10 minutes with local tastemakers

YD Fre$h

Born with a rhythm in his soul and headphones on his shoulders, pursuing a career in music was always on the cards for YD Fre$h. Known to the local social scene and his friends as Nduvi, the rapper, DJ and up-and-coming producer navigates the artist’s way with authentic swagger and a sunny disposition. His energy and zest for life is truly tangible and contagious.

Because artists are as great as the sum of their stories, I would like to take you back in time and introduce you to the YD Fre$h I met in primary school. Always taking up space in the most earnest of manners and jumping at any opportunity to be on stage, YD Fre$h dominated the playground, school plays and, as I would later find out, wrote rap lyrics in class. I watched in admiration at his creative spirit that seemed inexhaustible and his innate ability to attract people with conversation and laughter.

Today, this magnetic quality still makes him an absolute joy to watch behind the decks or freestyling at Sound Garden. Yet he is also the kind of guy with whom you can have a beer and debate about Namibia’s colonial-era statues and their place in our post-independence landscape.

“As a Herero, music has always been an integral part of my life,” says YD of his upbringing between Windhoek and the family farm. His childhood was marked with performances at family functions and dance battles with his cousins. Where his formative years laid the foundation, YD Fre$h’s musical renaissance was cemented in high school. With increasing access to music, a love for house and hip-hop music manifested and changed his outlook on life. “It was a platform for people who looked and sounded like me to say what they wanted to. I went from listening to music to writing my own lyrics in class whenever I got the chance.”

When aspirations for studying sound engineering in Germany fell through, YD Fre$h saw it as an opportunity to refine his craft locally. Initially gaining some industry experience in radio production and digital marketing, the all-round artist moved on to teach himself how to DJ, which is the scene where you would most likely run into him these days. But he does not like to be confined to one form of creative expression only. “I’m not just a musician or DJ or an amateur actor – I am an artist first,” he says.

YD Fre$h is currently working on a debut solo hiphop album, producing soon-to-be-released Afro house music and preparing to go on tour in Europe during their summer. “I’m a very proud Namibian and I think showcasing our country, music and style is what I like most about playing at international shows,” says YD about upcoming sets in Palma de Mallorca, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

Further broadening his repertoire, YD Fre$h has ventured into the events-planning space alongside fellow DJ Ndeshi Imbili. Together they founded Pamwe, short for tulipamwe (meaning “together” in Herero/Ovambo), and so far have hosted two successful lifestyle events merging music, small fashion brands and live painting performances. The artist incorporates his Namibian heritage in every creative endeavour and plays an integral role in the development of our collective music and arts scene.

Despite his growing demand as an afro-tech and house DJ and nearing a decade in the industry as a rapper, YD Fre$h remains humble. He credits this to time spent volunteering with underprivileged and less-abled children during a gap year in Germany. “Besides giving me a chance to travel Germany and get more inspiration from the world, it made me extra thankful for the things I have.” Years later, he still maintains this attitude.

When asking YD Fre$h about his free-time hobbies and passions, he is not shy to admit that music is his biggest hobby, saying, “It’s a career that envelops you.” Clearly, music is his true calling – a passion turned profession. But besides discovering new music, writing lyrics and planning DJ sets, he loves camping, gaming, spending time with his dog and learning new skills.

As a long-time acquaintance, watching from the sidelines as Nduvi grew and gained momentum has been nothing short of a spectacle. I know for certain that his talent and outlook on life will take him far, so this is your cue, dear reader, to join the chat and witness his renaissance too.

As YD Fre$h always says, “Big things coming – your local DJ.”

Charene Labuschagne