Foreword: After what some thought was a scathing review of my homie MC Chita's Album "Ambassadors" Son, I asked my him whilst he settles in Jamaica to write me a review for my Rant Space on the latest project I have been involved in #SynCity! Here's what he had to say!! laters Kuda...
Haha! That’s right Mofo’s! It’s your boy M.C you know the rest baby, and I’m the lucky nigga who gets to voice my personal opinion of one of Zimbabwe’s most anticipated hip-hop album’s in 2012. BegottenSun, I know this is a big responsibility, so I promise I will be as objective as possible, and try give the most accurate, unbiased and intricate review possible, not just from the perspective of an artist, but also as a hip-hop head.
One of things that stand out already with this album, is the number of resources which were put into its creation. With BegottenSun on the mixing decks to Inqore (is it Inqore or Enqore... known this nigga for years I still ain’t sure) providing extra marketing with his visual expertise (the video mad sick by the way). Then there’s Synik himself. There are many who if you were to ask “have you heard of Synik”, the reply would be “who?” although those who matter in this industry (whatever little there is of it), could tell you a lot about him.
His name rings bells from rap battles in the old Book Cafe/ Mannenburg, to H.I.F.A patrons who witnessed his performance live in their 2012 opening ceremony. He has become a face of what some would call back-packer hip-hop, or as my boy It’s Karizma would say “SPACESHIPS!!” If we were to list his peers, one would have to mention the likes of Munetsi, Godobori, Outspoken, Upmost, Comrade Fatso, to mention a few. An artist who can run in the same circles as the above mentioned and have his C.V must be something to be reckoned with.
This brings me back to the point of the resources put into the album. Instead of sticking in his comfort zone, Synik calls in other emcees and artists who represent what some would call a different side, or better yet, the other side of the genre, i.e. TehnDiamond, Jnr Brown, Larry Kwirirayi? Yeah, Larry Kwirirayi. Are you ready to go down this rabbit whole?
The Cover
Okay, his name is Synik... Syn for short... Syncity... Sincity the movie... Get it? Yeah we get it. Thing is it does not really scream originality, but we can let it slide seeing as it’s what they call a “concept” album. It’s further pushed by the video for the lead single “Syncity” which is as I write is sitting on 631 views. Nicely fitting with the concept of the cinematic theme of “Syncity” are the names of the “not so behind the scenes” executives. One begins to wonder, how much of this album is really Synik, and how much of it is Begottens, Rufaro’s and Enqours/ Inqores (dammit which one is it!!) experiment.
Also on the cover, is a list of the various producers and musicians which were tapped lend their particular gifts to the project. Most names are highly recognisable and respected in their field, which adds to the anticipation of the album. So without further ado, let’s get it in!
Syncity
The first thing you hear are victory horns blasting through the speakers. Champion music. It’s hard not to start knocking your head even before the drums start. Take note people, this is how an album is supposed to start. The pace of the album has been set. I find myself waiting for the opening bars to drop, envisioning a boxer about to enter the ring to defend his title. And Synik does not disappoint.
Synik has the ability to keep it real (realistic) and still keep it street. I enjoy listening to him on this track. Witty metaphors, similes and punch-lines riddle the track. One which stands out is “the mayans thought that 2012 is Armageddon its true, cuz if u act up i swear its Armageddon for u/ and any track that amma geddon (I’m a get on) is changing the game, give you 32 reasons to remember the name...” Swagger on a hundred, and he ain’t even stunting on em. “in my chucks, which I got for ten bucs in Mbare/ and I aint scared to walk in any spot in Harare...”
Powerful intro track for the album. I don’t know if it’s a 1st single though. A bit too much going on in the hook for my liking. I’m just saying...
Chengerera (Ft Jnr Brown)
Wow! The drumline, the mbira, the marimbas, the bars!!! DAMN!!! This is my joint! And the hook, my goodness. This joint needs a video. It reminds me of what I think would happen if A Tribe Called Quest, Fela Kuti and Thomas Mapfumo were in a studio together for a few hours. Oh and they could all speak Shona. Synik sets it off with a crazy vernacular flow which gets you bouncing. But what Jnr Brown does afterwards is just uncalled for.
His “matsaga” flow is almost hypnotic as he carries you through a very real, sometimes comical scene in Zimbabwe. However, the one who really shines on this track is Kito, who although features on most of the album, really shines on this track. There is literally nothing I can fault on this joint.
Hamurarwe
Continuing with the “Syncity” concept, Hamurarwe is an ode to our capitol from the perspective of an out of towner, falling for a shady woman, played by Harare. It’s reminiscent of Common’s “I used to Love H.E.R”, where Synik is a naive young man from a small town, who gets seduced by the big city lights, only to be taught that things aren’t as easy as it seems.
Through it all though, he manages to rise above it all by pushing hard by any means necessary. Cool track, but this is becoming a regularly used topic, especially for emcees from Zimbabwe. However the flow and the beat are solid. I predict this song actually becoming a radio hit.
