CheusiDawaTV

Fidstyle Friday Week 30 with Nikki Mbishi

SN — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 10:12:02 +0000

On this episode, FidStyle Friday is celebrating its 30th episode anniversary with Nikki Mbishi. The emcee who woke up everyone to this movement with his crows. Nikki Mbishi starts by rapping his classic Sauti ya Jogoo single. The relevance of this single is as crucial as the importance of Jogoo in our society, the same way FidStyle Friday is. This King of the underground mainstream briefly explains how realism in Hip Hop, and the artists who embrace it in their lyrics, sets them apart and contributes to their longevity.

Nikki Mbishi’s FidStyles critique our society and the rap game, including those who play it. Nikki, who is not short of bars and punchlines that are provoking, is both thoughtful and controversial. He tells us, how [they] want to slaughter this Jogoo and eat him, but the emphasis is on ‘they’. Who are these ‘they’? Nikki leaves you to ponder, if he’s rapping about the crocked politicians, or his fellow emcees who are actors.

But, isn’t working off imagination through a created character part of creativity?

In the end, Nikki Mbishi has a candid conversation with Fid Q about his thoughts on Hip Hop, artists, and his place in this perfect storm of Bongo Hip Hop. Ever heard of Drosophila melanogaster? Well, Nikki explains what it is, and why he is exactly that.

Enjoy the episode, and make use of the rewind button to capture Nikki’s wordplay (Hata ukiwa na mvi Shirazi unahitaji Afro)!!

More on Nikki:

Buy Sauti ya Jogoo: iTunes, Amazon UK, CDBaby
Sauti ya Jogoo Album Review
Listen to Nikki’s songs
Get to know Nikki

Fidstyle Friday week 29 with KALAPINA

Joji — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:02:07 +0000

Kikosi cha Mizinga crew are arguably one of the top-tier heavyweights in Tanzania’s socio-conscious Hip Hop movement. Led by the striking persona of Kalapina, over the years the crew has amassed a cult following within the region sending shockwaves from the epicentre Block 41, Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam.

In this episode we once again get to feel Kalapina’s direct, socio-politically charged lyrics over dope beats. Other crew members such as Zimwi, Aboo Gaidi, Onya Man are also featured and all possess that classic Kikosi cha Mizinga sound and energy. Fid Q engages Kalapina on an insightful dialogue touching on various sensitive issues, from Tanzania’s perverse copyright laws, or on platonic reflections about the art of lyricism — to write what one feels versus what one thinks?

Enjoy the episode after the jump.

More on Kikosi:

Fidstyle Friday week 28 with Godzilla

SN — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 12:02:14 +0000

If the monster Godzilla breaking of freestyles instead of buildings wasn’t enough to cause an earthquake on FidStyle Friday, the presence of freestyling Fid Q definitely did it. On this episode, FidStyle Friday turns into a boxing ring, as Godzilla and Fid Q exchange rhymes, punch for punch.

Godzilla who impressively represented Salasala, with his ability to freestyle off the dome and still make sense, with some humor in his rhymes, only further legitimized his throne as King Zilla. Is he similar to 50 Cent? Hear what Bil Tha African has to say… I will let you be the judge. Intimidated, you should, because the story he tells about Salasala in his lyrics, even Fid Q himself compared the images to Soweto.

There will be no time to take a breather, as the energy lit the mic thanks to Godzilla and Fid Q who kept the fire burning till the end.

More on Zilla:

Follow Godzilla on Twitter
Video: King Zilla

Fidstyle Friday week 27 with JCB

SN — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:21:12 +0000

JCB!.. Caution: You should be ready for that A-Town raw Hip Hop flow. Mr. Ukisikia Paa is bringing that energy of a fired bullet onto FidStyle Friday. JCB needs little introduction, due to his longevity in the game. As Mejah Mbuya (of Wachata Crew) says, JCB has been holding down the fort at Kijenge Juu since 1996, making sure The Roots remain grounded.

JCB takes time to spit the original verse from “Ukisikia Paa!”, but on a different beat. Apart from the FidStyle, JCB uses the opportunity to discuss his and Watengwa‘s upcoming projects. Also, he briefly talks about S.U.A. project — be on the lookout for more details when CheusiDawaTV crew visits Kijenge Juu and interviews Daz Naledge.

Enjoy the street ride… Some fascinating stories. Charisma, confidence and presence.

More on JCB and Watengwa:

TZhiphop interviews: JCB, Chindo, Daz Naledge
SUA facebook page
Watengwa’s ReverbNation page
Watengwa’s Playlist

Fidstyle Friday week 26 with Cliff Mitindo

SN — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 09:04:58 +0000

Up town Magomeni aka Migo Migo. Most would argue that every bit of Dar is definitely represented there — that is, Magomeni has got everything Dar es Salaam as a city has to offer. People always on the grind, unemployed youth hustle whichever way they can, non-residents pass by with their cars or on public transport with ‘windows closed’! An up-and-coming artist, Cliff Mitindo, reflects, “Bahati is on vacation, gundu is on patrol!”

But, if you know the ways well, Migo Migo is the place to be, especially in the evenings. Everything — yes, Every Thing — is available at a reasonable price.

