At the age of 27 Soko Matemai can almost be described as a rap veteran. He has been on the Zim hip-hop scene since 2013 dropping 2 albums and scooping up several awards in the process. On Monday the artist gave us a double drop of visuals for his latest singles Yemarasta haipotse and 24/7 which features Kana Boy. There was also the release of the lyric video for the track called The holstar by Dutu Mupengo on which he's featured on.
The artist who had taken a bit of a step back from music seems to have come back reenergised. The rapper has always had unique delivery in his music which he stays true to. The vibrant lyricism and upbeat tempo of his songs is infused with a blend of shona and english that gives his music a very Afro centric feel. The artist was also involved in a recent collaboration of arts that featured The Mixologist and Will I Are in creating a signature cocktail called KONG that was accompanied by a beautiful concept shoot.
Following the release of the new videos the rapper also made an announcement on his upcoming album titled KONG. In a tweet sent out on Tuesday morning the rapper said: "I wasn't before but now I am excited to share the album "Kong" with you. The 2021 release date will be announced soon."
The artist's debut album "Soko Matemai" has long been held as his best work with fans saying the follow up Take Back The Land didn't reach the same level. We're wondering where KONG will fit into this dynamic. Take Back The Land carried a different sound from Soko Matemai and we can't tell if KONG will be another exploration of sound or a product with a settled middle. From the latest singles though we can tell we're in for something potentially special.
Yemarasta haipotse is a drill song that features the high intensity of grime but it's filled with distinctly Zimbabwean flavour through Shona lyrics in the chorus and on the verses. Although molded after the UK rap sound the track has its own originality and there's a vibe to it. The visuals for this song match it's energy and they try to tell a story of the hustle or grind while also exposing the softer side of life in a scene that features Soko Matemai surroby kids dancing with him.
This video is a few weeks late as Soko Matemai had promised it to fans in mid-October. The visuals are the directive work of Yerorp and Starlord with script ideas coming from Teeknowx & Kirkpatrick Chidamba. It's not the the best video you'll see but the best thing about storytelling is capturing the essence and feeling of a story. The present video production is a testament to how far Zimbabwe had come in the visual art.
24/7 carries that same drill mould of Yemarasta haipotse but it has a slightly slower tempo. The delivery of a chorus that's both catchy and an easy listen is probably the best thing about this song. The instrumental has a heavy texture to it but both artists come out on top with clear lyrics that are matched to the beat's rhythm. The video features promotional consideration from Push Athletics but the principal themes of the music are still brought out in the story told on screen.
It almost looks like a workout commercial but instead it's not condescending and it feels a lot more inspirational than the average video which accuses you of being lazy. The video is directed by Soko Matemai himself and Larry The Nomad with Bryce and Soko Matemai again collaborating on the script. Rayobeats contributes to amazing production and mastering on both songs and we always appreciate an investment in the art.
Checkout the new videos below: