Exactly two years ago beatboxer Raheem was arrested in Harare‘s central business district after he put up a street performance with his mic and boombox. The talented hip hop had attrated hundreds of excited onlookers and 10 minutes into his freestyle set the municipal police pounced on him, arrested him and confiscated his equipment.
By Plot Mhako
They wayled him to the Town House police post where they detained him, asked him to pay a fine for performing without clearance before they took turns to make him simulate his performance and surprisingly the cops were stunned as they had never heard or seen the style of art.
Undetered, Raheem has revisited the incident and teamed up with versatile dancehall and hip hop artist Quintan to release a freestyle skit titled MaGhetto Yuts neKanzuru which means the ghetto youths versus the municipality.
In the 1 minte 43 seconds video Raheem acting as a cop attempts a reverse of circumstances by tring to arrest Quintan who acts as a cellphone vendor but charms the cop in song which saw him join in beatbox.
The choice of song add flavor and meaning to the set at as they strategically sample own compositions and Jah Prayzah’s popular Ndini ndamubata.
In the first song Bhero, the humorous Quintan takes a dig at celebraties who he claims are showing off in second hand clothes. He then switches to the hook for Tsika Jive which he sang on Tulk Munny’s 2017 smash hit.
The euphoric fall of former president Robert Mugabe last year has created a new window for free artistic expression, a development that is highly commendable about the new dispensation.
Raheem Mtandazo is a Zimbabwean artist a beatboxer who started the art of beatboxing in 2008 and decided to take it professional in 2010. Since then he has been mesmerising audiences at several big events and has been instrumental in teaching the art form to a number of young people. He is one of the few but best beatboxer from Zimbabwe.
Quintan is a music artist whose talent and lyrical prowess knows no border. His ability to glide and switch from one genre to the other has seen his star rise and hopefully soon we hear something new from him. Earground will keep you posted on the latest project from the two rising stars.
The video was shot by Boxit Media’s Bezalel Mhako.
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