The Migo Migo cocktail of various walks of life has made Cliff Mitindo unique on his own way, with lots of stories to tell, and now he’s convinced he would soon be “eating beats and shi**ing Bongo hits!” The FidStyle Friday host sees similarities between Cliff and a certain emcee whose arrival has been a breath of fresh air in the game.

Watch out.

Fidstyle Friday Week 25 with Kadgo

Joji — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:35:48 +0000

Lighting strikes twice. So does Kad Go! Having used well his minute-of-fame in an earlier cypher with the Mecco-South crew, Kad Go comes again with a dope lyrical delivery for Tanzanian Hip Hop fans. In this set he spits raps mostly addressed to Tanzanian youth who need awakening. This theme aptly remixes what fellow Mecco-South MC Malle addressed in the single Kawaambie Madogo. With mellow beats by Ender, Duke Tachez and Mujwahuki, Kad Go laments the plight of the walalahoi in bars like “…tumeundiwa tume, tume zimeundiwa kamati“. On each occasion he ”intercepts” at “point X comma Y” with ‘Y’ being any number (of MCs?) and ‘X’ as zero (0), giving you that 2012-till-infinity type of gradient-flow.

Within the set Fid Q provides a classic dialogue delivery as they discuss various matters on TZ Hip Hop culture, Fan-aticism, and fluidity in support (or lack there-of) for Hip Hop and Bongo Flava music. We also get a sneak-peek of what to expect from Fid Q’s upcoming LP KitaaOlojia. Check the episode after the jump.

More info and links:

Fidstyle Friday Week 24 with Stamina

Joji — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 07:24:34 +0000

The showcase of Tanzania’s new era in its Hip Hop music scene continues on FidStyle Friday! This week we have STAMINA, an up-and-coming MC reppin’ Morogoro — mji kasoro bahari.

A few seconds into the episode it becomes evident that this young MC has a unique stamina of Swahili and English wordplay. Between the boom and the bap of the beats he sews, locks and re-sews Swahili words and comes up with bars like ”kayumba kasumba iache mapema/ mwanayumba ameshayumba hadi chege hamtaki tena”.

When asked who are his major influences on his lyrical style, he mentions Fid Q as a frontline, as well as artists like Common, Red Man, and Master Ace. He opens up and talks distinctions between his style to that of commercial, ring-tone-like Hip Hop. He goes on and defends eloquently his lyrical style and professes not to dumb-down his lyrics for commercial reasons. I mean, there are enough Swahili Hip Hop fans out-there with stamina to his kind of lyricism.

Look out for his album coming out in November 2012. Enjoy the episode after the jump!

Fidstyle Friday Week 23 with RAGE

SN — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 08:02:33 +0000

The House of FidStyle Friday was full of Rage this week. The winner of MC Africa freestyle battle was present to show why he was victorious, above all emcees who battled him. His flow in English is dope mixed with some ragga vibes.

In between bars, Rage chats with Fid Q about different social issues, raging from albino killings, to police breaking laws, and being an emcee. He also shares a personal story, that probably could start to explain his Rage.

Calm and collected, but with bars that no emcee should dare to step in the ring of freestyle battle and face them. Rage’s flow is accompanied by some really cool beats, as they’re played in the background throughout the show. Enjoy!

For more info:

Fidstyle Friday Week 22 with Edzen, Shasho, Senzo, Azma

SN — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:39:48 +0000

CheusiDawaTV crew is still in Rock City, and on this week’s FidStyle Friday we have got Edzen the Rocker as the guest host. The DJ/Kiss FM Radio presenter — who also has a segment on an online platform www.voturadio.com — used the opportunity to advocate for Hip Hop artists to be given more airplay on local radio stations and other media outlets.

After that, it’s bars time! Edzen blesses the mic, followed by Shasho from Lunduno, Azma and Mac Senzo.

Fidstyle Friday Week 21 with Mecco South

SN — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 09:53:44 +0000

We are still in Mwanza City for this week’s Fidstyle Friday. This being after last week’s brief introduction to what many call the ‘Rap City’. Kadgo, Malle, Roland and Biznea represent the crew Mecco South.

Apart from bars, they talk about their latest literary work ‘Chuo Kikuu Cha Hip Hop’ that arrays a ‘positive theory for the negative minded’ through narratives about the art and culture of Hip Hop. Malle is the main author of this work and calls upon fans and artists to support his initiative.

On the lyrical side of things, each one of them portrays their prime-time A+ game, making great use of the neck-jolting beats by D Classics and J Ryder.

To start with, as he showcases his ability to time his flow, without haste, Biznea goes in as “Rush Hour” since in other scenarios he “rushes like Jack Bauer”. Malle’s deep voice heads straight to the conscious and asks a certain Mtoto wa Mkulima, “Vipi? Mbona mizengo inapinda?” You’ll be kept attentive to this and other of his bars, and yet Roland pops-in to show us his realness. He normally eats “bila kunawa, walaji wakiwa wengi”. The artist that contributes the most bars in this cut is Kadgo. And following the tradition set by others before him, he shuttles us to his clinical, yet lyrical bars, which diagnose society’s ills: “… Vijana wameshiba uwoga, mitaa imeshiba soga, tangu jana tunajengwa kuwa taifa la mazoba!”

The education conscious crew Mecco South gives us a glimpse of what modern Tanzanian Hip Hop is all about. Versatile, Dynamic, and Conscious. Enjoy the show!

Bonus clip (exclusive for online viewers):

More info and links: