“Honestly, my mom is the only one who supports me,my dad doesn’t really support my academics or music,” Upcoming Musician, Phabian Musonda says, calmly.
“If my mom has something, she helps and when she can’t, I hustle I run a small business at school.”
In the busy bee corridors of the University of Zambia (UNZA), where books, tests , exams and assignments dominate most students’ lives, Musonda is charting an unconventional path.
Second Year Student in Environmental Education and Management at night, he changes into Lil Shabby Murder, a rising name in Lusaka’s hiphop scene.Turning 22 in July, 2025, Musonda balances the demands of academic life with his passion for music.
“It’s really hard, but I try, I follow a timetable to make sure I attend to my books, but I can’t drop music because it’s part of me. It’s been there since before high school,” Musonda says with passion.
Musonda’s journey into music began early but as a young fan of rap sounds, he spent his high school days immersed in international sounds. But over time, he realised that his message and his style needed to reflect his origin.
“I started with international music, but when I looked around, it just wasn’t working. I had to go local,” he recalls.
Today, his sound is proudly Zambian, influenced heavily by real life experiences and struggles something he shares with his biggest inspiration, Jae Cash.
“Many of us come from tough backgrounds and i want want my music to do be real,” he narrates.
Despite having less than ten songs officially recorded in his name, Musonda is already gaining traction. As an upcoming artist, he describes his growth as steady but promising.
“The response is more positive than before because every time I post on my social media platforms, I get better feedback and this is motivating,” Musonda says with conviction.
Musonda explains that his music journey not been smooth industry for him as financial struggles remain one of the biggest barriers since inception.
“Honestly, my mom is the only one who supports me,my dad doesn’t really support my academics or music. If my mom has something, she helps and when she can’t, I hustle I run a small business at school,” he says calmly.
His friends have also become an integral part of his support system as most of them share his music, likes his posts and promote him which keeps going.
“In five years, I’ll be big. I’ll be on banners. I see the bigger picture, even if no one else does,” Musonda says with confidence.
“The only person I compete with is the one I see in the mirror. That guy challenges me the most.”
He urges his fellow upcoming artists to keep going despite financial hardships.
“Don’t sleep on your dreams. Stay consistent, stay committed. One day someone will recognize your effort,” Musonda says with compassion.
You can follow Lil Shabby Murder on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to support his promising music journey.