Zimpapers Logo

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Asaph is celebrating after his song, Like So, hit the top of the national charts at the weekend.

He described the song as a call for unity among Zimbabweans as they are on Covid-19 lockdown.

On Saturday during the ZiFM Stereo OKTop40, his song Like So was number one, after Mambo did the same in 2018.

Like So was voted ahead of Saint John’s Roses at number five, Enzo Ishall – Uri kutsvireiko at four, Gemma Griffiths Titungamire at three and ExQ and Tocky Vibes’ Wakatemba at two.

After Mambo, Asaph said he was under pressure to have a song that would surpass it and it felt great to have Like So also topping the charts.

“It feels good having Like So at number one on the OKTop40chart. In a way it continues to solidify my place in Zimbabwean music because after Mambo I’m sure a lot of people didn’t think I could release another song that could top the charts,” said Asaph.

Explaining the song whose video was released last week, Asaph said he wanted to give people something to smile about during these precarious Covid-19 times.

“I was a bit uncertain about releasing the song because of the global corona issue but I also realised that people needed the music now more than ever. It’s my way of balancing all the negative energy with a bit of positivity,” said Asaph.

The opening of the song has some mbira keys which for Asaph is an identifier that the track, produced by Aykay, was Zimbabwean. AyKay is the same beatmaker who produced Asaph’s other hit The Vibe is Correct last year.

“The beat was produced by AyKay. He’s the one who produced Vibe Is Correct. We had been speaking about trying to come up with a uniquely Zimbabwean sound so that the music could be identifiable before a single lyric is sung,” said Asaph.

The last sentence of the second verse epitomises the whole song, as Bulawayo-born Asaph says, ‘I’m not Shona man, I’m a Zimbabwean’. On the song he addresses tribalism and calls for unity across the nation’s tribes as people are bound by one thing, being Zimbabwean.

“Well the song is basically about how we are all connected as a nation. Once we look beyond tribe and geographical location, we are all Zimbabweans and belong to one nation. That’s the general message of the song and the idea I was trying to communicate,” said Asaph.

Asaph was supposed to share the stage with Burna Boy in Harare this month, but the show was cancelled due to Covid-19.

Asaph said with the song topping the charts, he was imagining the impact he would have made during his performance.

“This basically says Zimhiphop is at the forefront of Zim music now. Imagine how big the performance at Burna Boy would have been with another number one hit,” said Asaph.

While keeping safe, Asaph said the 21-day Covid-19 lockdown has pushed back his plans for the release music videos.

“I have a bunch of singles that we recorded before lockdown. We had lined up a couple of video shoots but the lockdown had to make us change plans, but the music will still come through,” said Asaph.