Awa Khiwe…the story of an obscured hip hop gem
Despite being one of the most talented Zimbabwean hip-hop artistes, Awa Khiwe’s existence has remained buried for reasons I cannot comprehend.
When I first saw a social media clip of her rapping a few years ago, I was blown away and told myself this was the next big thing to come from Zimbabwe on an international level.
But to date, her name rarely pops up in music conversations and I am still trying to figure out how someone can be so talented and yet no one pays attention.
The mainstream has just been evasive for this rapper, but that is probably about to change.
She recently posted a video on her social media platforms dropping a verse from a song she will be releasing soon. The clip has since gone viral, attracting thousands of views and positive reactions.
Some international celebrities have also taken notice, with South African actor Abdul Khoza giving her props for being ‘real and genuine’.
Awa has not released anything since 2018 and this particular song is an announcement for her return. What an announcement it is.
The few bars she spate to give us a taste of what she has been cooking are way too hot and when the song finally drops, I will definitely need a fire extinguisher just in case I need to douse some flames.
I decided to get in touch with this fascinating artiste to find out more about the new music and what she has been up to in general.
“The song is about my journey. I have been going through a lot of mental struggles, l stepped back from music and l haven’t released anything since 2018,” said Awa.
“This year l decided to go all out because l got my groove back. 2020 gave me enough time to ponder. I healed and the video was an announcement of my return. The song will be released soon.”
The good news is that while we are just talking about this one track, there is actually more coming our way as an album is also in the works.
“I am working on my debut album with an Afro-German producer, Ghanaian Stallion who is an established producer based in Berlin.
“We are running the last lap and l will announce the release date soon. It will be released by Outhere Records; the German record label l am signed to.”
Two years ago, her record label put out a video on YouTube which has Awa in the studio working on what sounded like a straight banger with with one of South Africa’s biggest producers, DJ Tira.
While that song is yet to see the light of day, she has confirmed that it is also going to be released soon.
The local hip hop scene has been gaining traction of late with numerous artistes including Ti Gonzi, Takura and King 98 to name a few making headway into the mainstream, or at least the headlines.
The GZE vs Noble Styles beef also had the potential to shine more light on the genre, but it somehow just fizzled out.
It is safe to say that the local hip hop scene is not loud enough and Awa believes this is one of the reasons why she is not yet popular in the country. That and the local ‘artistic geopolitics’. (Not sure if the term ‘artistic geopolitics’ actually exits, but I am sure you get the picture)
“It’s tough because hip hop is not big in Zimbabwe, especially in Matabeleland and we are still trying to prove that it can be.
“It’s hard to get the music to the people because the platforms we have are not enough. In Matabeleland we have Skyz Metro and Khulumani FM but their audiences are in the Bulawayo metropolitan province and surrounding areas within a 60km radius.
“We also need a TV station in Bulawayo. That would really help because most people rely on South African TV to watch content they can relate to and that makes it hard for local artists to reach people.”
She added that while it is a bit easier these days to push music as the internet is providing several platforms to do that, airplay is still a necessity.
“Many people argue that in this day and age local artists should not be complaining about airplay and platforms because we have access to people through the internet. It is true, the internet helps but airplay also plays a major role, this is why artists with millions of followers on the internet still submit their work to TV and Radio, it’s important for marketing and earning money.
“Naboth Rizla stepped up and created a platform for local artists on his online radio show, this inspired many people to create their own platforms but l think our Minister of Arts needs to intervene, we can do so much more if we had the support that other countries have from their governments.”
She also encouraged fellow female rappers keep their heads up in an industry that recognises them as lesser artistes.
“My advice to other female emcees is that you should never feel like you are less hip hop than the guys. The misogyny in hip hop is disappointing. This is why on the video l posted l said, ‘Bazibiza maKing besirepheli nyongo’. This was not an attack but l was addressing the misogyny in hip hop. Never let anyone tell you that you rap good for a female and don’t hold back your strength Queens.”
She is a whooole vibe!