Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
ENGLAND-BASED gospel rapper, Daniel “DC3” Chenjerai, made history again after becoming the first Zimbabwean to walk away with two gongs at the Music of Black Origin (MOBOs) awards.
The 19-year-old rapper from Northampton won Best Newcomer and Best Gospel Act at the awards ceremony.
The MOBO awards celebrate the best in black British music.
The Awards were held on Thursday at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.
DC3 is known for his versatility and razor-sharp wordplay.
He has always said that his Christian faith inspires his musical style and was “grateful to God” for the double success.
For him, the highlight of the night was being in the same room with the likes of American superstar Pharrell Williams, who took home the global songwriter award.
“Jesus Christ is real. It means a lot to be able to achieve all of this. I am grateful to my parents and everyone, I am only still a teenager and if you’re a teenager at home, keep pushing don’t give up.
“It’s an honour to be in a room full of great people, to see so many legendary people and people I have grown up drawing inspiration from, in one room to celebrate music, Jesus Christ is real.”
DC3 grew up in a Seventh-day Adventist household, which heavily influenced his musical style, incorporating gospel, hip-hop and jazz.
His father is also a pastor.
DC3 started writing music at the age of eight and has not yet been signed to any record label.
Influenced by gospel artists like Kirk Franklin and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, DC3 developed a deep appreciation for gospel music from a young age.
Without access to television when he was growing up, he spent a lot of his time listening to the radio, where gospel music was prominent.
This exposure shaped his musical ear, particularly the repetitive and catchy choruses commonly found in gospel songs.
The rapper has been catching the attention of Christian hip-hop musicians like Lecrae and Limoblaze, with whom he has collaborated with.
DC3 has released several impactful songs, including ‘Bake Off,’ ‘UPSTAIRS,’ ‘Be Yourself,’ and ‘Billie Jean Freestyle.’
He is known for blending gospel, jazz, and hip-hop to spread faith-driven messages.
His rapid rise was marked by the hit “I Know” and he gained significant traction last year with performances on Colorsxstudios and On The Radar. He made history as the first Zimbabwean to perform at COLORS Studio.
After making waves with his viral mixtapes and clips across socials, he landed on the world-renowned COLORS Studio with his track “Bake Off.”
COLORSxSTUDIOS is a world-renowned German music performance platform known for its minimalist videos featuring emerging artists performing against a single, vibrant colour backdrop.
Mathew Masinge