The Sunday News
Bruce Chimani Sunday Leisure Correspondent
BULAWAYO rapper, Creezy, who won the Best Album for his Ace Hood project at the inaugural Christian Hip Awards that were held recently at Borrowdale Community church is ecstatic and has dedicated his award to the City of Kings. Creezy, real name Munyaradzi Mandaza, also noted that he was glad his hard work had been recognised and the award was an encouragement.
“Honestly my award means two things for me, firstly it means my grind and efforts are finally being recognised which serves to say hard work pays off and also it sort of kicked a reality check in me that whatever I serve, the world is listening out there so I have to give proper stuff,” said the recent Midlands State University graduate.
Creezy’s love for rap started at primary school during the rise and era of urban grooves local rappers like Maskiri and Nasty Tricks who he says played an initial great deal in consolidating his raps.
“I thought to myself that if I could rap along their lines then surely I could make my own. My rap, however, became positivist with exposure to positive and culture sensitive Western artistes like Lecrae,” he added.
The fast-paced rapper, who has some of his songs playing on radio in the United States, was also nominated the Best Hip Hop Soul Song which was snatched by JBars.
“The major challenge for me has been pushing my music to the radio and keeping it there. And also, I’m concerned about quality in production and mastering so having to find such people was a hustle first before I came across Xndr and the other producers I worked with,” he said.
Creezy commended the local rap industry for their great effort in quality of production.
“To be honest the local industry is really impressive right now in terms of production, the sound is getting better by the day. We are having lyricists rising up on the scene with dope flows. However, on the other hand I feel there are rap clones who lack originality who still have to find themselves and also, our local rappers have to be more creative and have content in their lines,” he said.
Creezy currently works with a clique called Dope Art Society consisting of four talented and creative underdogs from Bulawayo namely DR MTK, Mkay and Releast and the collective is working on its first self titled project.
“All I can say is this is my best work as yet sound-wise, and content-wise. And also I’m working on the nominees compilation album alongside other nominated artistes, I won’t say much on that one but I’m really looking forward to the coming year,” he added.
Inspired by the late Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon and John Piper — founder of Desiring God, Creezy says the men have expanded his comprehension of life. In rap circles, Derek Minor, Ace Hood, Busta Rhymes, Swoope Propaganda and JGivens are his heroes.
