As a writer and blogger one of my privileges is getting unfinished art for analysis and criticism and in some instances as pure favor for my personal enjoyment. Ndakachachura, I sampled Shugeta’s latest track and I can testify that the Zim hip-hop arena will not be the same after its release. I just couldn’t help but ink this my debatable opinion.
By Rodrick Simba Mazoyo
Takura is the man of the moment having begged the Best upcoming Male hip hop artist 2016. He is still basking in the glory of having been nominated as NAMA’s outstanding Male musician of the year. He is surely the man to mark. Without too much excitement allow me to doubt if it will be the same in this and following years.
The Shugeta in question is the Chitungwiza lad who has had his fingers in almost all artistic cookie jars. He is an actor, poet, dancer, model, instrumentalist and rapper. Recently he landed a role as one of ZBC TV’s presenters of the YGT Show. The young man exudes energy and with no doubt is the type that steals the show when performing live. You think Elephant-man is the energy god right? Wait till you see this young man in action.
Shugeta’s single is called ‘Ndiyerese’ and on it he features Trevor Kay and Mr Noxxa. The song itself is well mastered and has a fluid yet again solid feel of real Zimhip hop. Punch-line after punch-line Shugeta proves that he is not your ordinary new comer. Like a lyrical magician he does the unthinkable with the Shona language from the first to the last verse. Listening to the song ‘Ndiyerese’ you are serenated into a ‘mapostori’ atmosphere due to the lyrics, but then you are unexpectedly thrown into a traditional jiti-like zone as he borrows the common Shona musical chants. Before you know it, you are clapping hands to a unique piece of art that meanders around many musical flavors and conclusively comes out as a hip hop hot patato.
Due to curiosity I asked the young artist if he was born Shugeta to which he laughed. In actual fact he was born Tafadzwa Ben but merging the sweetness of Sugar and flavor of the Yougueta lolli pops he decided to call himself Shu-geta, naughty ha?
Back to my argument, I see a number of hip hop artists getting a run for their money after the launch of the song on Wednesday the 15th of March. Anyway competition is good and encourages innovativeness and destroys mediocrity.
Perhaps we need to allow time to unravel the full story, music is meant to be heard and not debated anyway. Forgive me, but for now handinyare kuti my money is on Shugeta. ‘Ndiyerese’ is likely to shake Zimbabwe!
