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Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]

THIS Saturday, Bulawayo will host a special event to usher in Women’s Month in style. The #ForTheCity women’s edition will take place at Stop Over Bar and Restaurant, featuring some of the best female hip-hop artists in the city.

The event is expected to attract hip-hop lovers and creative minds who appreciate the diversity and talent of the female rap community.

The line-up includes Au Fait, Cleopatra Beez, DJ Ndoe, TBK, and Sasha, who will showcase their skills and styles on the stage. The event aims to foster a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among the artists, as well as to challenge the stereotypes and stigma that often surround female emcees.

Mitchell Banda, aka Michelle Zee, the Communications Officer of #ForTheCity, said that the event was inspired by the success of the first edition, which featured award-winning artists such as Asaph, Msiz’Kay and Luminous.

“Looking back at the first edition, I’m glad that it really went better than we as a team had anticipated. Having award winners such Asaph, Msiz’Kay and Luminous on stage and in our midst was amazing. They set the pace for the next editions and really raised the bar and made hosting this second one a no-brainer.

“The second edition will deliver, if not over deliver as we are dedicating it to female hip hop artistes at our disposal. Hip-hop is known as a male-dominated genre and we want to highlight females that are making strides in the game that people need to watch out for. We thought since March is Women’s Month it’ll be only befitting to honour these queens of the microphone,” she said.

Banda added that the event was also meant to correct the narrative with regards to how female emcees are perceived and treated in the industry.

“The whole idea is to celebrate women in our type of art and usually, they are labelled as delinquents and of loose morals which might be true for certain individuals but painting everyone with the same brush might be catastrophic.

“We thrive to witness a transformation in attitudes towards female artistes, especially rappers. We want to reach a point whereby they are no longer seen as just outliers but integral parts of the artistic and cultural fabric,” she said

Bulawayo has a rich history of producing top-notch female emcees, such as Noluntu ‘Ndlunkulu’ J and Awa Khiwe, who have gained recognition both nationally and internationally. The event is part of the global celebration of Women’s Month, which culminates on March 8 with the International Women’s Day.

The theme for this year is “Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment”, which aligns with the priority theme of the UN 68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 68).

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