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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
SOUTH Africa-based musician Neville Sigauke has continued to shine in the Mbira Dze Hip Hop genre after he recently released a single titled Paivapo: Mbira Dze Hip Hop.
The track is meant to serve as his reintroduction to the music scene as he made his mark by creating the genre when he released his first single titled My African Swag in 2014. The song was met with positive reviews from radio audiences and was once on the ZiFM Stereo Top 40 charts for over 10 weeks.
Listening to the track which was released with visuals shot by Slowman Films, a company that has worked with South African artistes among them Ma-E, Simmy and Big Zulu, one cannot just pass by without hailing the rhythmical mix of mbira and rapping from Sigauke.
The song was written and produced by the Nketa 9 bred Sigauke and mixed and mastered by Hit Record, a South African sound engineer who has worked with the likes of Buffalo Souljah, Nasty C and Zakwe.
Speaking from his base in Durban, Sigauke said the track which is his third single offering, is a bounce back for him to claim his rightful musical position.
“I have three official singles out of which two of those Shumba which features singer Kudhu and rapper Playar T and the latest one Paivapo: Mbira Dze Hip Hop are available on for people to stream and download,” said Sigauke.
Questioned on what defines the genre, Sigauke said: “Well growing up I was exposed to the late greats Oliver Mtukudzi, Chiwoniso Maraire and living legends Alick Macheso and Thomas Mapfumo. My dad used to play that type of music when I was growing up so then when I decided to venture into music in 2012 of which I was listening to a lot of Hip Hop I just asked myself why not fuse traditional music of Zimbabwe with Hip Hop and since Mbira is an important instrument when it comes to traditional music in Zimbabwe.
“Mbira Dze Hip Hop is also about identity. Whenever people beyond borders think of Mbira they think of Zimbabwe so whenever they hear Mbira Dze Hip Hop they will know it’s Hip Hop from Zimbabwe.”
The last time Sigauke released a track was in 2016 and attributes his silence to suffering from depression but with this new track he is back with a bang.
“Paivapo: Mbira Dze Hip Hop is just me re-introducing myself to the industry since I’d been quiet since my last release of Shumba in 2016. During that time, I had suffered from depression so Paivapo is like a rebirth/ self-motivation and at the same time reminding people that its cool being hip hop.
“At the same time, it’s about keeping the African tradition intact hence an African story told through rhythm and poetry,” he said.
In the song, there’s a line which says “Ini mudondo nange hondo nemukhondo” which translates to “I’m in the jungle going to war while carrying a spear”. In this case spear represents the mind/brains/talent that one has and war represents the challenges and struggles that are faced in the jungle which represents big cities when artistes are trying to achieve their dreams.
“I’m just encouraging people to use the mind/strengths and talents/gifts that they have to achieve their dreams and not to focus on the negatives,” Sigauke added.
When it comes to that authentic African sound no one beats Sigauke with his Mbira Dze Hip Hop. He has found a way of collaborating the Mbira a sound box instrument popular in Zimbabwe with the Shona culture and fusing it with Hip Hop drums and verses.
His latest installment found on Spotify and iTunes is the genesis of great things to come from Sigauke.
Originally from Chipinge, born in Chitungwiza and growing up in Bulawayo, Sigauke is a recording artiste, producer, songwriter and chanter who is eager to be a force to reckon in the music world. — @mthabisi_mthire.
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