SOUTH AFRICA-BASED Zimbabwean fashion designer Romeo Gumende (38) recently released visuals of his latest hip-hop song titled Imbizo African Nguni.
Gumende who is also the founder of Khwampa clothing label, told NewsDay Life & Style that he has always had the zeal for music from the age of 16 alongside his friends in Entumbane, Bulawayo.
The track is a self-glory by Gumende who challenged artistes in Bulawayo to vacate the throne claiming it was now his time to reign. Through the song, he claims to be the rightful king of the City of Kings.
The fashion designer-cum-singer said for one to appreciate the song’s message, they first need to understand the meaning of its title.
“I am basically asking whoever is considered to be the leading artiste in Bulawayo to kindly vacate the seat. I am not asking this nicely, as noted in the lyrics that I have a hammer on my right hand and a microphone on the left. It is a takeover,” he noted.
“When I was 16, I was part of a group of three boys, the late Marvin Pams, may his soul rest in peace, and Michael Phiri popularly known as “Birdman” making music. We would writemusic lyrics in books, memorise what we wrote then record it on a beat.”
The song Imbizo is available on all digital streaming services that include Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok Music and YouTube, among other platforms.
Gumende said he had written about 20 songs, but are yet to be released or recorded, with Imbizo becoming the first of more songs to follow in the next four months as he works toward a full album.
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“This is a fresh song, it is the first of its kind. I am the one doing an African ‘Nguni’ hook and bridge on the song; but there is a verse that is in English so it is a mixture of Afro-pop and hip-hop,” Gumende said, while expressing willingness to accept public criticism.
“There are lyrics in Ndebele from Bulawayo, Zulu lyrics from KZN, South Africa, English from England and American slang, the hip-hop music from the United States that I grew up listening to and became influenced by.”
Turning to the fragrance side, Gumende said he is the one who created Khwampha, a fragranced sanitiser he sold to make ends meet.
He said he would just buy a sanitiser and add 20% fragrance from his supplier, then sell it to the public.
