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Mthabisi Tshuma – [email protected]

Growing up in the thickets of Tokwana village in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South, all Praise Muleya wished for was to stand behind the mic, create captivating productions, and let the nation and world dance.

His dream is to become a formidable force in the Kalanga music industry, and he is focusing his efforts on the hip-hop genre.

Chronicle Showbiz Online caught up with the emerging talent, who goes by the moniker TyzaSlimtee. He shared his vision of popularising the Kalanga language and culture through a genre favoured by the younger generation.
“Ever since I was a kid, I always had a passion for music. I remember a time around 2011 when I would play a beat on my mother’s phone, and then record my voice while singing along to the beat. For a rural boy, no one really understood what I was doing, and surprisingly, I didn’t fully grasp it either, but I knew I loved music. Growing up in rural areas, I didn’t know how music was produced or how to compose a song,” said TyzaSlimtee.
He explained that moving to an urban setting opened his eyes and deepened his passion for pursuing his dreams, drawing inspiration from Bulilima legislator Cde Dingumuzi Phuti.
“Everything changed when I moved to Bulawayo to continue my studies at Milton Boys High School. Some of the boys in my class were passionate about music, so I tagged along, and that’s when my journey began in 2014. My inspiration for this musical journey came from Emtee The Hustler from South Africa and DJ Phuti from Plumtree. “Even though they play different genres, something about their music made me want to be like them, even though I could see I already had the talent,” he said.

TyzaSlimtee is gradually finding his footing in the music industry as he polishes his works.
“When I started this musical journey, I released many singles, but in 2018, I had a breakthrough with two of my tracks titled Butjilo and Ngati bhataneni, which gained me recognition in my hometown. This led to interviews at ZBCtv, Khulumani FM, Radio Dialogue, and SkyzMetro FM. By my estimation, I have more than 50 singles and two albums.”

He acknowledges that he has been somewhat under the radar lately and aims to make a strong comeback.
“I’ve been underground for some time now, and some people may have forgotten about me and my music. So, I’m working on my resurgence, aiming to establish myself in the industry. I’m working on two albums titled Mihodzi and Mimoyo yabo. I have started writing some of the songs and plan to begin recording at the end of this year,” he said.

“My wish is that by the end of the year, I will have secured my place in the music industry as the Kalanga trap king, with my old projects playing on almost every radio station in Zimbabwe. It would be a blessing to feature artistes like Ma9Nine, Asaph Africa, and Msiz’kay on these two albums I’m working on, as they are pillars of Bulawayo music,” TyzaSlimtee expressed. – @mthabisi_mthire