NoFlaw: The Truth in the Noise
Flawed by Design, Driven by Purpose
INTERVIEW BY: EMILY ARAUZA
JAN 18th, 2025
“If you care enough, you’ll take your time with it,” Noflaw tells me, reflecting on his journey.
It’s a simple truth that drives everything he does—from honest, self-reflective lyrics to balancing a future in music and nursing. Raised by Tanzanian immigrants, his upbringing taught him resilience, independence, and the power of imperfection.
His sound? Unpolished by design, recorded on BandLab as a metaphor for progress over perfection. In this conversation, Noflaw opens up about embracing flaws, blending faith with secular sounds, and why he’s just getting started in a world where every step is a work in progress.
Noflaw: “My name is Noflaw. I’m a warrior, I was raised by 2 immigrants from Tanzania, I make music, and I’m working on getting my license in nursing… hopefully soon, I get distracted a lot. Nice to meet you Emily.”
Emily Arauza: “Nice to meet you too! Being raised by two immigrants from Tanzania must have had a huge influence on your mindset and creativity. Can you tell me more about how your upbringing shaped your work as a musician and your ambitions in nursing?”
N: “Yeah of course, since they were immigrants they had to work a lot, so I stayed home by myself because they really don’t trust Americans… not racist or anything just scared. So that means I spent a lot of time by myself figuring stuff out and watching cartoons, or with my grandma praying and learning how to read from the Bible. My mom was in nursing school and was a hard worker, so it really inspired me to do the same in everything I do.”
EA: “That’s powerful—growing up with that kind of independence and strong influence from your mom must have built a lot of resilience. It must’ve shaped your perspective. How does that sense of independence and spirituality reflect in your music? What message or vibe are you trying to create through your sound?”
N: “Well it taught me nothing is easy and nothing is perfect everything takes work, and if you care enough you will take your time for it. My music is literally me talking about my insecurities, stuff that makes me angry, and how imperfect I am with what goes on in my head. But it’s me being honest and accepting it hence the name Noflaw because I’m able to admit that I’m not perfect and I’m willing to work till I get there even though I never will. Because the only person that is perfect is Jesus and I can try to be like him but I can’t and that’s ok. I used to think my music went against my religion but I’ve had many moments where God showed me it’s not as bad as I think. I record on Bandlab and use it as a symbolic instrument of how my sound could be better and clear but it’s not because I’m using my phone. So, I stick to it and use what I know because all that fruity loops stuff makes my head hurt no bap.”
EA: “I’ve never met or interviewed an artist who sincerely reflects Jesus in their work or takes time to acknowledge Him the way you do. It’s refreshing to hear someone balance faith with creative expression so openly. Do you see yourself ever creating gospel music, or how do you feel about making secular music while staying true to your beliefs?”
N: “Gospel music is cool, my plan is to trick all the secular music listeners to listen to me then one-day Ima switch it on them and tell them everything I know about Jesus… I guess you can say I’m just aura farming right now and not being too hard on myself. And I feel like life is what u make it so if you’re listening to secular music with intentions of you know, being a weirdo that’s where you take it the wrong way. But if you’re just chilling then ur cooling, like drinking isn’t a sin but being a drunk fool is you know? So it just depends on how you carry yourself.”
EA: “There’s definitely truth in how you carry yourself and your intentions. But subliminals in music can impact the subconscious, even when you don’t notice it right away. How do you plan to navigate balancing those subtle influences while staying true to your faith and making music that connects with people?”
N: “I really don’t know I don’t have it all figured out yet, I am pretty damaged and I tell everyone about it in my music. So maybe whenever I’m healed things will change, but right now I have stuff to talk, until my soul gets better. Life isn’t perfect.”
EA: “It sounds like you’re using your art as a tool on your journey. How old were you when you first started making music, and how old are you now? Do you see yourself doing this long-term, or is music more of an outlet for where you are right now?
N: “I made my first song when I was 14 but I feel like everyone at least makes one song in their lifetime. I would say I started taking music serious, December of 2023 when I was 20, I’m 21 right now. I don’t wanna do this forever, I feel like if u really love something you gotta let it go eventually. But I want it to make me some money hopefully, get signed, make a couple million, then invest in properties so I don’t have to rely on music as a job.
EA: “That’s an interesting perspective. What do you think that looks like for you? Do you see music as a stepping stone to something bigger, or do you feel like it’s just one chapter of your life before you move on to something new?”
N: “Yeah like I said I still gotta get a degree, I wanna provide service to people in need somehow whether that’s helping other people mental with being honest in my music or physically helping them with medicine or therapy. I just wanna help everyone. I have a savior complex.”
EA: “That’s admirable—wanting to help people both mentally through your music and physically through a career in medicine or therapy shows how much you care about making a difference. Who are some of your biggest inspirations, either musically or in life, that have shaped the way you see the world and your role in it?”
N: “I really like Ken carson, Lucki, Michael Jackson was the person that sparked my interest when I was 9. But I like music I can feel and relate my life is crazy a lot of crazy stuff happens. I’ve had some crazy people in my past that I’ve experienced, I’m a little crazy myself. So, I tend to listen to music that I can relate, people that can grab that energy for me is uzi because he’s literally an insane, weird, short guy; Ken carson is cool, I like the way he describes sex and mental warfare; Lucki finds a way to rap without it always being about murder or guns. I don’t use weapons because I have no problem with nobody so I don’t listen to that type of music, I use my brain as a weapon so I like music that makes me think.”
EA: “That’s a unique mix of influences—I love how you gravitate toward music that makes you think and feel rather than just focusing on surface-level energy. You mentioned your life’s been crazy and full of intense experiences—how do you channel all that into your own sound? Do you think your approach to storytelling sets you apart from other artists in the same space?”
N: “I say a lot of it in my music, people probably think I’m joking, but I be snitching on myself. Yeah like I be cap rap but I tell the truth in my music as much as I cap. Other artists just be straight cap or they just steal swag, my swag is eternal.”
EA: “That makes sense, in a certain way. It’s a sin to be prideful so I’m not too sure about that. But I see. There’s some contradiction in that but it’s intellectual.”
N: “Yeah I tend to contradict myself al ot sorry, something I’m working on.”
EA: “We are human, it’s okay! Do you have any advice or words you’d like to share?”
N: “One day I will be great and I believe every person on earth should say the same. We are all capable of anything because we were given the gift of dreams. Don’t waste life on something that doesn’t move you. Be you and trust yourself as much as you trust God. And if you be pillow talking I seen it and heard it I’m coming for that.”
