Diaspora-based Rap Queen of Zimbabwe AWA Khiwe is appealing to everyone to keep her in their prayers as she is battling with pneumonia.
In a Facebook entry yesterday (Jan 21), the “Ngeke Bengimele” emcee revealed the news of her illness with followers writing:
“I have been ill for a week and l have been trying to keep it together but I’m getting worse. It’s not Corona, I have Pnuemonia(sic). I am taking medication, l just need to rest, take my meds and make sure that l don’t catch Covid. The doctor said I might not recover if l catch it because of the Lung infection. Please do not visit me, it’s too risky, let’s love each other from a distance till I have fully recovered
I will be back on Work mode soon, I am taking some time off to rest, l am in so much pain. Please keep me in your prayers.
“
At the time of this publication, the post has garnered more than 300 comments and liked over 700 times.
According to healthline.com, pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs and is caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs in the lungs, which are called alveoli. The alveoli fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe.
Born Awakhiwe Sibanda, the wordsmith who spits in Ndebele and partly English grew up in Makokoba townships in Bulawayo, listening to hip hop and kwaito by artists such as Brown Dash, Bongo Maffin and Thrompies.
Her signature performance Ndebele costumes are a reference to other strong women of the Ndebele culture she admires. Her songs tell her own story of growing up in the poor neighbourhood, touching upon urgent topics like domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, prostitution and rape.
“I feel that as one of the few women in hip hop I should speak out for women. I could be the voice of many women,” she says.
Her latest song Ngeke Bengimele is currently topping local radio charts and also saw the Nkayi rapper trending in December 2020.
