Seh Calaz, Zimbabwe’s Ghetto Prophet? “Bhandit reBirth” Review 
29 July 2015
Spread the love


With the many misconceptions surrounding Zimbabwe Dance-hall, it is often easy to dismiss this genre of music as a variant strain of Jamaican Dance-hall and immediately reach the conclusion that it is of lesser quality and therefore not worthy of listening to.
 
For those unfamiliar with Zimbabwean Dance-hall and the substance that it holds, Seh Calaz’s new album “Bhandit reBirth” released March of this year would be a good place to start learning and understanding the raw emotion and pain that drives and fuels Zimbabwe Dance-hall.
 
Is Zimbabwe Dance-hall Relevant?
Ngoma Rarira”{The African Drum has spoken} on this track clearly defines what Seh Calaz perceives as his role within Zimbabwe. Seh Calaz declares himself a prophet and teacher, who is out to save the lost ghetto youth from the pain and hardships they are often used to dealing with; on a day to day basis whilst living in the ghetto’s of Zimbabwe.
 
Tracks like “Ngoma Rarira”, deliver lyrics such as “Patakatanga vaiseka vachiti hatina kwatinosvika, tinoimba marara……manje mabhanditi hamutigone, mushandiro edu hamuone” which when paraphrased means, when we first started they dismissed us, saying we would never head anywhere whilst ridiculing what we sang as trash….however; you can’t stop a bandit and will always fail to see or understand our work ethic.

 
Is Zimbabwe Dancehall All About Violence and Sex?
In the track “Kudza Vabereki” {Respect your Parents}, Seh Calaz reveals the spirituality underlining his music by invoking God. Highlighting how important it is for his listeners to respect their parents; he assumes the role of an older brother using “Kudza Vabereki” as a moment to have a frank conversation with the listener stressing the importance of honoring parents.
 
Iva munhu ane unhu” {Be a person with honor}, on “Kudza Vabereki” he unmasks one of the hidden tenets and fundamentals that holds Zimbabwe Dance-hall together, which is family and loyalty.
 
Bhandit reBirth” the album, is all about bars and lyrics with Seh Calaz not shying away from offending, and juxtaposing everyday amenities with taboo issues, in order to paint a vivid landscape illuminating the harsh realities he grew up within.
 
“Sugar inotapira, salt inonaka, mhiripiri inovava, bonde raunofarira nevakawanda Aids inouraya, kuzoti Cancer vakawanda vaenda”, are lyrics off the track “Rega Kuchema” {Don’t Cry}, which when loosely translated mean: sugar is tasty, salt tastes good, chili-peppers are hot {with all these different flavors}, that bed you sleep on with all types of different women, don’t forget that Aids kills, as well as all those we have lost to Cancer.
 
In a world of cheap processed foods, note the play on words which Seh Calaz incorporates, cleverly using the basic taste elements of sugar, salt and hot-peppers that have built and sustained a global billion dollar food industry, which has killed millions of people with diseases such as Cancer or Diabetes, which are huge public health issues comparable to Aids within Zimbabwe.
 
Who Really, Is Running The Streets Of Zimbabwe?
This first quarter of 2015 before heading into the summer, Body-Slam Records is definitely controlling the underground, and firmly has the pulse of the streets within its palm.
 
Taking nothing away from the poignant message imbued within “Rega Kuchema”, the producers at Body-Slam Records picked a very aggressive beat for Seh Calaz to ride on and he didn’t disappoint, instead turning a track about disease into something you can dance and nod your head to.
 
Kurarama” which means surviving, is that track on “Bhandit reBirth” which questions and paints a backdrop, of how it’s possible to have a person without an education in Zimbabwe being equivalent to an individual who might have a superb educational pedigree.
 
“Kurarama” asks the listener why society is quick to judge and jump on the bandwagon; of critiquing ghetto youth who dropped out of school and mill around hustling for money, yet educated people fare no better. It further goes on by asking the listener why people are quick to look down upon youth who were told to get an education for success, yet when they look around within their environment, no such evidence exists.
 
So How Does The Mind of a Survivor and Hustler Think?
As people who grew up poor we always understood the value of money and never wasted our parents money”, Seh Calaz yet again unveils another fundamental tenet of Zimbabwean Dance-hall which is, the ambition for wealth and having that survival instinct mentality embedded within their DNA.
 
Kurarama” succinctly delves into this when, in one of his bars Calaz states “Don’t perceive us as idling about when you see us in the streets, we are actually angry and looking for a means to eat and make money”. The self-proclaimed bandit does not shy away from speaking his mind and delivers his bars with a raw emotion that easily circumvents your logical brain regions and hits you right in the gut and chest where you feel it.
 
Listening to the album; you get used to hearing and expecting him utter the words “check check check” just before he delivers his bars. On “Hosanna”, as you follow the beat patterns and let the piano guide you into the track, you quickly realize that Seh Calaz is about to take you to church, and the “check check check” evolves into a call to action as he starts to preach.
 
Proudly wearing his personal contradictions of being a bandit and in the same vein a believer in God, on his sleeve. Seh Calaz goes spiritual on this track and infuses his street education and hard living with his religion, to deliver a gospel street version of his take on why he follows God.
 
“Hosanna” is that track that draws on everyday ghetto contradictions of believing in a higher power; yet still realizing that ghetto youth reside in a harsh world and may have to participate in unpleasant acts in order to survive. Acts that we may not have necessarily done, if given other viable choices. If the lyrical content on this track doesn’t get you, then the beat will definitely grab you, as “Hosanna” incorporates the traditional Zimbabwean drum patterns usually associated with church sessions.
 
Seh Calaz does not hide his spirituality and belief in God and throughout “Bhandit reBirth” he always references his conviction in God. Tracks such as “Taparara”, “Samurove” and “Amai” are all tracks with some type of moral social issue that Seh Calaz wishes to highlight and get off his chest.
 
Why Should You Listen To This Album?
Bhandit reBirth” is an album that skips on the bravado and self aggrandizement usually associated with Zimbabwean Dance-hall and actually delves into the different layers of explaining what epitomizes ghetto youth through the eyes of a Mbare raised Seh Calaz.
 
This album is lyrically dense and will have to be listened to, several times in order to understand the depth of what Seh Calaz really is talking about and why he is not, just your regular garden variety dance-hall artist.
 
Judging by the albums dropped this year so far, “Bhandit reBirth” has the same replay value and lyrical content comparable to Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly”, although having less complex bars compared to Kendrick, Seh Calaz doesn’t have you scratching your head divining hidden meanings and delivers the same social commentary and real life consciousness the streets are starving for.
 
If you did not believe Zimbabwean artists are capable of raw talent, always having to exploit sex and debauchery in order to sell shows, please go download “Bhandit reBirth” and make your own conclusions whilst supporting your local artists. “Check Check Check”
 
 
Tsungai Chipato is a Journalist, and also currently the Creative director for a grassroots cultural online Zimbabwean organization called Bongogzozo. In order to reach him, contact him at [email protected]

One Reply to “Seh Calaz, Zimbabwe’s Ghetto Prophet? “Bhandit reBirth” Review ”

Comments are closed.