2019 has been a good year music wise. The collaboration between the phenomenal DJ Stavho and Mr ‘The vibe is correct’ Asaph is a testament to my opening statement. ‘Summer time’ is a groovy jam coated with tight raps and a dash of Ndebele lines. As expected the song serves 90’s party vibes and hip hop excellence.
It’s however super unfortunate that Summer time is a very short song. Vele we want some more of this from the pair.
Listen to and download ‘Summer Time’ here
It was about time that Zimbabwean artists did a cover for Davido and Chris Brown’s club hit ‘Blow my mind’. Amvis didn’t disappoint with their take of the jam. Head over to YouTube to check it out.
Of late, gospel hip hop songs have become an actual vibe. They reach out across the music divide. It’s partly the message, partly the delivery style and mostly the courage to experiment on the part of the artists. Rapper El deeper joined forces with one of the most distinct voices in gospel music, song bird Nyasha Mutonhori. Together they made the song ‘Rhema’.
The song talks about the power of the word of God. With its vibey hip hop flavour and bars for days, Rhema is quite a catchy jam. The good thing about it is that it serves its purpose; spreading hope through the promises in God’s word in a trendy song.
Opening the song is talented and versatile songstress Nyasha Mutonhori. She talks about how the world around us has become tough to live in. Despite all that, she declares that she found her hiding place in ‘Rhema’, the word that transforms. The flow of her powerful voice on the beat was effortless with so much beauty and excellence. To add the icing on top, her delivery was in Shona.
As this is a hip hop song, El deeper jumps on the second verse on the same tip as Nyasha, this time spitting some raps. His carefully crafted verse spreads the message of hope. He believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the answer to all the world’s cares and hardships. The way he describes typical problems faced by young people makes his words so relatable. Never give up.
The instrumental is a laid back trap piece with an impressive baseline. Thumbs up to the producer for a job well done. The most interesting thing about this production is how simplicity always wins. There’s not a lot going on and it’s nice and catchy. I however feel like the artwork does not in any way look related to what the song is all about. That’s a story for another day.
Out of 10, Rhema gets 6.5. It’s a beautiful song. And it’s available for free. Connect with Eldeeper on social media for more music from him.
Listen to and download ‘Rhema’ here.
I caught up with Tiara Baluti and got to know her a bit better. After releasing that super remix to her song ‘Ndavapedzera’ that featured big names, I felt this diva should not go unnoticed.
Bad Gyal Flex artwork
Who is Tiara?
Tiara Baluti is a Zimbabwean rapper, also half Zambian. Born in Harare and raised in Chipukutu Park, Ruwa. She first entered the music industry in late 2015 so this is my second year and I don’t see myself slowing down anytime soon.
You’re so classy and girly, why music and not tv or modelling and the like?
I chose music because it gives a soul to the universe, wings to my mind, flight to the imagination and life to everyone. A song can evoke feelings from years back . That’s the power of music and I love it because of that.
What drives you and who do you look up to?
Meeting set targets within deadlines, as it gives me a sense of accomplishment and it’s something that I can look back on and say “I achieved that”.
I look up to my mum ( may her soul rest in peace). She set a good example and footsteps l would like to follow. I’m forever grateful to her.
What’s it like being under the spotlight? Guys crush on you, lots of other people probably hate what you’re trying to do etc. Has it been manageable?
I feel like a queen, l love attention like most females. I wanna look and sound good and get recognized for that but I keep myself well composed, be it on stage or off stage. I get alot of DMs and I don’t reply unless it’s my genuine fans, #TeamTiaraBaluti . I don’t mind if people are talking good or bad about me. All I want is for them to talk about Tiara Baluti. Remember there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
Your favorite song(s) of all time?
Tupac – Changes
Michael Bolton – Said l loved You
50 Cent – Many Men
Kudzai Sevenzo – l don’t know why
If you could do a collaboration with an international artist on a song, who would it be with?
DJ Khaled, because he makes hits, finds hits and puts hits out. He is the definition of Unity in the industry because he has brought forward the best collaborations in hip hop ever.
Local celebrity crush? Also add an international one.
MC Cut and Tory Lanez
Do you think hip hop will someday be as big as gospel and dancehall in Zimbabwe?
Yes, l think so. Hip-hop is slowly dominating the radio and it has the biggest quality in terms of videos. The culture is taking over even in the corporate world. e.g Brian Soko done us proud with a Grammy award
What would you change about the current state of the genre?
Pray for the investors to jump in and help the genre get to an income generating level so that artists cannot just be famous for making good music but also make ends meet.
Any offering on the way that we can look out for?
I am dropping a new jam which features an SA artist. Im also working on completing my album and shooting 3 more videos.
Any shout outs?
Shout to:
Team Tiara Baluti
My family
MC Cut
Djtowers
Serious Crew Records
Bars263 Miss Mars
Miss Baluti has just released a new song called Bad Gyal Flex that features Simba Tagz. If you like to party, and want to understand what she’s all about, this is the proof.
