Indigo Saint
Kudzai Mpangi, Sunday Life Reporter
ZIMBABWE’s hip-hop industry has been on the rise for a while with local artistes consistently producing quality music.
Artistes such as Mudiwa, Tehn Diamond, Takura, AWA, Stunner, Cal_Vin and a whole lot more, have strived to keep the genre afloat despite the negative comments it has received from the populace.
One hip-hop sensation who has made his mark for the past seven years, Indigo Saint is undoubtedly one of the hottest properties in the hip-hop industry. Indigo Saint, whose real name is Mziwakhe Ngwenya, is a Bulawayo born artiste whose music was inspired by the multi-cultured streets of Saursetown Suburbs, where he experienced a lot of the 90s and 2000s hip-hop movements.
“Hip-hop is pop culture. It influences so many things, the way we speak, the way we dress, in some cases, the way we act, (pop bottles). I was raised on the back bone of it or rather, on the back bone of RAP music. I’ve always loved to read since I was a kid and naturally, I loved to write too. I still do. So, it just made sense that I’d share my stories and experiences through hip-hop,” Indigo Saint said.
Late last year, Bulawayo hosted the Zim Hip-Hop Awards, in which Indigo Saint won the Best Underground Award probably a well deserved award considering the unique lyrical content that the young rapper possesses.
Indigo Saint has eight projects which include his popular Blunt EP which won him an award. The Blunt EP addresses issues of depression, mental health and suicidal thoughts among young people. Having lost one of his best friends to suicide this inspired his project.
“When I released The Blunt EP a year back, I wanted to tell a story around depression, mental health, suicide and many other issues affecting youths in Zimbabwe. At times, as a community we do not pay attention to those around us and we are supposed to be very much aware, “he said.
“The fact that a project that addresses important issues in our society, won, it shows that Zimbabweans are ready to hear their stories being told and aspire to doing that throughout my career with my music,” he said.
Indigo Saint has proved his versatile in the game by not only being a rapper but an advocate of social change and his latest offering August addresses issues of life experiences.
“The response to August has been great. We’ve managed to get it playing and in rotation on almost all major radio stations here which is a good thing. And people seem to resonate with the messages in the song, a message of hope and self awareness,” he said.
Currently working on projects that will spike his career, the rapper is braced to launch his debut album this year.-@kayskudzai