Local rap artiste Tonderai Chanda, popularly known as Tony Lyas, turned a new page in his life late last year and is now a born-again Christian.
Tony Lyas who is known for releasing songs with thought-provoking messages will no longer be releasing secular music and is planning on releasing new Gospel music later this year.
The rapper has previously featured some of Zimbabwe’s finest artists including songbird Tererai Mugwadi and rapper Ti Gonzi.
In an interview with The ZimTainment, the rapper said that the positive response which he got from his track Jeso Christo happened to motivate him into writing Gospel music.
“At first it was a feeling to be a Christian rap artiste after my first attempt of ‘Jeso Christo’ which happens to be my first gospel track got a positive response,” he said.
“It was hard for me to just switch to Christian music because of that response, I didn’t have the original drive to I because I wasn’t born again, until I received Christ and had much knowledge of being a Christian. That’s what motivated me”
Tony Lyas is currently inspired by international Gospel rap artists.
“My role models for now are Lecrae and Trip Lee though I am still looking for inspiration from other Christian rappers,” he said.
The rapper has always wanted to work with Winky D and Maskiri ever since he was doing secular music and he still feels the same even though he has switched to Christian music as the two have inspired him to be an artist ever since he was young.
Tony now believes that bold and radical Christianity will lead youths towards God.
Tony Lyas is one of Zimbabwe’s up and rising hip-hop superstar with a crunk rap sound. He started rapping at a tender age of 8 in 2001 when he used heard Maskiri’s music on radio. He started listening to him at the same time tried to rap like him.
This article was written by Ronald Magweta.