As the National Council of Zimbabwe gears up to announce the nominees for the 2026 NAMA (National Arts & Merits Awards), the highest honour in the arts, we take a look at Zim hip hop's biggest moments on the national platform:
Now the initial notion when the idea of this article came about was to only talk about the moments when the genre won. Yet that feels like it would leave Zim hip hop's relationship with the award platform incomplete. Because for the longest time Zim hip hop was ignored, even when it was under the banner of Urban Grooves, which was one of the defining sounds of the 2000s.
The genre's pioneers often never received their flowers, which is why even though they've passed their best before on stage, it's appreciated what platforms like Shoko Festival do in honouring them. One such pioneer is Stunner. Although he's made some questionable decisions in his past, and continues to make questionable decisions in his present, his contribution to the genre is one people can never forget.
His most indelible mark being his 2011 hit song with Ba Shupi "Godo." This was without a doubt one of the biggest songs in the country that year and it was rightly nominated for the NAMA Awards. However when the night came, the award went to "Nyika Zimbabwe" by Charles Charamba. Now there countless arguments I could offer up on Stunner & Ba Shupi's behalf but the simple truth is that "Godo" was snubbed.
It was expected though if we're being honest, it's hard to win against patriotism in a year before elections, but the loss still hurts even now.
However, at the very same award show Zim hip hop got it's first ever recognition among the winners. Tehn Diamond, now one of the genre's legends, received the Video of the Year gong for "Grown Up Kid." A momentous occasion for Zimbabwean hip hop, that proved that its product was as good as anything else on offer, something that had often been ignored.
Now some of you will argue that this is a director's award, and the only point to add would be that it was still the director of a Zim hip hop music video. The genre still won.
The Breakthrough
Highly regarded as one of Zim hip hop's greatest ever artists (an argument that can also be made for his ability with R&B), Takura "Shona Prince" Shonai, had a year that redefined both his career and the genre in 2016. This earned him a nomination for Best Male, and saw the music videos for "MaObama" and "Zino Irema" in the running for Outstanding Music Video of the Year at the 2017 NAMA Awards.
He lost out Best Male to Jah Prayzah (understandable since he had just released Mdhara Vachauya), but "Zino Irema" won Outstanding Music Video of the Year. This was Zim hip hop's second ever NAMA Award, but more importantly the Best Male nomination meant that Zim hip hop artists were now standing shoulder to shoulder with everyone else. Although a few years late, the NAMAs had finally caught.
The Mainstream Arrival
In terms of eras, at present Zim hip hop is often seen in two segments: before and after "Ndaremerwa" aka before and after the arrival of Holy Ten. Yet while his deeply political 2020 release is considered the catalyst for the genre's commercial success, it wouldn't have happened without the year Ti Gonzi had before him.
In a word, 2019 Ti Gonzi was simply "inevitable," even the throes of death couldn't stop him. At the year's beginning he collaborated with Ishan on "Kure," arguably one of the country's biggest songs in the last decade, then he released "Kufamba Murima" after surviving a murder attempt, and also dropped the catchy "MaEnzo Bazooker nemaPumacol," alongside a slew of features.
This earned the rapper the Best Male Award at the NAMAs, ahead of Winky D and Mambo Dhuterere, while he also won the Song of the Year with Ishan for "Kure" at the 2020 award showcase. Zim hip hop had finally arrived on the mainstream and the NAMAs were finally giving it its flowers.
The Newcomer
While the 2020s kicked off as a dominant time for Zim hip hop as a genre, "Fire Emoji" would arrive to redefine the heights releases from the genre could reach. Propelled by an infectious hook by Leo Magozz, a fresh face on the music scene, the song took the country by storm. From the clubs right down to the primary schools, everywhere and everyone was singing it word for word.
The song got a superstar remix that would further propel it to being anthem in every household and it once again saw Zim hip hop being on top at the NAMAs. It earned Leo Magozz both the Song of the Year Award and the Best Newcomer gong in 2023; heights a Zim hip hop song is still yet to reach again.
The Voice of the Youth
Over the years there have been more than a few Zim hip hop artists who've given themselves the title of being advocates of the Zimbabwean youth. Yet none of them have embodied it as much as Voltz JT. Dubbed the modern day "Mr Chitungwiza," his music has constantly been infused with a positive message, and this was especially true for his sophomore album N.O.P Makoni.
Inspired by the neighbourhood he grew up in, the project was a reflection on his journey and the things he saw around him. It earned the rapper a collaboration with Merit Books (among various non music award merits), which saw his face across counter books, and the NAMA Award for Best Album, a first time for Zim hip hop. Arguably Zim hip hop's biggest moment at the showcase.
This is how things stand so far, before the 2026 award nominees are announced. While Zim hip hop didn't have as high a year last year, we certainly expect the genre to be amongst the nominees once again (Sane Wav for Best Newcomer). Who do you expect to see among the nominees this year?