Meet Joseph ‘JLove’ Kaleb, guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. The Experience is the weekly radio show we sponsor every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s favourite local radio station. Joseph told Milli Jam ‘not to ask about his surname’ and that he was Nsenga by tribe from the Eastern Province of Zambia. “What about the Jlove?” I wondered. “Oh man!” He replied, “that’s my stage name!” He explained that he’s a singer and music producer, having already recorded and released an album entitled ‘The Mixed Emotions Of Mr J Love’. “Why that title?” Jay Hillz asked and JLove explained that he had lost his mum when he was quite young and the album reflected that sadness as well as the joy of living. His new album, due for release soon, would be called ‘Unleashing Point’. We got the message!
JLove told listeners that he’d lived a large part of his life in South Africa where his late dad had been a missionary. He said that he came from a very large family and that he had nine siblings of whom he was aware – he’s the ninth out of ten – he talked of three mums as well. Milli Jam (father of five) murmured “what is it about Africa Richard”? “Don’t bring me into this!” I replied. JLove said he had been at high school in Kimberley in RSA and had gone on to study IT in which he has a diploma and is a specialist. His production company in Johannesburg is called Sparrow Productions which he co-owns with brother Destiny and which was ‘inherited’ from a Will. K. Banda. JLove is the father of one little boy Jerome, aged 6 months. “What about marriage?” Wondered Milli Jam. “Don’t rush me man!” The reply.
The music on the show was good as usual featuring tracks from Labrinth, James Bay, Madonna, Take That and Ne-Yo, as well as African tracks from Manas ft More Money, T-Pain, Tio and Alice Chuma. Our oldie of the week was the Alice Chuma track and we gave away dinner for two to a lucky winner who texted us the answer to our simple question in good time.
JLove told us that he loves R&B and that his favourite Zambian artist is Maureen Lilanda. Internationally he favours Bow Wow and Buster Rhymes with whom he once shared the stage for a show in South Africa – “a really cool memory”, he said. He supports Bayern Munich in the German league but has no particular preference in English football clubs. He has played shows in many neighbouring African countries. He has accounts on both Facebook and Twitter – on Twitter he is @MRJLOVER. He writes his own music which is clearly what he loves to do, probably even more than producing or singing. His musical life started from church as a child.
Asked when he would be returning to South Africa JLove replied some time in the new year, and asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing ten years’ from now he said he would like to be a singing music mogul in Zambia. We had no doubt that this self assured, confident young musician/producer would fulfill his ambitions!
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