When it comes to Zimbabwe's rap music scene, Suhn is one those undeniable talents every hip-hop head has to give a try at least once. A rapper and producer, his influences range from Daft Punk to Kanye West and this has seen him pursue a distinctive soundscape that merges hip-hop and electronic sounds. While not yet a mainstream success, his superstar potential is evident - witnessing him perform at last year's 263 Culture Festival left no doubt in my mind.
What's simply left for Suhn is a moment that changes everything, and as much as it was a surprise release with no rollout, SIRIUS: Mixtape feels like a search for that moment. This is not to say that he's chasing trends or collaborating with the latest breakout stars, but he's once again not afraid to reinvent himself. Something that was at the core of his debut eponymous project. Suhn - the album and the artist - came out of shedding the cocoon of Union5 (his previous artist identity) and SIRIUS comes as the next stage in the metamorphosis of Suhn as an artist.
His purely English lyricism is replaced by a multilingual approach, tales of disjointed love over striking instrumentals born out of the merging of hip hop and electronic sounds are sidelined for braggadocio and self reflection over trap blues and beats reminiscent of the Good Music era of 10+ years ago. Sirius being the Greek derived word for the brightest star in the sky, perfectly suits the subject matter Suhn addresses. The 14 track mixtape features Probeatz, Icey Ekxne, Denimwoods, Kikky Badass and Crooger, with a production team that included Jax Da Beat Bully and Boy Tricky.
From the onset the mixtape is unapologetic; "Gorillas" has a grimy hook from Crooger, which reflects on how the cycle of urban life cannot be changed (with a lot less subtlety than I've put it). Suhn raps as a man who's reached the pinnacle in his chosen art form but the desire for more has not left him. From "Gorillas," to "Asheka," to "Answers & Chances," to "Speed," to "These Days," to "Hardwork," there is the undercurrent of embracing the hustle. This is delivered with clever wordplay, highlighted by such bars as "I'm tryna get them checks no bearer shit" and "This shit don't happen overnight, I'm working night shift every week."
The project sounds ominous and yet at the same time gritty. A dual nature mirrored by how Suhn is ready for whoever tries him on "Wazvinzwa" but he sees the ultimate response as silence on "Crows." However there isn't a moment where Suhn is lacking in confidence. His self belief is especially captured bu the bars he drops on "Dark Hours," reflecting on his ability as a rapper: "This shit off the charts ungati album rakaleaker/Can't even hit the bar, if niggas ball then I'm La Liga... Niggas be like let's work, get bodied by the feature/Then get mad because this talent sent them to the bleachers."
Whether it's RayKaz rapping "I'll be with the shooters in the field, if we spot them Ronaldo with the shots" over the thumping bass line of "Ita Easy" or Denimwoods boasting "I be making straight bread, niggas thinking I walk with a toaster" over the more subdued instrumental on "Speed," Suhn's collaborators constantly show up. "These Days" alongside Probeatz is a standout, while sadly for all it's potential "Ndeyechii" featuring Kikky Badass & Crooger is forgettable.
In some moments, this feeling of unfulfilled potential extends to the project as a whole. So many tracks feel unfinished due to their short nature, and a Suhn's storytelling as present as in previous works. Yet this is the nature of a mixtape, and the production, along with the worplay, more than makeup for these faults. To add to his acumen as an artist, "Why I Only Got A Problem" and "Hardwork" pay homage to Kanye and Kayflow respectively, making SIRIUS not just another mixtape but an ode to hip-hop.
Greedysouth rating: 7.2/10
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