By Keisa Sharpe | For The Birmingham Times
Walk up to nKosi Majestic’s home near downtown Birmingham and you’ll hear him singing and playing the piano (he’s self-taught). His living room — recording studio — greets you as you walk inside the doors.
He wakes up and goes to work creating music daily, in addition to hosting meetings or planning events for his business. Music is his muse — and his refuge. Work can include solo projects or working with other artists to produce records.
In fact, nKosi has a few upcoming projects that could land him work with some major names in the music industry.
Smiling, nKosi said, “You never tell all the details about your collaborations and potential projects until the deal is sealed, but I’m pushing to work with some music industry heavyweights in the R & B and hip-hop genres.”
You could say music is in his genes.
Eric Matthews, also known as nKosi Majestic, grew up in a household of talented gospel singers and musicians: His father, mother and seven siblings — four sisters and three bothers — are all singers and musicians. His maternal grandmother Geraldine Givan taught piano and organ lessons in Birmingham to many well-known, local musicians for nearly 50 years.
Her students include Daniel Cason of the Sounds of Birmingham Mass Choir, and Kevin Turner of UAB Mass Choir. “She mentored so many gospel artists across this community and has left such a rich legacy,” he said of his grandmother.
nKosi, 51, grew up in Wenonah and graduated from George Washington Carver High School in 1992. He is the second oldest son of Joseph Matthews and Helen Jackson, both of Birmingham.
Godly Values
His father, a former pastor of a local church in Birmingham, also instilled godly values at an early age. “He was a man who believed in God and was determined that his family would be exposed to kingdom principles,” said nKosi, who was raised singing and playing the piano and performing in churches. It didn’t take long for him to build on his musical gifts.
“I was singing in the Christmas choir while in the 5th grade at Wenonah Elementary,” he said. “That was the first time that I noticed that people were affected by my singing.”
The applause, cheers and people who approached him after that performance were major guideposts for his lifelong passion which would take him all around the world and collaborations with UAB professor and composer Dr. Henry Panion; national recording artists such as gospel singers John P. Kee; musician Ben Tankard; actor, director and rap artist Christopher Martin (aka Play) from the hip hop rap group Kid ‘n Play; and rap/dance legend M. C. Hammer.
And although his roots are in gospel music (“Glory” from his album “No Fear in Me” was one of his most popular tracks), nKosi says he wants to expand the message behind his music to another genre — R & B, or what he calls “inspirational life” music.
“I know some people are critical of gospel artists who move to other genres, but I remain focused on impacting as many people as I can.”
nKosi is the founder of High Riff Music Group and says he’s excited to release his newest project “You’re Mine” available on Amazon, Apple, Spotify and YouTube Music. It’s from his newest body of music entitled, “Nostalgia,” a collection of songs which deal with lessons on life, love and loss, which he expects to publish in October.
While some may call his latest project a venture into secular music, he prefers to “call it life music, because it deals with life lessons,” he said.
More Than Simple Words
nKosi’s gospel projects include the albums Friend 4 Always (released in 1997); No Fear in Me (released in 2001); and The Best of Erick Matthews (released in 2016).
He believes many of his fans will find his songs relatable. “In this latest project (of inspirational songs), I am allowing people to see me evolve in the way that I think; in the way that I process things; in the ways I use the gifts God has given me. And, I think that people will resonate with the love that I put into this album.”
nKosi believes that his first track, “You’re Mine,” strikes a familiar chord with fans. He described it as a “kind of like a summer vibe, family reunion, backyard barbecue song that is talking about love.”
It’s these sort of relatable, matter of fact, real — life scenarios that nKosi says he weaves into his artistry. “I create solution-oriented music that identifies the problem and solution, something that people can use in their own lives,” he said.
The Artist’s Daily Grind
nKosi, an African name that means King or someone in position of authority, moved back to Birmingham in February 2024 after living in The Gambia, South Africa, and running a restaurant and performing for three years.
He left for the country in December 2020 and came back to Birmingham in March.
“At the time, I needed a change of pace and West Africa provided that. I still produced music and performed, but it was great to get away and see another part of this world.”
Now, while back in Birmingham, he says he’s hit another stride in performing, producing and writing. In addition to hosting local events, he’s been a featured artist at festivals and on other local and national platforms.
In June, he performed at the Steel City Jazz Festival in a prime slot, performing right before R & B singer Eric Benet. “That was such a cool experience,” he said.
“I still maximized that opportunity and even greeted Benet as he walked on stage to perform right after me.”
In addition to producing music in his home studio, nKosi is also hosting a summer series of special music at Uptown Jazz Lounge on Sundays — Cigars and Sundresses — collaborating with other artists such as radio personality and singer Big Ro Williams and American Idol contestant Dominique Posey.
The series runs through November.
Visit www.highriffmusic.com to purchase a copy of his latest musical project You’re Mine(it’s also available on Amazon, Apple, Spotifyand YouTube Music).
Visit Amazon to purchase his latest self-published book, Trapped in the Past No More: (https://www.amazon.com/Trapped-Past-More-Erick-Matthews/dp/173539940X)
And you can follow nKosi Majestic on social media for snippets of his performances and for more inspirational music:
On Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/nkosimajestic.
Via Instagram, go to https://www.instagram.com/nkosimajestic/.
And on YouTube, go to https://www.youtube.com/@nkosimajestic.
