There is a cocktail of feelings on social media after GZE turned down an opportunity to pocket up to R100 000 through a live television rap battle with his rival Noble Stylz.
Following several back and forth studio diss tracks between the duo in a battle that has managed to earn back some significant recognition for local hip-hop genre, Noble Stylz had decided to put an end to the raging clash with a live battle on televison.
As sweetener, a record setting R100 000 prize money apiece would be pocketed by the duo.
However, this would not come to pass after GZE, who initiated the clash, turned down the challenge saying he had achieved the goal he set out the battle for.
“This was never a battle for clout or money, but a lesson in respect. Part of the reason for this battle is demonstrated by what’s goin on right now, which is that, regardless of how highly you view yourself as a person/rapper, how conscious or “ill” you are , you have no license to disrespect those that actively choose to channel their talents towards the mainstream and go commercial.
“In trying to publicly diss and demean others as inferior rappers or “lesser hiphop than“, you could surprise your self and your fans by getting stripped down and murdered on wax. For the culture. By the culture. Not everyone suspends their principles and jump to impulsive decisions at the sight of a paycheck. We have not come this far by tap-dancing for everyone who dangled a bag infront of us. Ours is an art form whose mastery we will show and prove for free, if we feel the need to.
“We are indie and we embrace it and will earn our stripes and keep by our own hands and sweat. Donate my “appearance fee” to any hiphop initiative(or any worthy charitable cause)that benefits more than just 2 individuals, if the shared goal is to contribute positively towards the culture . I’ll charge whatever losses incurred to the game. Long live Zim Hip Hop. Respect, Love and Light,” he wrote on Facebook.
In response, heart rendered Noble Stylz could not hide his emotions expressing how much he feels the rebuff has betrayed the significant progress the battle had brought for Zim Hip-hop.
“It would have been this way, 9pm-12 midnyt Live On National TV STRICTLY HIP HOP 250 000 rands 8 hip Hop paid acts On The Night to perform. 2 Dance Groups, Graffiti designer for the set. Noble and Gze pocket 100k rands each before ..50 000rands is donated towards a Zimhiphop initiative by the “winner.”
“The Culture Missed A Turn. We let it down.??.I will collect some cheques off this but there was so so much more for The Culture ???we let it down..It was way way way bigger than Both Of Us. ALUTA CONTINUA,” he said
Fans from either camps also had this to say…
Zee Sweto As usual live anokwata. I respect GZE for his studio diss yessss and he won there.
And it’s still entertainment too when someone calls for a live battle. Don’t show us your reasoning capacity now that u don’t want to go a step further, you started the diss track go for it to the end.
l will repeat this and one day you will come back to me. Zim hip hip will never go far as long as they still want bedroom wars. Come out of the bed and face the world. Zimdancehall Madiss akabhadhara and up to now they don’t fear. Actually they accept any opponent kuzimdancehall. Problem with hip-hop some want to be in a league of their own. Until such a time he accepts war in lyrics anywhere and anytime then it’s music. Don’t tell us kuti kuAmerica kune vanongouya muStudio diss chete. Zim is different. Uptown tried to do that pahiphop akaendepi. Now ghetto rakasimudza hip-hop let uptown follow suit. Don’t come to give instructions to a culture you failed to maintain.
I’m still neutral until they face live battle.
Lenon Mnyulwa With some due respect Noble lost nothing he won this thing and the final round is to be televised.Gze had time to write his jabs in the shadows so both of them must come to the light and be televised and we get to see their skills and lyrical prowess upfront,no need for any false humility due to chickening out.Hip hop has always been about cyphers and battles and let the king be crowned after bodying someone but there are no losers here when its #For The Culture
Abson Chibgwe Real Hip Hop battles are won live.. pasina nguva yekubatanidza..
George Murevesi GZE is the don, head bowed. For those routing No Balls, for your info his only ‘decent’ reply C10 is recycled material from SwitchUp remix yaTrae Yung.Nigga is wack.
