Bongo Flava titans TID and Q Chief reunite: Resurrecting TOP BAND with 'Wali Nazi'

After nearly a decade, renowned Bongo Flava maestros Khalid Mohamed, affectionately known as TID, and Abubakar Katwila, also recognized as Q Chief, have reunited to revive their band, TOP BAND.

Their reunion coincides with the release of their new song 'Wali Nazi', which they debuted on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, through a radio tour.

"If you've ever had the opportunity to listen to these maestros in their collaborative song 'Mkungu Wa Ndizi,' which was released back in 2015, then in this comeback, they’ve given us the same treatment with a little cherry on top," shares a fan known as Karim on TID's Instagram account.

"Right now, we don’t have many singers in the band; most of the artistes, we depend on playback, which means other artistes don’t have such talent. That's why we came up with this reunion," shared TID.

"Artistes come to learn from us, this gift, this talent, that we are about to unleash," added Q Chief.

"The idea of coming back together honestly excited me, but then I thought again that putting these two talents back together in the band means too much for this industry. So I didn’t hesitate; for me, it was a very good idea, and when we settled down and performed together, it was just a memory of the two of us," revealed TID.

"TID and I, during the time when we weren't talking, never resorted to throwing punches or getting into physical altercations, nor was it a war; it was just normal differences, so the vibe was like that, and that's why it became much easier for us to be here again," explained Q Chief.

According to music enthusiast Josiah Godfrey, a resident of Upanga, Dar es Salaam, TOP Band was once regarded as one of the most prominent music groups in the past.

"They act as if they are far superior to the prominent artistes currently in the music industry. I think they should take a cue from the TNC clues (Temba, Nature, and Chege) in how they came back and started releasing and promoting their projects without attacking current artistes," he suggests.

"I really admire these guys, but a child born in 2000 wouldn't even understand how great these guys were back then," added Joery Segere, a self-proclaimed true Bongo Flava audience.

However, besides 'Wali Nazi,' the duo is also preparing to release their new album, for which they have not disclosed the title or a specific release date.