Munengwe, directly translated, there is a cheetah in there. A brilliant example of dexterity with the shona language on a soundbed of a calm yet gritty instrumental, that blends a heavy sub-bass and the mbira instrument. An instrument Chiwoniso made sing and Hope Masike makes sound spiritual, in the same breath YoungDLC makes it evoke a certain sadness within us with his production on Munengwe. Mbira and HipHop, two genres in stark contrast fused together to produce beautiful melodies.
Probeatz and YoungDLC are certainly not the first to blend mbira and HipHop, but they deliver standout work in their latest effort. I would even go as far as to say they deliver a possible classic. Munengwe feels melancholic, a feature achieved on three fronts: the instrumental, the lyricism, and the vocal delivery. In addition to being beautiful music, Munengwe also answers a question I’m sure quite a lot have wondered: What would Jah Prayzah sound like in HipHop? (or was that just me).
Munengwe is filled with Shona cultural references, in not only the practices but proverbs from the language. It is reminiscent of Probeatz’s breakout hit Ibanga iroro, in it’s reference to a different knife on the chorus.
Chinobaya chiiko (Banga)
Hona rinonyura munyama (Banga)
Hona rinocheka vasikana (Banga)
Banga here? Banga
Munengwe is story of life. It’s dynamics and it’s hardships. Told with a rich Shona vocabulary and smooth melodies. Struggle is at the heartbeat of the song’s lyrics. In Jah Prayzah’s part of the hook, he’s reflecting on he’s trying to persevere but the cleansing ceremony that was done for him has still not beared fruit and certain luxuries he only sees in the homes of others.
Dzimwe nguva ndinoshingaira
Machembere kwedu vakandibikira doro
Asi ndingori paya paya
Banga jena rekucheka nyama
Toriona kune vakapfuya mombe
Nehuku dzopara para
Munengwe is at the confluence of more than just the mbira and HipHop sound. Jah Prayzah adds his own elements of Afro-fusion and although what we get might be hard to place, it’s easy to see it’s brilliance.
Music like any other art form has always been a conversation between an artist and his audience. The different genres have simply represented a variety of languages of communication, with sub genres being different dialects and of each dialect has it’s nuances, which represent how artists group themselves under these sounds. As much as all these distinctions represent a desire for differentiation, it represents that sweet spot in music.
The point when the music ecosystem is at it’s healthiest in terms of creativity and that’s what we have in Zimbabwean HipHop right now. It’s been a few defining years for the genre, with names like Holy Ten and Voltz JT being the focal point but there’s been an immense field of talent. Probeatz has been one such name in that immense field that has been in some regard under appreciated.
Although very much gifted in the traditional elements of HipHop, Probeatz has always approached the genre with an eclectic view. You could almost say HipHop-fusion is his true sound. Munengwe again showcases how he takes what he can from other sound and blends it into his own style of HipHop.
Munengwe is the third song to drop in the build up to Hakata, Probeatz’ upcoming album and the song raises the bar for our expectations. The first single was Hakata, an intense and mellow rap song, then came Hairarwe, a fusion of HipHop and Afrobeats, and now Munengwe. Hakata certainly promises to be memorable.
You can checkout the song Munengwe here.
