Cornestone. The lodestone. The integral part of something. The word cornerstone has become synonymous with the Biblical phrase “the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”. A phrase found in six different passages in the Bible and even more popular in our current lives.
A phrase used to reflect a change of fortunes from one person to the next. A phrase that now also brings to mind Nutty O’s most recent Mixtape, “Cornerstone”. The artist seems to be announcing himself as the cornerstone of the Dancehall genre. Something he’s surely entitled to, after releasing a debut album that was received as an instant classic.
To add to that, when the Redefined Concert came he was the only artist sharing the stage with Zimbabwe’s current two greats (Winky D and Jah Prayzah) and on the most recent Bob Marley album he’s one of the only two Zimbabwean artists featured. So the assertion that Nutty O has grown to become one of the cornerstone’s of Zimbabwean dancehall is more than true. If the reasons I’ve laid before are not convincing enough enough of that fact, then the music on his project certainly should be.
While the skeleton that makes up Cornerstone still has all the hallmarks of Nutty O’s debut album Mustard Seed, the flesh added to it takes on a distinct variation. While you could say Mustard Seed was a Zimdancehall album, Cornerstone certainly leans more towards Afrodancehall. Nutty O embraces more the continental take on the Dancehall genre and those nuances in sound that make Zimdancehall easily identifiable are not there on a lot of music from this mixtape.
The differention in sound seems to be intentional and not just a happy accident. Because while ExQ was Projective Executive on Mustard Seed, Martin Solyd takes overs the role on Cornerstone and while DJ Tamuka handled most of the production on Mustard Seed, Angeo Pablo has the most production credits on Cornerstone.
The music itself is just as good as Nutty O’s debut album but not quite as catchy. Akanaka kicks off the mixtape and it features lyrics about a beautiful woman over a vibrant tempo. Budai Mese ft Naspa & M Killer comes next and it’s by far my favourite song on this project. Here in essence Nutty O is saying if you seem walking my own path don’t bother me.
Do or Die follows and it is a reflection on Nutty O’s motivations to succeed. It’s a vibrant song has a certain Afrobeats sound to it. On Pe Nutty O sings about a love that doesn’t. It is easy on the ear but the lyrics speak about how he was guilty of repeated cheating and ill treatment. It’s certainly a love song Tyler Perry would be proud of.
Over the 12 tracks that make this project, Nutty O balances stories of love and adversity, with an addition of the braggadocio dancehall track in Wawa.
Haisi Danger is a family affair as Nutty O collaborates with his brother Chriss 99. Directed at those who would plot against him, the song is an affirmation of faith and self belief. It has additional vocals from Nyasha Kaseke that are soulful and the perfect binding agent for this collaboration.
Jericho ft Bagga & Bling4 also stands out among collaborations. The song uses the bringing down of the walls of Jericho as a simile for overcoming adversity. Cornerstone is a well curated and paced body of sound. It’s labelled as a mixtape but it might as well have been an album. While the melodies are less catchy than his previous work, it still feels like the music will stand the test of time.
The Mustard Seed has germinated and grow into a lodestone, a Cornerstone of Zimbabwean music. This another sonic chapter in Nutty O’s journey that won’t be soon forgotten.
