Magg 44: From Zambia’s Gospel Scene to the Recording Academy

Mag44, born Magnus Mando, is a Zambian gospel hip-hop artist, producer and songwriter known for blending faith-filled messages with energetic, contemporary sounds.

A pioneer in Zambia’s Christian urban music scene, he has produced for top artists like Pompi and Abel Chungu Musuka, while building his own catalogue of bold, hope-driven music.

In 2013 he released his debut album, Jijue. The project earned him the Best Gospel Album award at the Zambia Music Awards.

He followed this with his 2015 album, Brave Only, which featured high-energy songs including No Fear, Swagger with Tim and Mwentula featuring Lelwa.

Beyond his own music, Mando also became an important force in nurturing emerging talent through his Brave Only Music imprint, helping to mentor artists such as Solomon Plate, SuperRhymer and Mikrophone7.

In 2019, he reunited with longtime collaborator and friend Pompi for Bwana, a collaborative album that became a major success, producing songs such as Kontolola and Nyimbo.

Mando continued to evolve as an artist and producer with the release of Mr. Mando in 2021. The 16-track project showcased his production skills and featured artists including Wezi, Cleo Ice Queen and Solomon Plate.

His work soon reached an even wider audience. In 2022, he co-produced, composed and programmed drums on Sampa the Great’s critically acclaimed album As Above, So Below, contributing to songs, Never Forget and Let Me Be Great, which features Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo.

In late 2025, the artist released The Way, his third and final solo studio album. Featuring artists such as Tim, Abel Chungu Musuka and Chileshe Bwalya, the project was presented as a celebration of his musical journey and career.

Some of his recent projects include tracks like Over You, Inshila, Changes and Successful featuring Wezi.

The Artist also recently unveiled the first leg of his World Mission Tour, taking the Zambian gospel rapper across East and Southern Africa before wrapping up with three performances in Zambia.

The Producer, has now reached another major milestone in his career. He is part of the Recording Academy’s Class of 2026 as a Voting Member, an achievement that gives him a voice in the organisation behind the Grammy Awards and places him among music professionals helping shape the future of the global music industry.

By Esther Munanga.