ZAKI

Hometown

Born in Vancouver BC.  Raised between Nanaimo BC (Vancouver Island) and Cape Town, South Africa.

 

What is your ethnic background?

South African/British(UK)/Canadian.  African, Malay, Scottish, English, Welsh decent.

 

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by everything around me. Weather it’s subtle or intense, good or bad, every equal and opposite of everything else, makes life and art and music meaningful.

 

What would you be doing if it wasn’t music?

I love to travel and work with young ladies and gents.  I used to love doing creative workshops and sessions in prisons and youth centres.  It was like conjuring spirits and special forces to tilt the future world on a bit of an angle.  I think I’d be doing that sort of thing full time if I wasn’t on the road performing and selling records. It all kinda ties in at some point in my mind.  It comes around, I’m sure of it.

 

How did your environment shape you?   

I think it’s definitely shaped me in so many different ways.   My environment has been a mash-up at all times.  From one day to the other I’d be in extreme contrasting environments. I moved around a lot as a kid and I think it’s brought a whole spectrum of influences into my music and outlook on life in general.

 

What do you want to be remembered for?

Having lived my life constantly learning.

 

Who’s your hero?

My mom.  She’s the most compassionate person I know.

 

Education

Still learning…

 

What makes you happy?

Knowing that I can look back on things that I’ve done and experienced, good and bad and feel like I’ve grown.

 

What social cause is most important to you?

Understanding the importance of equality…in all forms

 

If you could change something what would it be?

How the media dictates how we see the world around us.  Our point of reference is made by a small selection of perspectives. I’d like to see the youth coming up right now; flip that on its head, gaining a sense of what is really real around us.  I’m confident that it’ll happen; it just may be a different kind of war than we’ve ever known. 

 
I have started a record label called IQRA MUSIC. This is  a vehicle to bring together quality music as well as the social element of supporting youth and other artist in the pursuit of there goals…iqra means “read” or “learn”… working with talented musicians and like-minds,  it allows me to always learn through every experience, passing it on, putting it out into the world and getting it back. 

 

Recommended books.

The Alchemist, by Paolo Coelho

Siddhartha, by Herman Hess

Assata, (an autobiography) 

Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

No more Prisons, by William Upski

And if you’re thinking of pursuing music, or just curious, read All You Need to Know about the Music Business-sixth edition, by Donald S. Passman.

 

Recommended CDs

Mine (cheeky).

So many…

 

High school flash back

Crying in front of my biology class, coz I was deathly afraid of public speaking. Just cried and felt like I couldn’t move…yeah it was weird. but then again, every time I perform, I get really nervous…but I am used to it now, it’s a rush, that has turned into a positive thing.

 

What’s your favourite colour?

Orange.  It reps love and sentuality.

 

Where is your favourite place to go? 

My roof.  I watch all of parkdale from there…and feel like a ninja.

 

What is your definition of 'Canadian Culture'?

It’s a culture made up of many cultures…built on many cultures..

 

What does it mean to be Canadian?

Being a part of the great Canadian experience. Um…being accustomed to cold..or other Canadians complaining about it when it comes…..