The Sunday Mail
SINCE the rise of Zim dancehall as a powerhouse on the local entertainment scene, Killer T, real name Kelvin Kusikwenyu, is one of the artistes who has remained consistent.
He is one of the key drivers of the movement’s popularity, rising with captivating hits “Makarova Gunners”, “Tirikumhanya” and “Masuspect” among others.
These first few tracks established him as a great lyricist, with promise of being among the top chanters in the country and now a few years down the line and a bagful of hits later, he is up there in the upper echelons of Zim dancehall.
While some brilliant artistes fizzle out and fail to regenerate the artistry that would have catapulted them to the top, Killer T has managed to maintain his status as a consistent hit maker, dropping blistering tracks every now and then.
Last year when Jah Prayzah dropped his album, “Jerusarema”, Killer T had already unleashed fire with his project “Ngoma Ndaimba”, and the two acts became a subject of debate as to who was the better artiste for that year.
“Ngoma Ndaimba”, is arguably the best Zim dancehall album ever made, laden with hits like “Itai Ndione”, “Vagara Vanongovenga”, “Kukosha Kwechikorobho”, “Vanofanira Kutendwa” and the title track among others. While the Zim dancehall flair that dominated the whole of last year seemed to be slowing down during the first quarter of the year, the genre is bouncing back, thanks to Killer T, Freeman and Soul Jah Love who have been releasing mega hit songs.
The biggest debate on the music scene at the moment is which song is bigger, Killer T’s “Takangodaro” and Soul Jah Love’s “Hove Huru” with the former proving to be taking the throne.
This weekend the talented artiste has been called upon to prove his mettle at a number of mega events beginning at exquisite nightspot, Private Lounge, in Harare for the Bikini Party where he will share the stage with dancehall powerhouse Judgement Yard, sexy dancers Bev, Pinky, Zoey and Chocolate. The packed weekend will also see the artiste headlining the Summerfest 2016 gig at the Rainbow Towers Gardens. However, Killer T says he is more than ready to blow away his fans with supercharged performances and new songs.
“We have got many shows lined up this week starting at the hottest joint in town Private Lounge on Thursday and we will end the week in style with a massive gig at the Rainbow Towers Gardens.
“We just want to tell our fans to come in their numbers and enjoy our music and we promise fireworks on these shows as we also continue to sing new songs.
“There is also a tour of the UK in September, the Bodyslam Madirirano UK tour, which is our final UK tour for this year and it is by public demand,” said Killer T.
Killer T said he knows that he has hit songs currently on rotation in clubs, kombis and homes, and says as an artiste he feels honoured.
“I feel great hearing my music everywhere. It gives me the strength to work even harder because I feel appreciated. My fans and music lovers in general should look out for our second album, which carries songs that are suitable for all age groups, I think everyone will like it, it is coming out soon,” he said.
With Jah Prayzah’s release of his latest offering “Mudhara Vachauya”, there is likely going to be a déjà vu effect as fans relive last year’s battle for supremacy between the Third Generation frontman and The Chairman, as Killer T is fondly known.
There is no doubt that the Killer T that dominated the entertainment scene last year is back with a bang, with several songs that are already major sing-alongs. It still remains to be seen if there is a hit on “Mdhara Vachauya”, that is capable of taking the buzz away from “Takangodaro”, and this is likely to create a competitive atmosphere for the rest of the year.
Other tracks from the artiste that are doing well include “Nezvangu”, “Hamundichinjise Life”, “Ndavarovesa Nehana”, “Dai Zvaibvira” and “Handigoni Zvese”.
His song “Vanondibatirana”, which features Fungisai made waves for the greater part of the year, and considering that he is still releasing blazing hits, he seems to be unstoppable at the moment. His name has even become a permanent fixture on every UK poster featuring Zimbabwean artistes showing that his fans just cannot get enough of him.
