My first project to see the light in 2015 is the second in a series of mixtape collaborations as part of Tendai Mararie’s Chimurenga Renaissance project. We released the first one a couple years ago in the midst of my own immersion in the mbira/kondi/kalimba experience as Sorie Kondi was visiting my house in Brooklyn from Sierra Leone. With that mixtape I tried to highlight the mbira’s presence in different musical traditions from around the continent. With mixtape I concentrated more on Zimbabwe specifically, and sonically wanted to highlight the Hip Hop influence in that country including both classics and up-and-coming Zimbabwean artists.

From R&B darling Tinahse, to New York’s Fore, to pioneers Zimbabwe Legit, Zimbabwe clearly has a knack for turning out talented rappers and Hip Hop-inspired artists. Tendai is the perfect person to take up the flag a represent for his homeland in that regard, and that’s what Chimurenga Renaissance is all about. In the course of listening you may notice I’ve of course included some proper Chief Boima flourishes as well. Listen to the mixtape above, and check out a write up on the project over at The Quietus.