Zimbabwe Rap Queen not authentic – Awa Khiwe

GERMAN-based hip-hop goddess, Awa Khiwe has vehemently refuted the idea of changing her moniker from, “Ndebele Rap Queen” to “Zimbabwe Rap Queen” saying that would equate to treading on shaky ground and diluting authenticity.

The “Ngeke Bengimele” singer addressed this on her Facebook page, silencing individuals who have been advising her to alter her moniker.

“I have been advised so many times to replace Ndebele Rap Queen with Zimbabwe and I understand that people who say that mean well, but I think there is a danger in erasing your identity to avoid excluding others and to try to belong. That is the biggest threat to authenticity.

“Imagine if we stopped calling ourselves Africans because the rest of the world would feel excluded, we would never be our true selves. The name Ndebele Rap Queen is about my roots and my mother tongue, it does not mean that I belong to Matabeleland only. I have never denied being Zimbabwean, not even one day,’ wrote Awa Khiwe.

“I love my home, but I don’t have to replace Ndebele with Zimbabwe to prove that. That would be like asking Baba Harare to call himself Baba Zimbabwe or asking Big Zulu to call himself Big South Africa. If we really are united, then we should support each other regardless of the tribe we belong to. I don’t have to stop saying I am Ndebele to be Zimbabwean enough or to be accepted. Being proudly Ndebele does not mean that one is not proud to be Zimbabwean.”

Awa Khiwe, who is known for speaking her mind met Zimbabwean Ambassador to Germany Alice Mashingaidze last week at the Durchlüften Festival which was held at Humboldt Forum in Berlin which was dubbed the “Tribute to Stella Rambisai Chiweshe” an honour to the late Queen of Mbira.

At the gig, Chiweshe’s daughter Virginia Mukwesha-Hetze also performed together with Stefane Franke, Camille Bokhobza, Fabiano Lima Merope, Maryisonacid, and Dauwd.

Chiweshe who succumbed to cancer of the brain earlier this year at the age of 77 played a pivotal role in shaping Awa Khiwe into the musical juggernaut she is today. – @MbuleloMpofu