Online Reporter
Nodumo Moyo, [email protected]
Multi-award winning Afro-Hip-Hop artiste Msiz’kay has released his latest EP, Walk A Mile In My Shoes, a project that sees him explore new sounds while targeting a wider African and international audience.
The eight-track project, released in July, blends Msiz’kay’s familiar “Something Afro” sound with Afro Beats, Pop and RnB, while placing emphasis on emotion, lyricism and storytelling. Most of the songs are performed in English, marking a shift from his earlier offerings, which were predominantly in IsiNdebele.
“The Walk A Mile In My Shoes EP was inspired by a desire to explore new sound and make music for the wide African and international market,” Msiz’kay said.
Born Sizalobuhle Nkomo, Msiz’kay is a multi-award-winning singer, rapper, producer, songwriter and poet who has established himself as one of Bulawayo’s distinctive musical voices. He began as a hardcore rapper before moving towards melodic Afro-fusion and released his debut album, Bazovuma, in 2017.
Earlier this year, Msiz’kay featured alongside Brazilian producers Bruno Be and Curol on Don’t Let Me Down, an Afro House collaboration released in February. The single, which appears on Curol’s Mziki, Vol 2, added another international dimention to the Bulawayo’s musicians growing catalogue.
Describing the project’s sound, Msiz’kay said, “The EP has a very unique sound, it is a fusion of the Msiz’kay sound that I’m locally known for together with Afro Beats, Pop and RnB, it’s a very lyrical offering, heavy on emotion and storytelling.”
The title track is particularly personal to Msiz’kay, blending Afro Fusion, Hip-Hop and RnB while encouraging listeners to understand people’s circumstances before judging them. The EP features the following tracks: Hello, Invisible, Follow, Souvenir, Walk A Mile In My Shoes and Enjoy.
Msiz’kay also collaborated with UK-based Wavio Records on the release while Taffy Gee handled on more than half of the project. The EP also includes Invisible, which was recorded more than five years ago, and its Amapiano. Other songs that are on the EP include: Hello, Follow, Souvenir, Walk A Mile In My Shoes and Enjoy.
The project’s use of English also reflects the artiste’s desire to move beyond his established local audience and connect with listeners in other markets. “Most of the songs on the new EP are written and sung in English which is different from my previous offerings where the main language was IsiNdebele,” he said.
Hello and Follow are two of the songs that really stand out on the EP. Hello brings a soulful Afro-fusion feel, blending African rhythms with contemporary sounds, while Follow carries a fresh, modern vibe that shows Msiz’kay’s willingness to explore beyond his usual sound. The two tracks give the EP a strong opening and show how much he has grown as an artist.
