admindancehall singer.
But for some reason the 32-year-old singer knew that his time to shine would come and only this year Sniper alias the General, is smiling that the heavens opened up for him and he is now basking in the glory of his hugely popular fifth album called “Attention”.
Arguably now it’s his time.
The album has already produced four instant hits — — ”Love Yemusoja”, “Porongi”, “Zora Butter” and the controversial song “Mwari Ndibatsirei” who contains samples of Blessing Shumba’s beat on “Hama”.
According to Sniper (real name Donald Chirisa), the album is different from his previous release called “Salute The General” in that he has matured lyrically.
“The latest album has more natural sound and beat than all my previous albums. And each song was first released as a single but what happened was that people loved all the songs and I then decided to do an album,” he said.
Track one is Love Yemusoja” on Zvaitika riddim where Sniper displays his lyrical prowess by retelling a true love story. It is the story of a woman who falls in love with a soldier such that even after they broke up she still loves him.
“The song was inspired by a true story and I believe we all have loved someone that even when its over we still can’t let go,” he explained.
In as much as Sniper seems to have been hardened as a soldier, he confessed that he still has a heart where he only shows the ones that he loves so much.
Already there has been hullabaloo over the song “Mwari Ndibatsirei” in which he samples Shumba’s gospel track “Hama”. Oddly enough, the song was only recorded following wild responses from fans at live shows.
“I heard the beat and I thought let me do something to it and see how it works. Man oh man, I was shocked to see that the crowd loved the song and only then I decided to include it on the album,” he said.
The whole song is captured in the verse where Sniper sings:
Mwari ndibatsirei ndisave munhu ane godo muhupenyu hwangu
Nditungamirei ndisave munhu nashanje mukurarama kwangu
Handidi kuzofamba ndichiimbwa naStunner na BaShupi
Kana kunzwa gogo pandinopinda kushanda muzistudio raRoki
Musandirege ndichisvotwa nezibhande raWinky
Kuiita chifinhu chokufamba ndichibvarura maposter aSuluman
Ndipeiwo simba rekushanda zvangu
Kwete kuiita ruchiva nezve vamwe vanhu
Now ardent followers of Zimbabwean reggae’dancehall music will be quick to point at Snipers imaginary rivals among them Winky D with whom he had a bust up during Mavado concert held in Harare early this year.
He insisted that the song on dancehall lion riddim was an experiment to see how fans would respond but seeing that it had become a hit he recorded it.
Sniper also denied allegations that he was trying to hit out at Winky D saying that chapter was gone for good and also dispelled reports that he used Shumba’s song without an agreement.
The song is being played in Big Brother StarGame courtesy of Roki. who usually requests it.
Sniper who started off as a weird singer whose style was similar to miners who wear helmets, overalls and gumboots has changed to army style dressing.
Whenever he hits the stage, Sniper dons combat attire like a soldier at war. “This is the new me, when I am on the microphone I resemble a soldier and I am ready to claim what belongs to me,” he declared.
Online Reporter