TAWANDA CHARI
Zimbabwean rapper, singer, and songwriter Lainancia Mudzengerere—better known as Lain—is back with a fiery new mixtape, Try Me?!, released on February 7, 2025; her third project in two years. The fiercely confident mixtape is a seven-track body of work marks a deliberate pivot toward hip-hop, diverging from the Afrobeats-driven sound of her earlier EPs Lost Emotion (2024) and Ndochema. Try Me?! is a 21-minute exhibit of Lain’s lyrical dexterity and genre blurring vocals that are more felt rather than heard.
Lain, who is signed to Off Centre Department (OCD) has always straddled the line between rap and melody, but this project feels like a definitive statement—she’s hip hop first, and she’s here to prove it. The project boasts an impressive lineup of Bagga, Bhanshee, Suhn, Slyme Foxx, Icey Ekxne, and Karville, each bringing their own unique flavor to the mix.
From the jump, Cooler Down (Interlude) sets the tone with a subdued, introspective moment before things heat up with Daidza Ishe featuring Bagga which also comes with visuals. Ndiri Ndega is a personal highlight, as she bares her soul with introspective lyricism, capturing the feeling of solitude.
The anthemic Gloria (ft. Bhanshee) brings an undeniable potency. Gloria is a powerful song that seeks to raise awareness among young women about the dangers of engaging in prostitution and similar activities. The track delivers a cautionary message, encouraging girls to value themselves and resist societal pressures that may lead them down a destructive path. Through its compelling lyrics, the song emphasizes the importance of self-respect, making it a thought-provoking piece that addresses real-life challenges with sincerity and purpose.
Musango (ft. Slyme Foxx) taps into a raw, almost primal urgency, while Sideways rounds off the project with a posse cut featuring Icey Ekxne, Slyme Foxx, and Karville—each artist bringing their best to the table.
There’s no overarching theme to Try Me?!, but that’s exactly what makes it work. It’s a showcase of Lain’s versatility, a reminder that she can rap, she can sing, and she does both with an effortless command.
With her name already attached to one of Zimbabwe’s biggest hip-hop anthems, “Hurungwere”, and a catalog that includes her 2024 debut EP Lost Emotion, Lain is proving that her momentum is growing. If you’ve been sleeping on her, consider this your wake-up call.
You can stream here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6DvknCMQgHNkmZPkLl7IQ6?si=so4kVGRCQAq0Hu8DL9yVyg
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