Before Dawn (Ft Tehn Diamond, Prayer Soul and Aura)
So this is supposed to be the “keep your head up” 2Pac inspired track of the album. Well, okay, it’s nicely produced and it has a message but two things... One, the hook feels a bit uninspired. Too generic for my liking. “Darkest before dawn” is a line I’ve heard in more movies and songs then I can count.
Secondly, I’m a firm believer in the fact that song arrangement in an album is very important, because the way you present a song can affect how a listener receives it. The previous song was also quite slow paced, and my 1st impulse when this track comes on is to skip to the next tune.
Fortunately the song has rich story telling in it as both Tehn and Synik paint highly descriptive scenes of what the less privileged in Zimbabwe have to endure. Their ability to do so seems almost effortless. “and she’ll often take offense, when they offer her a lift/ lies hangin off they lips, like lit cigarettes...”. We’ve all seen it happen. I know the Team Tehn Fanatics are going to eat this up.
Not too sure how I feel about the poem at the end of the track. It works but it might be a bit too much. You that feeling when you have your favourite coffee and you find you’ve put a bit too much sugar. Yeah, I mean I still like it but, hmmm. It is inspirational though, “even if you don’t finish the race first, make sure the race was worthwhile...” Words to live by.
Power Cut (Ft Metaphysics, Jnr Brown, M.C. Chita)
Okay, I promised I’d be as unbiased as possible, but c’mon now! I done KILLED it on this joint! Dare you to say otherwise. The same way one cannot own a house in Zimbabwe without a generator, one cannot do a hip-hop album in Zimbabwe without featuring the names on this joint. You just need that backup and peace of mind. Hahahah. Enough about me, let’s get to the song. The track features not only a verse but a chorus from hip-hop legend Metaphysics.
This I guess it supposed to be the party anthem of the album. Meta opens with some fierce rhymes, making references to some of the popular hangout spots in Harare, from Mekka to Londoners sports bar. One thing which will resonate especially with Zimbabwean citizens, is the topic of the song. Only a Zimbabwean could really appreciate the way power cuts are synonymous with the country. Finally, someone has had the balls to address this subject on record.
Synik breezes through and showcases his abilities in storytelling. Even on a track which literally begs for ignorance, he shows his intelligence and his acute sense of humor. Just one more bit of self bigging up then I’m done, “and all these dudes do is pretend, need an x-ray lens to see them in their invisible benz/ nah dude I aint hear to make friends, call me ZESA cuz I’ll cut your lights out if you late with my ends...” WHAT!!
Marching as One
“a hundred of us marching as one, they not stopping us/ a thousand of us marching as one, they not stopping us/ ten thousand marching as one, they not stopping us/ no, they not stopping us/ they not stopping this...”
I guess this would be more like an interlude rather than a track. In two words, “I like”. One problem however, in this track, Synik is supposed to be kicking knowledge, but you cannot hear what he’s saying in the first few bars. That being said by a fellow rapper, is saying a lot.
My belief is the acoustic-live feel the track is supposed to have kind of throws Synik off in the first few bars, but it doesn’t faze him for too long. “it’s a cry for freedom in a Palestinian child, a mis-government operating Sicilian style...”. This is what hip-hop has been missing, not just in Zimbabwe, but worldwide. Salute.
Afri-I-Can (Ft. Munetsi, Begotten Sun & Larry Kwirirayi)
See what I mean about track placement. After zoning out to the Acoustic sound of “Marching as One”, “Afri-I-Can” is such a breath of fresh air. The “political” track of the album, Synik, Munetsi and Begotten Sun speak on subjects some dare not whisper about. It’s been a while since I’ve heard Munetsi on a track, and I’m glad to say, he’s still a beast. “meetings in office, wit suits and jackets/ no N.B.A but they shooting rockets...”.
Even BegottenSun dusts off his rhyme book to put down a hot sixteen which would have put him on some form of terrorist watch list if he had dropped it while he was still in the Diaspora. Whether it’s, “I keep hearing Obama “care”, but Obama cant/ see Obama’s and Avatar, he a clone in a mask...” or “Africa is not Amer-I-Can the Euro-pee-on...” you can almost see government officials shifting nervously in their seats.
The interesting guest appearance is Larry Kwirirayi. However the significance of his feature is kind of killed by the distortion effect which was put on his voice to give it a more “cinematic” presence. It gives the impression that the speech was grabbed out of some old Z.A.N.U archives, instead of recorded by someone who is still alive. That combined with the length of the speech/ poem make it a bit long winded.
Muripo
This is another one of my favourite songs on the album. Here we see Synik in his element. He takes us on a tour though a part of his life which I doubt many get to see, starting with his relationship with his father, to his mother and finally his brother, in a way only he could pull off. “with this incident, plus a previous stabbin/ you got street cred, you the one that should be rappin...”.
