Sunny Boy

Infobox Musical artist


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Name = Sunny Boy
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Sunday Shipushu
Born = birth date and age|1983|03|13
Alias = Kavanje, Sunny, HiKwastyle 11
Born = Oshakati, Oshana Region, Namibia
Genre = Kwaito, Hip Hop , Hikwa
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 2004–present
Label = G M P (2004) Mshasho Productions(2005-2006), GreenHouse Entertainment (2006-present)
Associated_acts = The Dogg, Nasti, DJ Kboz, OmPuff, Elvo, Tre Van Die Kas
URL = [http://www.nammusic.com www.nammusic.com]

Sunday Shipushu (born March 13 1983), well known as Sunny Boy is a Namibian artist and songwriter. Sunny Boy performs his own brand of music, a fusion of Hip-Hop and Kwaito that he calls Hikwa. He launched his professional music career in 2004 and has never looked back since then. Much like his name, Sunny Boy brought an array of sunshine to the Namibian music industry in December 2005 with the release of his much anticipated debut album, "Young, Black en Gifted" which unleashed an avalanche of hits such as the cross-over track "Balance", "Serious" and "Oshaikengaho". Almost over night, Sunny Boy became a musical sensation and a sought-after performer countrywide, taking his career to greater heights.

Through his work, Sunny Boy has become renowned for his artistic and musical abilities. Blessed with a combination of song writing skills and talent, the result is the raw energy he brings to the microphone and thought-provoking and socially conscious lyrics that have earned him respect amongst his peers, as a lyrical artist.

In addition to his musical success, Sunny Boy was officially appointed as the Namibia Red Cross Society’s Ambassador for the youth. This role will see him working with young people from all over the country in an effort to inspire and motivate them to work hard in order to secure a brighter future for them.

Early life

Sunny Boy was born in Oshakati, a town in northern Namibia, and since he was a small boy, he has always known that he wanted to make music that touches people’s hearts, and to sing and dance to an appreciative crowd. While at primary school, he and three other friends formed a dancing group called "The Converse Boys", and with their Kwaito inspired moves, they entertained fellow students at social events. Even then, they dreamed of one day making it big in the music industry. However that dream was cut short by the untimely death of one of their group members.

In 2002, Sunny Boy moved to Windhoek to study at the University of Namibia. Here he met and became friends with The Dogg, who then introduced him to Gazza. After listening to him rap on a Hip-Hop track, Gazza decided to do a collaboration with Sunny Boy on a song called "Koko". The song became a huge hit in Namibia and through that Sunny Boy realised that he could make a living out of music. He later signed a recording contract with The Dogg's Mshasho Productions and released his debut album.

However, there are no short-cuts to stardom and Sunny Boy more than anyone is well aware of that fact. It took sheer hard work and overcoming major obstacles to get to where he is today comfortably being regarded as one of the best artists Namibia has ever produced.

Y.B.G.

Y.B.G. was a kwaito group that consisted of Sunny Boy, Te Quila, Chipolopolo, Kamasutra and Richie Rich. Sunny Boy was the head of the group, and while signed with Mshasho his aim was to create a label and manage his group. Mshasho being a big label the group tied itself to the label and Sunny lost control of the group. Sunny than left Mshasho and create GreenHouse Entertainment, a label that he co-owns with Kamasutra, with hopes of getting his group to sign solo contracts. Due to unknwon circumstances the group no longer exist and GreenHouse only have three original group members, Sunny, Chipo and Kama. Richie is now signed with Mshasho and Te Quila with Lowkey Records.

Becoming an Entrepreneur

In September 2006, Sunny Boy made a bold but calculated decision to leave the Mshasho stable, and launched his own record label, GreenHouse Entertainment. The label's main focus is aimed at nurturing raw talent in Namibia. Within a short time GreenHouse Entertainment, established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the Namibian music industry. The label immediately signed its first two artist, Kamasutra and Chipolopolo. Sunny Boy's second album, "Elai Lineendunge" and Kamasutra’s album "Kamasutra Style" became the first albums to be released under GreenHouse Entertainment.

Declining success

It is cleary noted that Sunny is declining his mainstream success. This is because he moved from Mshasho to GreenHouse. Many fans were against this move because they were happy to see him as part of Mshasho. Known as the most lyrical artist in Namibia, Sunny failed to get an award at the 2007 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards were he was nominated for seven categories.

Channel-O Nomination

Sunny is the third Namibian kwaito artist to be nominated for a Channel-O award after The Dogg and Gazza. He was nominated in August 2008 in the category of "Best Kwaito Video" where he will be competing with South Africa's Kabelo, Arthur, Big Nuz and Namibia's The Dogg.

Discography

*2005: "Young, Black en Gifted"
*2006: "Elai Lineendunge"
*2008: "The Great Giant"

References

* [http://www.nammusic.com/index.php?option=com_artistavenue&task=singleArtist&id=9&Itemid=160 Nammusic.com Home of Namibian stars]
* [http://www.mio.co.za/newsitem.php?id=3185 2008 Channel O Music Video Awards Nominees] July 28, 2008.
* [http://www.informante.web.na:8080/informante/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=787&Itemid=55 Revelations on Sunny Boy]