“I’m not cocky my nigga I’m confident’ is one of the lines in Verse Of The Year, the recent freestyle installment by Ganyaz and it’s a line he says lives up to.
The emcee has been consistently putting out work despite the quarantine challenge. Ganyaz JR is straight up down to earth rapper who is spirited to run hip hop and the elegance in his raps is worth your ears.
Below are excerpts from the interview by Takudzwa Kadzura and Takudzwa Larry Chiwanza
Q – Music fans been so curious to know who Ganyaz is, Can you tell us?
Ganyaz Jr – Yoh warrup man, My name is Ganyaz Jr. I’m a hip hop artist from Bulawayo, I was born in Luveve, that’s the kasi I represent, my roots are in Chinhoyi though and I got mad flows. My real name is Takudzwa Ganyanhewe I’m all about the vibes, good things and motivation.
Q – What inspires your music and who is the biggest inspiration to you as a rapper?
Ganyaz jr – I’m inspired by my life, things around me and everybody has got a story to tell but when it comes to the technical part of it it’s just the beat. When I just hear the beat I formulate the flows and whatever topic I’m going to talk about is inspired by the beat. My biggest inspiration as a rapper is DMX, the first rapper I listened to, actually owned an original tape of Flesh of My Flesh, the DMX first album.
Q – When did you start rapping and tell us a bit of how you started linking up with Asaph, it’s been a long journey between the two of you?
Ganyaz jr – I started rapping in 2007 and made my first real song the following year. I met with Asaph through a mutual friend Qazi. We have been friends ever since then, made a few songs and formed a group I.L Kings, had an album and 3 mixtapes. We have been rocking for a decade now. ( Ganyaz features on Ginimbi Rich off The People’s Rapper EP)
Q – You started installing weekly freestyles this year and why do you prefer freestyles?
Ganyaz – They are just like an outlet from me. I don’t like music without a plan. For now it sharpens my skill like every week I am consistently dropping something just to give the fans something you know. I am working on an EP even people who didn’t know about me can know me through the freestyles because it’s just content while I prep for the EP but it’s obviously gonna roll out with a plan. With this lockdown we’ll see how to get about it.
Q – What’s basically the message you wish to put out in your music?
Ganyaz – I just wanna promote good vibes, positive message, spit bars and I just wanna do what a rapper does. I want to encourage people especially Zimbabweans, we tend to look down on ourselves because of what has been happening in our country but we are talented. I wanna uplift Zimbabwe on the world map. Most of all I want you guys to have fun.
Q – Let’s touch a hot area a bit, what exactly do you think is the reason why there is tension between Bulawayo and Harare rappers?
Ganyaz – In my opinion, first of all its competition and it’s hip hop bro, everyone wanna show Zimbabwe who’s got the best rappers Harare or Bulawayo. It’s healthy competition. Some cats feel like there is no equal opportunity in terms of platforms but as of late the game is opening up we are having nice unity. There is always gonna be competition even when hip hop starts flourishing. Right now the main objective is to put Zim Hip Hop on the map all over Africa.
Q – What’s your suggestion to break that barrier?
Ganyaz – They can be avoided through more collaborations. Enjoy each other’s vibes. More shows in Harare with Bulawayo rappers lets unite and grow the culture.
Q – Is our local hip hop ready for international market?
Ganyaz – We been ready forever. We have got Kamera making beats for international artists like Patoranking, Davido and Lady Zamar. We are behind the scenes though there isn’t like a face of a Zim artist on international market. Look at the great Dr Tuku and Mapfumo. Listen to the quality of our works, the bars, if you are not careful you might think it’s a rapper from the states. The question should be when are we going to be on the international market. ZimHipHop is ready for the whole world.
Q – Just for interest sake, Ganyaz is definitely a ladies man. Which female celebrity does it for you in Zim?
Ganyaz – That’s a spicy topic (laughs) I don’t know about that. I’d say Ammara Brown. She poppin, beautiful, complexion that I like, beauty, brains, talent, confidence what more can I say, spicy and personality, everything is there bro.
Q – Can you randomly pick 5 upcoming rappers you think will break out in the next few years?
Ganyaz – CMK got bars, she’s got good beat selection. Tasha too, you niggas heard Bho Zvekuti. CTL the Lunatic he is versatile, content is crazy, just dropped an album. Fish F McSwagg the trap king, he is poppin and a force to be reckoned with (ndaramo king) he was on Mambo bro, he is a modern artist. Look out for Dawg the hook master, our version of Emtee, Chimoto is out and it’s lit. That’s my five.
Q – Should we expect a solid project from you in the future, Album or EP?
Ganyaz – I’m 2 songs away from completing the EP. I’m dropping more than one project this year but with one producer. If you guys are lucky we might drop a full project with Asaph, it’s gonna be wild. Don’t make the freestyles fool you, I can make songs. Check out She Likes Money. This EP is gonna be crazy. The first song is gonna destroy the whole country (laughs).
Q – Lastly a message on COVID-19 to the rest of Zimbabwe.
Ganyaz – Let’s practice good sanitary habits wash hands with soap, avoid touching your face. I need you guys to be alive for the Ep. Make sure you buy sanitizers and masks. Cough with a dab. Sneeze with a dab.
Shout out to you guys, it was nice, the questions are lit. It’s Ganyaz JR.
Check out Verse Of The Year by Ganyaz below
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