The curtains are closing down on what history will remember as a successful season for hip-hop in Zimbabwe. The scene in 2022 has been defined by incredible albums for both new school pacesetters and artists who have always represented the game. The name Scrip Mula is the brains of Mula Nation Group, a stable which needs no introduction. Scrip Mula has released Scripian 2 which is a sequel to the first edition which dropped two years earlier.
Scrip Mula is a recording artist, producer and songwriter who has consistently made waves and stayed relevant with top-performing hits like Maria Musande, Inyanga and Dhiri. The catalogue is pretty rich. To his craftsmanship hip hop is now boasting of Saint Floew and Voltz JT as top artists who passed through Mula Nation.
The entertainment space has this habit of not giving credit where it is due but Scrip has not allowed that by singing his heroics. Unsung heroes seem to suffer from this syndrome because it is a daunting fate. But well, not when you are earning from the work. This could have been the storyline for the rapper’s music.
He introduces Scripian 2 with the track Shona which is politically nuanced. He tones it down by chanting Viva Mandex without changing his standpoint that he is a son of the soil that’s why he raps in Shona. The hip-hop scene is already divided with opinions on what language one must use to be successful as a rapper in Zimbabwe because hip-hop is dominantly English on a global scale. As if that is not enough, the follow-up track is titled Lobengula. The political history of Zimbabwe has grossly corrupted Ndebele legitimacy by blaming the king for being duped by settlers over sweet sugar. It remains an unfortunate narrative that Scrip has however tried to employ in dishing out his beautiful game.
The track Mirror featuring Munashe on the hook portrays a reflection on where the rapper is coming from and where the inspiration has been derived. The fifth track Chipo (a favourite) is that track which lives up to any standards regard to message and sonic. It is a prayer for thanksgiving which shelves Scrip’s journey as a special expedition to which those who have known privilege cannot relate. Scrip unveils Saint Floew in the track, Santa Maria, to solidly maintain their relationship which is traced back to St Mary’s Chitungwiza. Narga also raps on the song Mlambondini to make another entertaining feature.
The Scripian unfolds as told by several features. The track BP ropes in R Peels and Voltz JT to cement Scrip’s influence on the current trend of hip hop. The subject matter maintained the rhetoric of what makes this game competitive. Some listeners have observed a change in JT’s style of rapping when compared to his most recent songs. Scrip Mula is not all soft. He spits a dose of venom in Dzima Magetsi. Crooger jumps in to cool it down in the track Zambezi where it is all about the chills.
As realized throughout, features make up more than half of the album. The Scripian 2 album personifies Scrip’s influence on hip hop in Zimbabwe as a well-travelled legend. The song Different featuring Poptain and Nutty O comes in as a bonus offering but also promotes the rapper’s trade as versatile.
Altogether, the album has dropped to serious acclaim, especially at a time the conversation is about the best album from this year. Well, the roll-out could have been better to grow outside the relatively ‘small’ hip-hop circles. Scripian 2 is deserving of a wider audience to avoid a scenario where good music only goes no further than people who actually search for it. The verdict for the best album is therefore not found here but where ‘sound democracy’ is – the people.
Listen to the album via the link below and tell us what you think!
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