On Saturday the 18th, Tehn Diamond kicked off his Tehn Outta Ten Tour in Harare. The first of ten shows received raving reviews from hip hop lovers that were in attendance. Unfortunately I missed it, but King Dimple was kind enough to share a bit about the event.
Tehn and Ammara on stage
Asked how the experience felt like and what he’s promising at the upcoming shows, Tehn had this to say;
The first show was a huge relief, I was extremely nervous. Between the rain and the big events like NAMAs going on it was a lot to manage. But my team kept me calm and we pulled off some great performances.
The atmosphere was just so much love. Especially the supporting acts who came out in numbers to push and uplift this event.
I had anticipated a greater audience but due to small hiccups on our end, that wasn’t the case. Nonetheless, we broke even and gave the people who pulled through a show to remember.
The next show, Mutare and Marondera can expect a much smoother run event. With even more energy and a greater commitment to just blowing the audiences away.
I’m so proud of everybody I’m sharing this tour with, everybody is bringing their very best so far and I love it!
The next 2 shows will be held in Mutare at the Golden Peacock Hotel on the 24th of February and Hopefay Hotel in Marondera on the 25th. Ammara Brown, Simba Tagz and Thaiwanda Thai are part of the tour so it’s going to be ‘nothing short of amazing’. Go out in your numbers and support local hip hop music.
Today I get to write about a song I witnessed come to life. Todd Junea (aka Trevor Muzenda) just released his first official single, ’Extra-Extra’.
‘Extra-Extra’ is a pop burst with a touch of acoustic goodness, all glued together by an awesome voice that Todd possesses. For 3 minutes and 9 seconds, expect a fresh sound in your ears.
The introduction of the song is a well-structured 6 bars of nothing but acoustic simplicity. It goes a gear up with some drum work, clicks and boom, the digital element that carries on through to the end.
Like most pop songs, the lyrics are very simple. There was no effort whatsoever invested in the song writing. It paid off. Here’s the catch. Todd is talking to a beautiful girl he likes. Because she’s extra beautiful, it becomes clear that his loss of words can be best expressed in a few words altogether.
There is sophistication in simplicity. This project kept everything at a minimal. From the lyrics to the instrumentation, all elements takes turns to pop out to perfection. My favorite part of the song is the outro; a simple blend of synths and piano, a little bass and a catchy melody!
I believe team work makes life easy. The making of ‘Extra-Extra’ involved a handful of people. Zimbabwe got to meet the United States as one of the best sound engineers in the world right now, Grammy winner Mr Tom Coyne took care of the mastering. He is behind the mastering of very successful projects, some being The Weeknd’s latest offering “Star boy” as well as “Can’t Feel My Face”, “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars(2016), Lady Gaga’s “Johanne” (2016), “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift, Adele’s “Hello” (2015), “Stay with me” by Sam Smith , Justin Bieber’s “Purpose” album (2015), Avicii’s “Stories” (2015), Sam Smith “In The Lonely Hour” (2014) to mention but a few. Recording and mixing was done in Harare, Zimbabwe at Ian’s Rooms.
Out of 10, I’ll give Extra Extra a nice 7. The song is extra short! What a tease! An extended version would have been nice. The future looks promising for Todd Junea. All he needs to do is keep us captivated. Well done!
Extra – Extra Credits
Trevor Muzenda: Composer and Lead Vocalist
Omichael Nhamburo: Instrument Programming and Arrangement
Ian T. Mhlanga: Acoustic guitar, recording and mixing engineer
Mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound New York City
Cover art: Robert Pachawo aka DJ Patch
Executive Producer: Ian T. Mhlanga
Listen to And buy ‘Extra Extra’ for only $0.99 on iTunes here
Tehn Diamond released a single, ‘Lead the way’, recently and I found it befitting to ask the man when he’s going to give us a compilation project. For over 2 years now, fans have been anticipating the publishing of ‘The Perfect Tehn’ album, in vain. Do not despair, something’s cooking. I engaged the rapper in a question and answer exercise to learn more about what he’s on to.
First, You’ve hinted dropping a project called ‘A Few Good Poems’. What is it all about, in brief?
Should we FORGET about The Perfect Tehn, then?
‘A few good poems’ is a random collection of love songs, feel good songs and my usual social commentary, creatively for me, a breath of fresh air. And yes, you can forget about ‘The Perfect Tehn’ for now. I’ve never been one to rush my process or put projects out without having a clear goal. ‘A few good poems’ speaks more to where I am as a person, both personally and creatively. So that’s what we’re on for now.
Which side of Tehn Diamond are you going to reveal to the market with this one; Fans/Bloggers etc love to make a distinction of who you are behind the mic(‘The Year Before Rap/SOTG3’ Tehn and ‘The Tehn of old’, a softer, more emotional mellow Tehn) ?
Are there 2 sides of Tehn to begin with?
