Jafaris Explained

Jafaris
Birth Name:Percy Chamburuka
Birth Place:Zimbabwe
Birth Date:19 February 1995
Origin:Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
Years Active:2016–present
Genre:Hip hop, Irish hip hop
Label:Diffusion Labs

Percy Chamburuka (born 19 February 1995), known professionally as Jafaris, is a Zimbabwean-born Irish rapper, singer and songwriter. He began his career as an actor in the comedy-drama film Sing Street (2016), before making his professional solo musical debut with the EP Velvet Cake (2017). Jafaris rose to prominence with his debut studio album Stride (2019), which was later nominated for the Choice Music Prize.

Early life

Percy Chamburuka was born on 19 February 1995[1] in Zimbabwe.[2] At the age of six, he moved to Tallaght, Dublin, where he was raised and attended Old Bawn Community School.[3] He began training as a dancer at age 10 and stopped at approximately age 16 or 17.[4] He was already "on course for a career as a dancer" when he became interested in singing and songwriting at the age of 15.[5]

Career

2015–2016: Sing Street and Diffusion Lab beginnings

In 2015, Chamburuka began touring with Irish rap duo Hare Squead and performing under the stagename Jafaris,[6] which he had developed through a random name generator application.[7] It was also during this time that he began working with and through Diffusion Labs, which has been described as "a 'collaborative hub' which functions as a label and studio, and enlists writers, musicians and in-house producers." Later in 2017, Jafaris would be considered "one of its core acts".[8] Chamburuka made his acting debut playing the role of Ngig in the musical coming-of-age comedy-drama film Sing Street (2016).[9] The film would later be an upset nominee for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 74th Golden Globe Awards.[10] [11]

2017–2018: Solo debut with Velvet Cake

Jafaris released his debut single, "Love Dies", alongside its own music video in February 2017.[12] The song was described as a "vocal-lead cut of hazy R&B" which was "mightily impressive".[13] On 21 April 2017, Jafaris released his debut EP Velvet Cake.[14] [15] To support its release, he performed at festivals such as Forbidden Fruit,[16] and Hard Working Class Heroes.[17] Jafaris also performed with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra as part of the Story of Hip Hop at Electric Picnic in 2017 and then again in 2018.[18] He represented Ireland at the Eurosonic Festival in 2018.[19]

2019–present: Stride

Jafaris independently released his debut studio album, Stride, on 8 March 2019, with support from the preceding singles "Found My Feet",[20] "Time"[21] and "Invisible". It was well-received by local critics,[22] [23] and ended up being shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize which is annually awarded to the Irish Album of the Year.[24] Jafaris featured on British singer Joy Crookes' single "Early" in October 2019.[25] The single debut atop the UK's Asian Music Top 40 chart, before the two artists subsequently performed it on Later... with Jools Holland in November 2019.[26] [27] Jafaris released the singles "Glue"[28] and "Haunted"[29] in 2020, which supported his second EP I Love You But I'm In A Bad Mood which was released on 6 November 2020.

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
DetailsPeak chart positions
IRL
[30]
Stride[31] 76

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

TitleYearAlbum
"Love Dies"2017
"Found My Feet"2018Stride
"Time"2019
"Invisible"
"Glue"2020I Love You But I'm In A Bad Mood
"Haunted"

As featured artist

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016Sing StreetNgig
2017One BiteJake FleetwoodShort film; lead role

