BY RONALD MAGWETA
THE socio-economic hardships afflicting many ordinary people in the country have not escaped the artistic lens of hip hop star Noble Stylz, who has released a metaphor-laden track — Chiedza — whose socio-political connotations speak to the situation obtaining in the country.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Noble Stylz said the song was meant to reflect how the citizenry’s hopes had been dashed by the discouraging turn of events in the economy despite government’s assurances of progress under Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s “austerity for prosperity” measures.
“Chiedza is a reflection of a nation’s hopes in an inauspicious environment. It is the proverbial ever-eluding silver lining. It highlights being stuck between a rock and a hard place metaphor in real life,” the musician said.
Also known as Papa in music circles, Noble Stylz — real name Prince Butawo — is known for producing hard-hitting songs with political connotations meant to keep the government on its toes.
Produced by Quazor of Yung Gamez Entertainment, the song is laden with deep wordplay and metaphors as it plays on the image of light (Chiedza), to speak to the social complications that the majority of Zimbabweans have been forced to deal with.
Noble Stylz said that he has witnessed and lived through some of the hardships that are reflected in his music.
“Art is a mirror into the society, so I witness things, have lived through these phases and read about stuff too. So the motivation was to break down the cycle we are in as a nation in a way people could understand,” he said.
He said the political and economic jargon that government bureaucrats used often flew over ordinary people’s heads.
“Technocrats always throw around jargon which the populace might not understand so I just needed to unpack it and also mirror back the situation from the eye of the normal citizen.”
Noble said his songs are meant to have a positive impact on the people, make them see things in a way that they never imagined.
“The song has already started moving people towards a certain understanding of our situation. A knowledgeable people are hard to manipulate, we are just trying to survive,” he said.
Media personality Plot Mhako described the song as a bold chant for hope and change every Zimbabwean must hear and yearn for.
Chiedza is a single off his upcoming album titled Chana Chidokosa, which he described as “a 360 degree artistic experience”.
