Bulawayo, Swaziland sing Xenophobia

Bulawayo gospel hip-hop artiste Casper Mapurisa, aka Tha Cypha, has collaborated with Swaziland musician, Sam Magagula, aka Calliber, in a song dubbed ‪No War released yesterday. Speaking to Southern Eye Lifestyle Calliber said lyrics to the song were written before recent waves of xenophobic attacks in South Africa
Nyarara Zimbabwe Single Artwork
Nyarara Zimbabwe Single Artwork

Bulawayo gospel hip-hop artiste Casper Mapurisa, aka Tha Cypha, has collaborated with Swaziland musician, Sam Magagula, aka Calliber, in a song dubbed ‪No War released yesterday.

BY NONHLANHLA SIBANDA

Speaking to Southern Eye Lifestyle Calliber said lyrics to the song were written before recent waves of xenophobic attacks in South Africa

“I met Cypha through a good friend and rapper, Kwanfire Asaph based in Zimbabwe. Both these gentlemen came to Swaziland in 2013 for a concert called Life We Chose,” he said.

Casper Mapurisa
Casper “Tha Cypha” Mapurisa

“Interestingly enough Cypha e-mailed me the track earlier in the year along with the concept way before the recent waves of xenophobic attacks in South Africa. I say it in the lyrics of the song ‘I was born in Swaziland, but Zambia is my motherland.

My father is Swazi and my mother is Zambian’. With that background, coupled with xenophobic attacks, by God’s grace I connected intimately with the subject matter.

My hope and prayer is that the track will provoke us Africans to look at each other from a different perspective Imagio Dei (in the image of God) regardless of national boundaries and skin colour.

Tha Cypha said the song condemns any form of hatred against any human being.

“The song basically denounces any form of hatred against any human being while emphasising on the fact that we are all the same despite our race, colour, nationality, tribe or ethnicity.”

Meanwhile, Joshua Makoni, popularly known in the music circles as Jae Mac, is set to release a reggae song on Africa Day dubbed Nyarara Zimbabwe dedicated to xenophobia victims in neighbouring South Africa.

Produced by Jae Mac and recorded by Kwekwe-based dancehall artiste General Waspy, the track features Limar, Bryan and Andy Ross.

“Nyarara Zimbabwe is a dedication and comforter to Zimbabweans and especially victims of the gruesome xenophobic attacks that have taken lives of people; left families traumatised; and caused instability in the region,” Makoni said to Southern Eye Lifestyle.

The project is being marketed, manufactured and distributed by All-Star Entertainment.