Voice2Rep is a groundbreaking platform that aims to discover, develop and showcase the vocal talents of Zimbabwean youth. Now in its third year, this year’s cohort features 13 young men and women who have written and recorded songs about social ills that are affecting all of us in our communities. The project was born of a collaboration between Accountability Lab and the Magamba Network.
One of a few standout tracks on the Vakuru compilation album is “Mhere” by Ndonzi Beatx. Born Tanaka Stephen Moyo, the Warren Park native has been in the music game for a while. As the winner of best Voice2Rep artist 2021, he has gained a following with tracks such as “Pindirai” and “Landlord”, songs which have struck a chord as they examine social issues and experiences.
Beatz says, “My music is all about creating a happy place where anyone can relate yet dancing to the vibes. We created our own genre called Shebeen Rap, where music is the alcohol that can make you drunk and happy at the same time.” Ultimately, his experience growing up working in his uncle’s home studio as a kid has paid off with “Mhere” easily one of the best songs on the album. Beatx truly shines on the upbeat track, which was produced by certified beatmaker, Simba Tagz.
Like the other Voice2Rep artists, Beatx’s song addresses a social problem that he observed while working with his fellow artists to find inspiration for the song. He explained, “To do [Mhere] I was inspired by a field visit we did in Mbare Nenyere Flats where I saw how under-developed Mbare was. Their flats didn’t have windows or a roof. There is also a water shortage and their toilets are poor. There is sewage everywhere. What shocked me the most was the people who live there saying ‘we are protected by the grace of God’. These guys are surrounded by big companies and many other small entrepreneurs, but they can’t get together to fix these problems. Others want people to vote for them only for them to benefit not the people who voted. It’s messed up. So I did this song because I heard and saw their cries and tears.”
Beatx has worked with Feli Nandi, Trevor Dongo and Oliver Mtukudzi and has a talent for adapting to every genre. He credits his success to his consistency and hard work, passion, faith and belief, saying ”If you don’t believe in yourself and what you do, success will never come:”
An exciting talent to watch – fans will surely be keeping an eye on this talented virtuoso of ‘shebeen rap’ to see what he will do next. If “Mhere” is anything to go by, Beatx has a bright future ahead of him.
You can listen to this track and more on the “Vakuru” compilation album on streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music an YouTube) or by sending a message to +27600806146 on Whatsapp.
