Zimbabwean rapper Just Lyphe's election

Showbiz — By admin on March 5, 2010 11:11 am

Zimbabwean rapper Just Lyphe has officially announced the JLPF Election… to choose his next EP cover!

The Los Angeles, CA based MC has released four album covers that he is now allowing his fans to vote for through social websites like Twitter and Facebook, and also through www.POARecords.com/JLPF.

Patriotic Front (PF) is a six track EP which features production from the likes of El Hama, Kudakwashe Musasiwa, Tags, and Just Lyphe himself, and features appearances by A.C. Grynn, Pinnacle, DJ Chaka Dee and The POA Voices.

The acronym JLPF stands for ‘Just Lyphe Patriotic Front’. Lyphe’s record label, POA Records, has started a twitter topic, #JLPF, which Lyphe hopes will become a trending topic.

“This album contains information that every Zimbabwean needs to hear, and it portrays this message in a fun and exciting way that has never been done before…” commented the 27-year old artist. “I just hope Zimbabweans and friends of Zimbabweans will stand behind the #JLPF cause because Zimbabwe really needs as much awareness as we can get right now. I just want people to know of what is going on there right now so we can have a brighter future.”

The EP’s first single, ‘Move Ova’ is an up-tempo track with a house flavor that is quite reminiscent of Lyphe’s previous radio hit, “Doro I Doro” taken off of POA’s first ever compilation “A Beer Is A Beer – Doro I Doro”. The rest of the album sticks to more traditional hip-hop grooves, with traditional Zimbabwean instruments like the Mbira making appearances on the Kudakwashe Musasiwa produced EP closer, ‘Welcome’.

The middle of the EP sees AC Grynn helping Lyphe discuss the advantages of having a peaceful and united Africa in the Pinnacle assisted and El Hama produced “Africa Stand Up”, and the POA Voices make a debut appearance in the acapella EP opener, aptly entitled ‘Farewell’.

Lyphe’s next solo project, ‘Sharp Chedda Cheese’, is already in final stages of mastering, and the first single off of that album, “I Can’t Wait”, featuring EmKay, is already building up spins on online radio stations worldwide. Lyphe is now excited about rolling out some videos and has already began hitting up the studio for his next solo project, for now only known by the codename CHH.

Believe it or not, the Patriotic Front (P.F.) EP will be available digitally completely, 100% free through POA Records’ website. The winning cover and the full EP will be released on March 9th, 2010, just three days before Lyphe is scheduled to open, along with Cee Jay Besa, for multi-platinum selling Afro-pop group Malaika at the House Of Blues in Dallas, TX.

The performance will mark Lyphe’s first return to the big stage since he headlined the Miss Zim USA in Los Angeles, CA in 2007. In the years in between Lyphe was in the studio and making unannounced performances at clubs around Washington DC, Philadelphia, PA and Los Angeles, CA, trying out new material.

“Having a crowd of complete strangers who have never heard your name or style of music really show appreciation to your music, the first time they hear it, is really a great feeling! Then you see them come back to hear you again, and you work harder to impress them, it’s a really exciting process…” he said.

Lyphe, made numerous appearances on Zimbabwean national television and radio growing up. He initially achieved celebrity as a member of the Native Young Crew (NYC) which took first place in Zimbabwe’s only nationally televised talent show at the time, Star Brite. Their single, ‘Ding-Dong’ peaked at number two on Zimbabwean radio’s Hitsville. He was joined by his grade school friends, UK-based producer/artist Emkay, Zimbabwe-based producer Chiko, and Lyphe’s late brother, Rusununguko, in NYC.

Lyphe’s next return to television came just before he left Zimbabwe, as he made cameos on numerous urban music videos and featured on the chorus of Mo’ V.I.P.’s runaway hit on tv called ‘Any Minute’.

Lyphe has shared the stage with acts like the Lost Boyz, TKZee, and Soul 4 Real, and worked with numerous Zimbabwean acts like Yardsteppa, Jusa Dementor, Metaphysics, Carl Prit, Karizma, & Scarzz. He is now the Co-Founder and President of the Property Of Africa Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation that is devoted to the development of the arts. POA Records, the for-profit leg of his project, also launched POA Malaysia in February 2010, with the release of Crook Ave’s mixtape, ‘From Dusk Til Dawn.’

Though he has reached numerous milestones he’s dreamed of achieving in his career that he is very proud of, the road has not always been easy. Lyphe literally found himself homeless and penniless before, and he knows first-hand what it’s like to have to “get your hustle on and do it how you do it” he says in one of his songs.

“As long as you are doing it for a cause and for me it has to be a clean hustle that has a great exit strategy so I can still have enough time to make more great, inspiring music…” he concluded.

The Patriotic Front (P.F.) EP will be available exclusively at www.POARecords.com on March 9th 2010.

Link for Facebook voting: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5695&id=1000007409 ….Property Of Africa was founded on a simple premise: to empower artists of African descent to reach their highest potential and aspirations in the United States music industry.

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Tags: Just Lyphe