2020 has officially become the “Year Of The Vin” as organisers of the 4th edition of the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards have announced that they will honour deceased Zimbabwe’s rap titan Cal Vin (real name Calvin Nhliziyo) by naming the Outstanding Hip Hop Award after him.
State paper Chronicle reports that the Zikhupan’ hit-maker, 35, died on Sunday morning on arrival at Mpilo hospital after a suspected hit-and-run car accident at Emakhandeni Cricket Sports Club in Bulawayo.
In a communique sent out to the press, the Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAA) said while it was “sad” that he passed away, “the multi-award-winning artist will forever be engraved in the RoilBAA DNA”.
The organisers also said they were “working on a tribute for Cal Vin slated for the actual awards on the 28th of November 2020”.
The official statement reads as follows:
On the 25th of October, we along with the rest of the world woke up to the sad and unfortunate passing on of local superstar Calvin Mgcini Nhliziyo. The multi-award-winning artist will forever be engraved in the RoilBAA DNA. He won the gong 3 times in the past 3 years and was a nominee for the 2020 edition. Not only was he a nominee but 4 acts from his stable, Kontrol Tribe, made it into various categories for this year’s awards. With that in mind, RoilBAA would like to advise that we are retiring Calvin from this year’s nominees list.
We will honour him by naming the Outstanding Hip Hop award after him for this year. The award will now be called The Calvin Mgcini Nhliziyo Hip Hop Award. We are also working on a tribute for Cal Vin slated for the actual awards on the 28th of November 2020. We say to the whole of Zimbabwe find comfort.
We take this moment as we did in life to thank you Calvin Mgcini Nhliziyo, for putting Bulawayo and Zimbabwe arts on the world map, thank you for all the music, thank you for lighting up our stages and thank you for inspiring and seeing beyond yourself by affording others a platform. Intaba enkulu idilikile but you will forever be in our hearts. Heaven has gained an angel. Rest In Peace King Kong.
According to their site, the Roil Byo Arts Awards are a multi-disciplinary arts awards that recognise and honour exceptional individuals and collaborative artistic efforts in the city of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South, local and in the diaspora.
The awards are not meant to counter any awards or forms of recognition in Bulawayo or the country in general but are meant to complement the efforts that are already being made to recognise and honour artists from the Matabeleland region, the site continues.
The awards know no race or tribe as the base of the award is a cosmopolitan City.
The inaugural edition of the awards was held on the 30th of June 2017 at The Large City Hall in Bulawayo.
The 2020 edition event will be held virtually or physically depending on the country’s COVID-19 lockdown restrictions at the time.
