The Inside Story

IS HE NUMBER ONE IN THE ZED HIP - HOP GAME?

Hip-Hop’s popularity and global reach make it a very powerful medium with which to spread messages and influence people. We give credit to and eulogise the late Hip Hop artist Jordan Sinkala of the group “Impi” who passed on in January 2014 as a perfect example of an artist who spread knowledge in his music and talked about the atrocities/corruption that some bad politicians do; how they only remember us during election campaigns; how we need to love each other and so on and so forth. Through his music, we can tell that he felt a great responsibility for delivering conscious content in his songs as this would change society and he fought to make a major impact on the world and Zambia in general. He did not want to squander the platform he was given as indeed his time was indeed short...His music contained Conscious content and substance—meaning the content was long lasting, important, and profound, with more relevance and “real meaning” than other content in other artist’s songs. Impi was never famous or had sold out shows, sold out albums like JK, O.C or Mampi. It is a disheartening fact that Conscious content doesn’t always get as much exposure as other types of content in music. Several artist’s feel that more pressure should be put on the people in charge of pushing and breaking records to support Conscious music, so that there is more balance in what is played in Zambia.

Music in Zambia nowadays frequently focuses on being in the club, partying, and having a good time in general. Although party content isn’t usually as highly regarded as other kinds of subject matter, it has always been a part of music, with its own important role to play.

It is great to note that fairly new upcoming artists’s such as Kondwani Kaira popularly known as Chef 187 is notably the best local rhyme spitter in the Hip Hop game in Zambia right now. He creates a balance between conscious content, club content and the braggadocios style of Hip Hop. Other running mates to the number one spot are his blood brother Macky 2, his brother in arms Alphonso and closely following a few steps behind is his comrade Bra B. Indeed Kopala Swag Affiliates are running the local Hip Hop game. We have delved deep into the rhymes and intricate ways of thinking of the Kopala guys and the guys are deep, tight and are trying to use the Zambian language to the fullest of its potential.

We have grabbed a few lines from Chef 187 just to showcase his rhyme prowess:

1. “Nine Rap Chabupe /Nalibapo Fly Pandoshi Palupe”.

2. ”Ni Shiner Fulu Mwenzi / Bamba No Nganiza Nina Gulisa Ma Yearzi”.

3. “Umuntu Wane Kwikata Apengi /Noti Ukulolela Pa Monthend / Wi bika Amani Mu Basket Imo / Filubane Uteke Ichililo”.

4. Katwishi Nebo Napala / Ama Line Ukufula / Ukuchila Uniform Ya Para”. be a legendary MC whose complex rhyme style and vivid street imagery will influence a whole new generation of MC’s in Zambia. For those new to Hip Hop phrase’s, an MC stands for “Masters of Ceremony”.

Often, Hip-Hop lyrics focus on topics that can be controversial, such as violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, power, and money. These forces are sometimes said to have a negative impact on society and basically condemned or banned in allegedly consecutive countries like Zambia. But artistically speaking, they are inherently attentiongrabbing subjects—which is why numerous classic Hip-Hop albums have revolved around them and will continue to do so in years to come.

Although many MCs write content that is exclusively based on real life, there are also plenty of MCs who feel that there is a place in Hip-Hop for fictional content. They believe that because MCing is an art form, you shouldn’t have to limit your imagination and the scope of your music. Chef 187 combines both fictional content and real life content to mold a style that is comparable to no one.

Right now Chef 187 is indeed holding the Number One Spot with only one released album to his name and various singles and songs he has featured on from other Zambian artist’s and quality hit videos which portray the Hip Hop lifestyle.