Television

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 21 February 2018. Watch Jafaris celebrate his birthday with a brand new music video. 24 October 2020. RTÉ 2fm.
  2. Web site: Andrews. Kernan. 2 May 2019. Jafaris - rising star of Irish hip-hop in Galway. 24 October 2020. Galway Advertiser. 298562118.
  3. Web site: O'Flaherty. Aideen. 12 January 2018. Jafaris blazes his own trail. 24 October 2020. The Echo. 1649-9611.
  4. Web site: McGoran. Peter. 4 March 2019. Jafaris: On rap, religion, and the making of Stride. 24 October 2020. Hot Press. 0332-0847.
  5. Web site: Kelly. Aoife. 4 July 2018. 'I was super shy, super reserved and music took me out of that' – rising Dublin hip hop star Jafaris. 24 October 2020. Irish Independent. 0021-1222.
  6. Web site: Jonet. Emeline. 18 February 2015. Jafaris and Hare Squead - bands' live concerts. 24 October 2020. EmelineJonet.com.
  7. Web site: Meagher. John. 25 January 2020. 'The last time someone used the N-word, he wasn't even Irish... It just didn't affect me' - Jafaris. 24 October 2020. Irish Independent. 0021-1222.
  8. News: Gibsone. Harriet. 22 September 2017. 'People are vibing off each other's cultures': Hare Squead and the rise of Irish rap. The Guardian. 24 October 2020. 0261-3077.
  9. Web site: Byrne. Niall. 9 February 2019. New Artist of the Week: Jafaris. 24 October 2020. The Irish Times. 0791-5144.
  10. Web site: Rich. Katey. 12 December 2016. Everything You Need to Know About Surprise Golden Globes Nominee Sing Street. 24 October 2020. Vanity Fair. 0733-8899.
  11. Web site: Guerrasio. Jason. 8 January 2017. The biggest surprise Golden Globe nominee is on Netflix, and you need to see it. 24 October 2020. Business Insider. 1035078743.
  12. Web site: Phillips. Aimee. 19 August 2019. Jafaris Is Hitting His Stride. 24 October 2020. Notion. 1745-1760.
  13. Web site: Byrne. Niall. 13 February 2017. Jafaris impresses with new track 'Love Dies'. 24 October 2020. Nialler9.
  14. Web site: Morgan Britton. Luke. 4 March 2019. Jafaris: the new Irish hip-hop star just hitting his 'Stride'. 24 October 2020. NME. 0028-6362.
  15. Web site: Parsons. Ruby. 1 May 2017. Jafaris - Velvet Cake (EP Review). 24 October 2020. VultureHound.
  16. Web site: Keegan. Stephen. 4 June 2017. Forbidden Fruit 2017: Saturday review. 24 October 2020. Hot Press. 0332-0847.
  17. Web site: Byrne. Niall. 28 September 2017. Hard Working Class Heroes festival: eight new bands to catch. 24 September 2017. The Irish Times. 0791-5144.
  18. Web site: Hanratty. Dave. 6 July 2018. After stealing the show at Electric Picnic, The Story of Hip Hop is coming to Longitude. 24 October 2020. Joe.
  19. Web site: Maguire. Jack. 7 November 2017. Four More Irish Acts Confirmed for Eurosonic 2018. 24 October 2020. Hot Press. 0332-0847.
  20. Web site: Odutola. Tayo. 11 July 2018. Jafaris is living his best life on "Found My Feet". 24 October 2020. Earmilk.
  21. Web site: MacLean. Ellie. 25 January 2019. Jafaris Releases New Single 'Time'. 24 October 2020. Hot Press. 0332-0847.
  22. Web site: Van Nguyen. Dean. 7 March 2019. Jafaris: Stride review – Irish rapper brings his own spiritual message. 24 October 2020. The Irish Times. 0791-5144.
  23. Web site: Dean. Lucas. 8 March 2019. Album Review: Jafaris, Stride. 24 October 2019. Hot Press. 0332-0847.
  24. Web site: Kelly. Aoife. 8 January 2020. RTE Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2019 shortlist announced. 24 October 2020. Irish Independent. 0021-1222.
  25. Web site: Milca P. . 6 October 2019. Joy Crookes & Jafaris Put On For The Emerald Isle On "Early". 24 October 2020. HotNewHipHop.
  26. Web site: 7 November 2019. Joy Crookes - Early feat. Jafaris (Later ... with Jools Holland). 24 October 2020. BBC.
  27. Web site: 8 November 2019. BBC - Even Later…with Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum - Media Centre. 24 October 2020. BBC.
  28. Web site: Gillespie. Thomas. 26 June 2020. Jafaris once again proves he is the "Glue" that holds Ireland together. 24 October 2020. Earmilk.
  29. Web site: 25 September 2020. Jafaris unveils new single 'Haunted'. 24 October 2020. Hot Press. 0332-0847.
  30. Web site: Dsicography Jafaris. 24 October 2020. irish-charts.com.
  31. Web site: Stride - Album by Jafaris. 24 October 2020. Apple Music.
  32. Web site: STRIDE, by JAFARIS. 24 October 2020. Bandcamp.
  33. Web site: Velvet Cake - EP by Jafaris. 24 October 2020. Apple Music.
  34. Web site: White. Jack. 21 October 2020. Jafaris announces new EP. 24 October 2020. Official Charts Company.

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