TAKUDZWA HILLARY CHIWANZA
SaintFloew is releasing a new album, Trap Yevafundisi, which will be launched at Alex Sports Club in the capital on 12 October. The artist has thus far managed to create sufficient buzz for the album, infusing healthy doses of anticipation for his latest release.
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| Screengrab from the video for Bag RaJahman featuring SA rapper Kwesta |
We have had glimpses of the album from the songs and videos that have been dropped to date: Margarita, Makuruku, Ginsa, and Bag RaJahman—the latter which features South African iconic rapper Kwesta.
Now, there have been some complaints from various quarters of critics along the lines of SaintFloew having abandoned the true essence of rap; as he has deviated from these sounds countless times in providing something that has purists thinking twice. To this end, some say Saint has effectively abandoned hip-hop and only returns to such sounds for the purposes of merely claiming that he is a rapper.
SaintFloew's catalogue of hits heavily leans into alternative pop sounds, a tactic which he credits as being pivotal in making him the widely known artist he is today. Of course, Saint Floew rose to prominence amid the backdrop of ZimHipHop's newfound status as one of the biggest urban cultural sounds in the country right now, but he has never exhibited hesitancy when it comes to delivering sounds necessary to get the crossover he has always desired. This has put him at odds with purists. And, in the typical arrogance of a rapper, he seems unbothered by this.
Last year's album Rise and Lead – which was also adorned with an album launch that provided a spectacle to Zimbabwe's music scene – was not so much of a rap album in the strictest sense of what a rap album entails. It was a mishmash of hip-hop, dancehall, Afro (whatever that is, and all its derivatives), pop and other urban sounds in between, as the artist sought to make a lasting imprint in the game.
It has to be understood that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Saint Floew diverging from his signature rap sounds that originally endeared him to many. He is a popular artist now, and he has to provide an array of songs that strive to appeal to the different constituencies of his fanbase. He has to do what is imperative for his music to be played by as many fans as possible.
And this is what we have to expect with his latest 2024 album, Trap Yevafundisi. He will of course put in a few more rap songs in the album, to maintain his identity as one of ZimHipHop's biggest talents, but we should expect an experimental (and soulful) side of him, as we witnessed with Makuruku. We could get a few notable social commentaries in the album. Where he chooses his rap side, as what we have seen with Bag RaJahman which features Kwesta, we could be in for a good treat.
Saint still remains a fierce rapper in his own right, but because pop sounds have tremendously worked wonders for him, he will not abandon them. Margarita and Ginsa do not really hit the right chords (although they showcase his technical abilities) but since the songs and videos are out already, they are needed for the album. Our hope is for the meaning of ‘Trap Yevafundisi’ to be lucid.
We could say much, but the best is to wait for the music to drop and speak for itself. The album launch will be star-studded, giving SaintFloew all the confidence he needs to pull this off successfully. So, for now, we wait.
You can watch Bag RaJahman featuring SA rapper Kwesta below:
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