There is something special about autobiographies because the reader is given a glimpse into the life of an individual whom they have not earned the right to know. The writer peels layers of and lays it bare for the reader to see. In Finding My Voice, Chilu Lemba allows us to peep through the window of his life while at the same time taking us through the genesis of Zambia’s hip hop scene.
Chilu Lemba is a renowned voiceover artist who in his own words says, “My voice reaches millions of households on this beautiful, progressive and sometimes crazy continent of ours every single day.” Many people will remember Chilu as one of the DJs in the early days of Radio Phoenix or as the rapper behind the song Zambia Moto. The book starts from the very beginning where Chilu talks about his childhood and growing up with his siblings. He narrates his experience living with his father and mother and the friendships he forged. He opens up about challenging episodes in his life as well, though in few places, the reader will notice that he restrained himself from revealing too much especially when it came to relationships with family and friends.
The book is an easy read and Chilu attempts to explain elements that may not be unfamiliar to some readers. He highlights what growing up in Zambia during the 80s and 90s was like. For a reader born in the same generation, the book evokes nostalgic feelings, especially when it comes to the games played or the routines of the household. “There were, however also games of a rough nature; one was called Nkonya Boys. The act of hitting the top of someone’s head with your knuckles…,” he writes. Chilu also takes us on a journey of how he came into his gifting, the challenges he had to surmount as well as the triumphs he celebrated.
Finding My Voice is about Chilu Lemba’s life up to his early twenties. There is another twenty years of his life that is not in the book, the part of how he turned into a celebrated voiceover artist. We do capture glimpses of it in a few pages but in the grand scope of the book, it is a small proportion. It is similar to the way Trevor Noah wrote Born a Crime, where the book was about his childhood and little about his comedic rise. When you are done reading the book, it leaves you wanting more. However, it can be suggested that it was done intentionally and Chilu is reserving the material for a follow-up book.
People who decide to write their autobiographies, choose to own their narrative rather than risk it in the hands of someone else. Chilu has told his story, one that will inspire, motivate and reveal the man behind the deep, rich voice a little better. Finding My Voice is also a thank-you note to the people who have shaped and helped him along his life. Chilu says it best, “This piece of work is, more than anything, my personal way of reflecting on my journey and paying homage to those who helped me to become who I am today.”
Finding My Voice by Chilu Lemba
Publisher: Ten 27 Communication
217 pages