Well that’s the thing, it’s you bloggers and listeners who have all these different versions of Tehn. I’m Tehn; One person living and loving through the multitude of experiences and emotions that life throws at us. You can expect to find the same Tehn I always aim to be, the one true to the moment that I’m in. And that’s my job really, to define my truth and express as best as I can through the tools I have . . . my heart, my soul, my art and my pen. The rest is for the people to decide.
If I were to make any distinction within myself, it would be between Tehn the Artist and Tehn the Entrepreneur. But even then, it’s all just a great big exercise in creation for me. My business ideas flow from my musical ideas and sometimes the other way around.
Most people, myself included believe you can do well musically on the regional playing field. Are you looking to step onto these waters with your upcoming project(s).
Most certainly, especially in recent times I’m feeling as if I’ve done as much as I can in Zim. I feel like I’ve given a great deal. To date there’s 120+ songs that I’ve made or been a part of circulating freely, I’ve performed up and down the country and still don’t have a great deal to show for it. So I think it’s time to make a really concerted push for the regional and continental markets. That’s the goal behind ‘A few good poems’; to expand my market base and begin to export the vibe. That’s the entire idea behind Tisu Ngoda Dzacho & TNDSZN to begin to export what I believe to be the “black and gold standard” of creative output from Zimbabwe.
Lastly, you’re very well known for Frank Oceaning your fans. We are tired of waiting for ‘The perfect Tehn’. Please do not emotionally abuse us with the release information of the A Few Good Poems too. When should we expect it?
‘A few good poems’ will be out on 30/9/2016.
Bonus question; You’re considered one of the most respected hip hop artists in Zimbabwe both on the artist side and your work ethic. What is that one thing you can tell artists on the come up on how to get mileage for their craft locally?
Fall in love with rejection. Learn how to get back up when rejection hits. Above all else, be both strategic and tactical in all you do. Plan and execute. Build bridges and doors. Google is your friend. Feed your mind. Write daily. Record every other day. Work work work and LOVE IT.
Tip : It’s now so much easier to know what Tehn and his brands have to offer. Visit his website http://www.tnd.co.zw for more information. Who knows, he might release ‘The Perfect Tehn ‘ unannounced!
Until then, stay amazing!
McDie the conspirator is a Europe-based Zimbabwean who has a passion for producing and performing hip hop material. He feels that he has mastered the necessary production and rapping skills which he has
horned for the past several years and its about time for the whole of Zim to meet this guy. Let’s do just that.
'Problems With Authority' artwork
His new song ‘Problems with Authority’ simply tells us that he is not to be messed with. The intro is good enough to keep you listening. My first problem, however, was when I got to the first verse. Then there was the excessive swearing. But what is hip hop without a bit of that to be honest?
The lyrics suggest the guy is a problem but the delivery lacks character. I did not feel him there. The instrumental is quite laid back and easy on the ear. For those of you who like ‘chilled’ music, this one’s for you. Featured on this track is Baron.
I love the concept, and so does a number of people in the city he lives in. With practice, I predict this guy will be a favourite of many. Looking forward to more material from him, in particular the part two to this one. Enjoy!
Listen to ‘Problems With Authority’ here
It’s been a hot minute since Boi Mac released new material. He fixed that with his new song titled ‘On Top Of Things’.
'On Top Of Things' artwork
With Youngnash on the beat and SwayTh3rd as a featuring artist, he surely had a proper comeback strategy. This is what he had to say about ‘On Top Of Things’;
Well, Zimbabweans should start embracing their own artists and appreciate the hardwork artists put in especially in the current economic situation. We are doing everything by ourselves with no help whatsoever from corporates. Let the Music be heard. It begins with that Share Button.
‘On Top Of Things’ is available for free downloading. Like the man said, let us support local music. Go ahead and get the song. All the best to Boi Mac.
Download ‘On Top Of Things’ here
Bars 263 
Introducing Omry and his new single ‘Poruka’
For new artists, trying to break into an industry is a struggle and a half. In the end, hard work pays off.
Omry
Fairly new on the Zim Hip Hop scene is 19year old Omry. He is working on two projects, ‘Pisces’ mixtape which is set to drop on the 14th of October 2016 and an EP early January 2017. In a press statement, the young man promises features from other international artistes on his projects. Inspired by acts such as Big Sean and G Eazy , Omry writes in a relatable fashion, reaching to different kinds of people, at the same time showing his emotional side. All this is evident in his latest single “Poruka” in which he addresses his thoughts and feelings as a new artist trying to get into the music industry.
“Poruka” has pretty impressive wordplay. The production is alright but Omry needs to perfect his delivery skills and breathing patterns. With a bit more practice, this young man could become a force to reckon with. Do the right thing and press play!
Listen to ‘Poruka’ here
Posted by Mars on August 22, 2016 in artist biography, Artist promotion, Entertaiment, Interviews, New Artists, New Music, News, Promotions, random commentary, Song Review
Tags: Omry