Anesu Godo better known as AGE McSoul was born in Bulawayo the second largest city in Zimbabwe, raised in Bindura and moved to Australia in 2012 where he is doing his studies.
He was introduced to different styles of music that he ended up being involved in. Performing at school in Variety shows and also being in a choir at church and high school. First track in the studio recorded was in 2009 but the one that made noise in his hometown was the "My Style remix" in 2010. After many singles' in-between AGE made an EP with a producer called Elbrezzy titled Mafaro Atanga in 2014. In 2016 he realised a 12 track Album called From Second Tier that followed up with a 3 city tour in Zimbabwe between June and July.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become a rapper?
AGE McSoul: First of all respect to Exposed Vocals and the movement, they way I started my road to rap is a bit funny. I was born in the second capital city of Zimbabwe called Bulawayo, the city of Kings and queens. Grew up in Bindura, Zimbabwe and currently in Sydney Australia. When I was I high school I could not like lip sing to popular songs from G Unit, Terror Squad, and NWA so I end up making my own lyrics freestyling to friends and ended up hitting the stage at a High school talent show. The second time I was on the show I fell off the stage people thought I will stop but I still went back on.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name AGE McSoul? What was your inspiration behind it?
AGE McSoul: it was a word play of all the name I got from my parents so at first when I was still in High school I called myself GAME that’s when I saw a video of The G.A.M.E (G Unit) and I knew I had to change that’s when I played with the letter and came up with AGE M. Now it has more meaning Amazing Guy Ever and McSoul simply mean son of Soul.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
AGE McSoul: It’s a changing world without online music sharing some guy that downloaded my song in Netherland wouldn’t know my music but on the downside, there is not much revenue that can be collected. Yes, I allow some projects to be free especially the songs that I don’t pay much like when I work with free studio time and a free beat then hey get my bars for free.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
AGE McSoul: Funny thing is I still consider myself a start-up, considering I do my works part time and I’m not signed up so I pay other people a lot. My advice is you have to risk it, I went back to Zimbabwe and organised my own tour around June-July University break I didn’t expect much but I got U$150 hard cash from one guy that liked the performance to me it shows if u are just doing music in you bedroom not going out there you will really won’t go anywhere
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
AGE McSoul: My first mistake I have made as I previously said I fell off the stage and I did nothing. That was back when I was 15 but nowadays the mistake I think happens regularly is being thirsty on stage when I’m own my 4th track all I do is ask the crowd for a can and it works but lesson learnt will always go on stage with a bottle.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
AGE McSoul: The Winter Warm Up tour for my album FROM SECOND TIER was my first tour that I organised so I don’t have much to say but I will tell any artist meeting new fans and stages is something captivating every performance is different from the other even if you are singing the same songs its all about your hype and the crowds reaction. Will do some shows over here in Australia soon because I think I just get addicted to the stage once u really feel it.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather song writing inspiration? What is your usual song writing process?
AGE McSoul: I sing about what’s happening to me, my hood or help out on random topics if it’s a feature. My process of song writing is either I get an instrument that provokes me to write or during my quite ours I have an idea of a chorus and an instrument to be made thus my album is not our usual copy and paste style like other rappers.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
AGE McSoul: I don’t have a website as for now was planning to do that early next year because that’s where most of my visual works will come out. I use a lot of platforms its more of searching me up. Most of my old works are on Reverbnation and SoundCloud.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
AGE McSoul: I listen to a lot of genres so on my mp3 all the songs are there for a reason if it is not its deleted but we got a different taste so u might find one song and start laughing.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
AGE McSoul: That will be the investment I was waiting for, I go to the best producers out there plus videographers and come back with a Blu-Ray Album (double DVD with documentaries) that had a year being focused on.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
AGE McSoul: Nothing planned as to say but considering improving the booth, I’m working on a hustle budget nothing too fancy.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
AGE McSoul: If I haven’t got a platinum sell it means I’m yet to have the working formula but it is all about online for now, Facebook, clips on Instagram, SnapChat, Vine sending music on WhatsApp and all social corners I can pass it own that is what is working best for me currently.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
AGE McSoul: Perform in New York with Jay-Z because I would like to hit the stage with the Living legends and hope I get signed.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
AGE McSoul: I just dropped an EP and Album to online stores in June so now I’m working on a free mixtape to sing about the situations happening to my fellow brethren in Zimbabwe to show them there is still unity and support throw out the world from every Zimbabwean abroad in the diaspora.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
AGE McSoul: I’m still a Student so I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I got a vision to do some commercial farming, starting up a private radio in Bindura and get into some property management. Just the usual things of hustling in any way.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
AGE McSoul: According to my iTunes account the first album I purchased was myself and the reason was I didn’t know how to upload my songs on the iPad. But physically the first album I bought was from Stunner back in the 2004’s where he was a pioneer or Zim Hip-hop with a lot of other artists that just went off the grid like Major Playaz. The reason was simply that the album had a lot of hits.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
AGE McSoul: I give Music a rest after a big project because I will be having some writers block but after some weeks I just get back to it and start writing so it's just part of my everyday life.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
AGE McSoul: I already finished 2016 the album is out as promised did a couple of shows so we might be looking forward of and award or two. However, 2017 will be a blast I will be dropping videos of new songs or old just expect good music.
AGE McSoul: Thank you for your time and hopefully 2018 I should be touring UK and USA.
