie will be released before the year is over.