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Mike Kata aka Mr Kata

Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya
BULAWAYO artiste Mike Kata, affectionately known as Mr Kata in hip-hop circles, has released an album inspired by youths trying to make ends meet in the city.

Mr Kata’s second album titled, Fife Street Hustler, is a testimony that persistence in the music industry brings along maturity.

Fife Street Hustler boasts 10 tracks, all aimed at sending the message home that Mr Kata is upping his music game in as much as he is a businessman.

From the intro, featuring Blaze rapping with an aggressive tone, Mr Kata adopts a serious mode for the rest of the album as he narrates his hustle and how he has finally made it as a rapper and fashion entrepreneur.

Tracks Fife Street Hustler and Dream, featuring Lox, are perhaps the highlight of the album. In Fife Street Hustler, Mr Kata is referring to himself. To a slow jam beat Mr Kata lazily waxes through motivating and witty lyrics as he paints a picture of a hard- working businessman with no intention of slowing down.

On the third track, Ungakhali, Kata slows down on the tough rapping as he dedicates the track to his baby mama and all people in his situation.

The fifth track is most certainly inspired by the current trap music. Titled Miltonian, the track is destined to be a hit among young stars.

On the sixth track, named after his clothing label Zwanhuwa, Kata takes to showing off, which is rather contradictory to his next track God Driven where he adopts a humble approach, thanking the Almighty for keeping his hustle going.

Zunguza is one of those danceable rap tracks. Featuring Mzoe 7, the track packs a lot of energy as it switches from hip-hop instantly to an energetic chorus by Mzoe 7.

As a proud father and family man, in his last two tracks — Just the Two of Us and Longest Kiss, featuring Alian, Mr Kata shows an emotional side of his life, but this does not deter him from proving that he is still a force to reckon with as far as rap music is concerned.

Considering that Zim hip-hop is competing with South African hip-hop, Zimbabwean rappers have a long way to go. Nevertheless, if Mr Kata maintains this pace, he is bound to make a name for himself across the Limpopo soon.