By Andrew Moyo
Killer T’s latest offering “Mashoko Anopfuura” is more of a betrayal of Zim dancehall fans.
The singer, real name Kelvin Kusikwenyu had thus far posed himself as a hardcore dancehall custodian but clearly that is no longer the case.
The current offering is nowhere near the mould of hits like “Hatidi Vanhu Vanegodo”, “Makarova Gunners”, “Masuspects” and “Tirikumhanya”, which established him as dancehall guru par excellence.
The only signature touch that Killer T has maintained in this latest offering is his captivating storytelling skill and depth in lyrics. The chairman, as some would like to call him has been consistent over the past six years, managing to release at least two or so hits every year but this album might fail to aid him in that regard.
His career high apart from the early hits that introduced him to the market came when he released “Ngoma Ndaimba” (2015), an album that arguably was made entirely of hit tracks like “Itai Ndione”, “Hauterere” and “Tavakuda Kumbofarawo’. His impressive track record helped create so much anticipation in the run-up to the official launch of the latest offering at Club 1+1 in Harare.
The capacity crowd that graced the occasion says it all.
However, many Zim dancehall fans felt betrayed soon after tasting contents of the new product.“Mashoko Anopfuura” has no clear hit track.
Besides the few dancehall and reggae songs on the project were regurgitated with the rest of the tracks deviating from his trademark Zim dancehall beat.
It appears Killer T is trying to reinvent himself just like Jah Prayzah did when he abandoned reggae music in favour of a traditional sound.
However, Killer T needs to be reminded that such transition does not only provide positive end results.
Tocky Vibes went the same route but the outcome was unpleasant for him. It cost him his top spot in the genre and he to date still sing the blues.
The songs “Waidongorera” and “Mweya Mutsvene” can easily be mistaken for a Jah Prayzah production.
The Munya Vialy produced tracks are not dancehall in any sense and borrow from JP’s harmonic progressions and instrument arrangement.
On “Kufamba KwaPaurosi”, the chairman appeared to have been inspired by Botswana singer Dr Tawanda of “Unconquerable” fame.
The song just like “Handigumbuke” comes on a Kwaito-Kwasa tip. The title track is easy to the ear but still fails to pack a punch and will certainly not challenge many of his previous hits.
But Killer T proceeds to show lack of inspiration when he creates “Everyday” along the same beat line of the title track with the only difference coming on lyrics.
“Tiwirirane” featuring Jah Prayzah is probably one of the few if not the only track that will help carry the day for Killer T on “Mashoko Anopfuura”. The song has attracted a positive vibe across society.
By and large this is an average album that comes laden with an assortment of sounds.
But it remains to be seen if the maneuver will open a fresh page for the chairman . The Sunday Mail
