UMP Awards Malawi producer Tapps Bandawe with Life-Time award

Urban Music People (UMP) has selected one of the country’s talented producers, Tapps Bandawe as this year’s recipient of the Life-Time Achievers Award.

Taps Bandawe

Life-Time Achievers Award is an accolade that UMP gives to those that have enormously contributed to the growth of the country’s music industry, and entertainment in general.

The accolade is part of the UMP Awards event and will be one of this year’s 18 categories. The recipients are selected by the event’s organizing team.

Previous recipients of this prestigious accolade include Oscar Thomson (2016); Late Mafunyeta and Criminal A (2015); Late Vic Marley and Black Life Entertainment (2013); and producer Dynamike.

“Urban music, and indeed Malawian music, is here where it is by the pioneering works of the likes of Tapps Bandawe. We consider it as a privilege to be able to recognize Tapps, a living legend who continues to shape the sound of Malawi urban music,” Thoko Kadewere, UMP publicist.

Tapps Bandawe is an experienced producer with 30 years of music technical know-how. He has worked with many renowned local and international artists.

Tapps Bandawe Music Profile: 

 1986 – 1989: Diploma Music and Media Atrs and Sound Technology – Natal Technical Academy, Durban, South Africa.

 1990 – 1993: became 1st Urban artist in South African history to be signed to a major label with David Gresham Records in South Africa. Distributed by GALLO Africa (Africas largest Music Company).

 Had two Gold Albums during that time. 1: Lets GO (1991)which had a South African number 3 track WE ROCK. 2:Young Hip and African 1993- Which gave 2 South African Number 1 records in the title track (Young Hip and African) and Tapps Magic.

 Was nominated for 3 South African Music Awards 1.Best Album (Lets Go) 2: Best New Artist 3: Best Video (We Rock).

 Won Best New Artist (1st ever by an Urban Artist in South Africa).

 Had endorsement deals with Coca-Cola and Gillette.

 Graced numerous magazine covers and toured with Lucky Dube, Brenda Fassie and European number one group Technotronics (PUMP UP THE JAM) and numerous others.

 1994 Moved to the United Kingdom under the signing of EMI Records UK.

 1995 – Begun focusing more on production and was schooled by number one production team Stargate (Britney Spears, Mark Morrison and many more).

 1998 – Formed TnT Xplosive Productions with Terry McLeod –Walthamstow –London.

 2000 – One of the Groups signed to TnT XPLOSIVE Label called BLAZIN SQUAD got signed to EastWest Records(Warner Music)the largest deal of that year in the UK by Christian Tattersfield(currently Head of Warner Music Worldwide).

 Produced 2 Albums with Blazin Squad and had a Certified Platinum Album – In the Beginning(2000). From that Album had 4 top ten British singles including a NUMBER ONE (Crossroads)

 2nd Album (Now or Never) went gold and had four top 5 hits including two number hits (Flip Reverse and We Be Dreaming)

 2001 Signed a publishing deal with Sony/BMG

 2001 – 2007 Produced several top selling artists in the UK e.g., Jamelia, Liberty X, So Solid Crew. Also Produced for American artists Alexander O’Neil and Ginuwine.

 2007 Returned to Malawi to set up Studio with the mission of changing the Malawian sound from secular to a more internationally acclaimed urban sound.

 Has produced Albums for Lucius Banda(Freedom) –With standout hits being SIJAKUZI and Nthawi  and 15/15), Tay Grin(Proudly African) with stand out hits being 2 by 2 and NYAU MUSIC (Kumanda kwa bamboo wanga), WUN, Basement,  Kapirintiya (Tradistic Soul), Dan Lufani (Cousin) Album, Third Eye, PHYZIX, HeartBeats (Full Package), Theo Thompson (Kutentha), Mafunyeta, Armstrong, Pixy,  Mwezi Wa Wala (with top 20 Malawi artists) and many more plus African artists Collabo with K’Millian (Zambia), 2 Face(Nigeria), Ishmael and Bongani Fassie (South Africa), Nameless(Kenya) Cindy(Zimbabwe).

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#iamyournextpresident
6 years ago

Nazo… Go Tapps!!!!

Nox Nthambi
Nox Nthambi
6 years ago

Taps is one of the best producers in the country no doubt about that. Congrats Taps

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