What gets to me the most in this track is Syniks brutal honesty in his song writing. “wassup bug brother, wanted to thank you for the clothes/ cuz at least i’m looking fresh when i’m rappin at these shows...” There’s no need to over floss, brag, or be overly gangster about anything, and the song is still amazingly introspective and entertaining. On top of that there are some powerful references to Shona culture and how our generation is losing touch with it. “I need a genealogy, if you could write it down for me/ don’t really know my family, and it bothers me...”
The hook is also amazing. It was simple and to the point. I believe however that he could have gotten a bigger name to do the hook, just to give it that extra marketing push. Anybody have Ba Shupi’s number?
Losing Sleep
Ok, the love song of the album. It has a sort of Romeo and Juliet theme, only from the perspective of an interracial relationship. Being in an interracial relationship myself, it’s quite easy to relate and empathise with the track. Once again, Synik is in his element, sticking to what he does best, storytelling.
Thing is however at this point, the album is becoming a bit monotonous. One starts realising that Synik seems to have one strength which is storytelling. Unfortunately he doesn’t stray from it ever, so unless you really are a hardcore fan, you might end up skipping this one.
Bright Lights (Ft Mic Inity & Karizma)
Okay, some swagger! Finally!! We back to the bounce, and plus they got a Mic Inity feature... Oh, wait, huh, where’s Inity? Heard him at the beginning of the track but... Oh there he is. I think. They tried to mix him into the hook which I think would have been more solid if they had let him do it solo. Damn, a bit disappointing.
Back to the bars. Here Synik shows lyrical skill instead of relying on his storytelling, and surprise, surprise, he sick with it. “lights flash like, ambulances at crash sites/ even when cash right, try and get em for half price/ and that’s right, when they say hommie you rap right/ so much liquor here, you could drown or get baptised...”
Unfortunately for Synik, he in Karizma’s world on this track and it shows. It feels like a Karizma song featuring Synik. “try to get thru, they may ask you who are you/ I guess you stuck outside, but aint the view so beautiful...” or “when the drinks and the easy money come, I’m all with it/ but the sins of this city, got me feeling kinda ‘Synik’”.
Still I rock with it though. It woke me up.
Life I Chose (Ft Fungai)
Here Synik speaks on behalf of all rappers in the Zimbabwean entertainment industry. Not only does he do it effortlessly, but with such lyrical skill, I can see several rappers torching their rhyme books. It’s hard to pick a favourite bar in this track, because there are just so many. I’m sure when you hear it, you’ll have your own but my two would either be “they keep telling me that rap isn’t financially viable/ if it won’t keep me warm, what the hell I got this fire for...” or “living to die, an eagle never reaching the sky/ lookin at these pigeons, and seeing them fly...”
The chorus also gives the song an extra bounce. It’s catchy and easy to sing along to. The unusual percussion pattern of the congas compliments the lyrics of the chorus and the raspy tone of Fungai adds an extra element to the track. You heard it first here, this could be a Zwagga Nite anthem. Thumbs up.
Walk with Me
Right, we’ve made it. The end of the album, the outro track, and Synik make sure that you know this. Once again, going for the cinematic feel in beat choice which has been a constant theme throughout. “step outta the box, still stay true to who I am...” Sticking with his art of storytelling, Synik takes the listener through the process of making this album, and what he went through to get to his present day position. “I felt I didn’t have the means to do the album I wanted, cuz everything would have cost more than a couple of hundreds/ and there I was, in a place where I was counting ones, that’s when I bumped into Ruffi and BegottenSun...”
If you close your eyes at this point of the album, you might catch the final credits rolling up your eyelids. It’s a good feeling. Nice track.
The Final Word
So I just spent approximately forty minutes in Syncity. Not a bad way to kill some time. Through it all we’ve seen how Synik hustles, parties, mourns and what he has gone through in his 28 years on earth. Strong collaborations have not only opened him up to new fan bases, but have also expanded his technique in other aspects of hip-hop and lyricism, besides his strong suit, storytelling.
Solid production and mastering by BegottenSun already puts this album in a class of its own. However it is not the only thing that makes this a dope album. Synik is a dope artist. Literally. I once heard that the definition of an artist is a person who can create vivid imagery using tools of his/ her choice. Synik does just that. His ability to recreate scenes from his past, in such a vivid manner is at some points, uncanny.
I would have liked to have seen one or two more features. Though Kito is talented, and totally rocks it on Chengerera, I feel he could have been replaced on one or two of the other tracks, just to give the album that much more diversity.
Well there it is, Ama-peopleps! MC Chita’s review of Syniks’ Syncity album. 4 mbiras out of 5. Hope you find it fair.
P.S.
After finally looking at the cover on a bigger picture, I finally realise that it is Enqore after all. No hard feelings blood. You know how I am with names. Deuces!!
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