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Langalakhe Mabena
On Sunday 25 October, a dark cloud engulfed the City of Kings as one of its gifted artistes, Mgcini “Cal Vin” Nhliziyo, passed away after he was involved in a hit and run accident.
The accident happened a few metres from his home.
It is said that the late 35-year-old muso was in the company of his girlfriend and two male friends.
They were reportedly coming from watching a marathon of Saturday’s English Premier League matches at Emakhandeni Cricket Club.
“When he was almost home, he was hit by a white Mazda Familia. He jumped on the car’s bonnet and the driver started driving slowly at first and increased his speed. He then performed an emergency brake which threw Cal_vin off the vehicle and ran over him,” said a reliable source.
Nhliziyo, who was a renowned hip hop artiste in Zimbabwe, was rushed to Mpilo Hospital where he died upon arrival.
Now that the microphone has gone silent, his songs have not ended and the melodies should continue as we say Rest in Peace “That Luveve Boy.”
With those that were shattered by his demise demanding justice that Cal Vin’s killers be brought to book and before the law, a lot of people can attest that Cal Vin was a visionary creative who gave younger ones in the game a chance to showcase their talent. I am privileged to be among the people to have had a chat with Cal Vin three days before his death and the conversation (not an interview) was based on an album which he intended to release in November.
“This project is going to redefine Zim Hip Hop,” those were his exact words.
On the project he said he had worked with Maskandi’s Gazelimnyama, Tebza, Mzistoz Mfanafuthi, Mawiza among other youthful artistes.
Cal Vin’s dream was to give younger arts personalities a chance and a platform to showcase their individual talents.
We are proud to say in the departed Cal Vin they were offered a long helping hand.
The late musician, a figure who can no longer speak anymore, talked highly of Tebza’s potential.
“Tebza is the future of Bulawayo music. The boy is a gem and no one can take that away from him,” we quoted Cal Vin as saying about the pint sized Tebza’s nomination for one of this year’s Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards.
However, Cal Vin’s appreciation of young talent didn’t start or stop there.
The arts industry and Zimbabwe at large has been robbed of a rapper par excellence. I remember my first contact with Cal Vin was way back in 2011, several years before I decided to swop the microphone for the pen.
By then Proud of You (POY) was holding Bigger Than Hip Hop shows in the process scouting for talent at Bulawayo’s home of arts and entertainment-Amakhosi Theatre. The late Cal Vin was then trading by the name St Church Boi after ditching the stage name C Dog.
On that Bigger Than Hip Hop platform, myself (Maroza) together with my crew Zim Hip Hop 2016 nominees Red Monkey Nation, Kasi Lunatics, Tarigs Crew among others were unearthed.
Cal Vin saw a greater future in my crew (Red Monkey Nation) and because of our performance which charmed him on that day, he gave us a free instrumental.
A song Mang’Vela featuring Gunz Da Pharoah (Zim Hip Hop Best Underground Artiste 2019 winner) and myself was to become our production.
I dismally failed to juggle both the rap game and my books so when I went to Midlands State University to pursue my degree in Journalism, I stopped performing something that didn’t sit well with Cal Vin.
He discovered all this when he was billed for a Changamire Hip Hop Festival in Gweru organised by Tafadzwa “Zimboy” Muchechetere (my former classmate), headlining the show with the likes of Harare’s Tehn Diamond, Junior Brown, Take Fizo (Five), Ammara Brown and Team Bho.
“Ntwana sutshiyile igame, nowhere tonight you are performing. I am the only artiste from Bulawayo in this gig, you must be roped on the list and we balance the performances with the Harare guys,” said Cal Vin while I was with producer Phanankosi “Phanas” Dube, a friend of mine at varsity.
Phanas would give me an instrumental and a mini rehearsal was done in my hostel room, with a massive crowd of students waiting just outside my room’s doors to just breathe the same air with Cal Vin. On that night I became an overnight star all because of Cal Vin; we also had a Russian Bear story (that I will tell someday).
As much as I enjoyed performing that night, I am hurt because that was the last time to be on stage with Cal Vin being the main inspiration.
He respected my reasons for dropping the microphone. I told him: “Bhudas it’s better for me to be a scribe than a rapper, there is a need for me to create my own young stars on the paper because I understand the difficulties they are facing for their names to be known.”
My relationship with him as a showbiz reporter didn’t break the bond that we had, when he messed up or did good, I made sure I wrote that story, after all he inspired a lot of youth, so even his bad decisions, actions and drama were supposed to be carried by the drama mill.
Hip Hop game will never be the same without you my man, you inspired a lot of young talent and you will continue inspiring thousands even when you are gone.
Legends don’t die, they rest, may you rest in eternal peace That Luveve Boi, till we meet again grootman.
Online Reporter