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Mbulelo Mpofu, Online Reporter
HIP-HOP artistes have been known to be trendsetters in both underground and mainstream entertainment since the turn of the millennium.

In America, rapper Puff Daddy (real name Sean Love Combs) was not content with being known as just another rapper in the game. Rather, the establishment of his clothing line Sean John was to set a precedent for other players involved in the music scene.

He made sure that his fans would not just sing or, should one say, rap along to his songs, but would also wear what he wore. This made him one with his legion of fans and wherever the road led, they went.

In neighbouring South Africa, one of kasi rap pioneers, the late rapper Pro Kid (real name Linda Mkhize) also had to establish his Danky Saan line to complete his off-the-cuff kasi swagger.

This contagious culture of personalities establishing clothing brands would not spare Zimbabwe and it is against this background that LethuGVO (formerly known as LCM) has taken it upon himself to make sure that his rebranding comes with a twist.

Rapper LethuGVO (real name Likhwalethu Chester Moyo) has not only worked on his spit game, but for his revolution to be complete, he concedes that his wardrobe needed a makeover (not that he is a fashion disaster ready to happen) and how best to achieve that than establishing his very own brand?

Surely, he is not the first to do so in the precinct, but for him, it was about a “new look” and a “new name” since there is nothing more rewarding than being confident in your own style and apparel.

Following in the footsteps of Zimbabwean artistes who have streamlined their music with other revenue streams, LethuGVO wants to have a stronghold on the fashion scene.

Mudiwa Hood, the late Cal Vin, Trevor Dongo and Pokello are some of the local socialites who have established their clothing brands. It gives an extra edge to those whose business is to entertain, inform and tackle social issues via rhythmic poetry.

The rap jungle demands one to be always on their A game whenever they are on stage because lack of confidence will lead to the “choking” and fluffing of their lines.

The Gwanda-born, Bulawayo-bred lad who is currently based in Midrand, South Africa explains how he came to the conclusion of rebranding himself and establishing his own clothing line, GVO Street Apparel.

“Choking (not being able to articulate yourself during a rap session) is any rapper’s worst nightmare. Sometimes, it has something to do with your confidence (or lack thereof) and it is against such a background that necessitated the birth of GVO Street Apparel. The gist was to make sure that I feel good about myself and that would translate to well-executed bars, metaphors and rhymes,” LethuGVO said.

First things first, before Likhwalethu became LethuGVO, why was he called LCM the renegade? Was he truly a rebel?

“No, I’m not a rebel per se but my rap lines are not your everyday ones and this is not what you are accustomed to.

This is the very reason why my former name was suffixed with a ‘the renegade’. My bars are rich in allusion and also take advantage of a plethora of different jargon,” explained the 25-year-old.

LCM, being initials of his forename has rebranded himself to LethuGVO, a portmanteau of the last part of his first name and his faith in God, that is, GVO for God’s very own.

Clad in a white vest with ripped short pants that had shoelaces up his waist, LethuGVO, a Midlands State University (MSU) alumnus conversed with Chronicle Showbiz.

To cap it off stylishly, he wore knee-high white Nike socks and blue Adidas slides. He also spotted an Afro that would have Phil Lynott or Pitch Black Afro green with envy.

What we saw was a shadow of LethuGVO’s former self as he claims to have changed and his new clothing line being testament to that. Commenting on his new label, the rapper-cum-bonafide fashionista had this to say: “You would notice that most of our products are written lethu gvo — uncvr.your.BS (a code that the brand thrives on stands for UNCOVER your Best Self/Business Sense/Beautiful Side/BrashnesS). The brand is about you, made for you and is you as well.”

Quizzed on how difficult it was to manoeuvre from banking and finance to music and fashion, Likhwa chuckled:

“None of that commerce business has ever been my passion. I just did it because back in high school, I was just coincidentally part of the commerce class since Form 1 and I happened to be good with numbers but I hated school.”

The love for fashion and music was just too much for him and he had to do something about it irrespective of what field he had graduated from.

Next, we jumped into the intricate details of the Likhwa’s clothing label. What does he want to achieve with the endeavour? His was a ready answer.

“Basically, we are saying our fabric offerings aim to uncover the side that most people either don’t know about you, overlook, misunderstand or simply underrate. We are here to make fabric noises for the less confident, low self-esteemed and we want to hear them roar. This is a therapeutic exercise for the kids out there.”

The apparel is made mostly out of cotton, a fabric that can easily be cared for without damaging it.

The targeted audience is the youths.

“The brand will focus, for now, on streetwear mainly because it’s for the kids and youths as it’s created from the youthful perspective that wishes to incorporate all of the 21st Century rap and trap hip-hop cultures,” he said.

The Pick Up singer opines that the clothing brand will “shine up the spring in your step”. In-store are caps, denims, bucket hats, sweaters and classy T-shirts for “fashion-conscious fellows” and the rapper promises a new and cool summer range that will make fashion noise.

Lethu believes that he is destined for great things and his clothing line will springboard him to dizzy heights and in the not-so-distant future, it will complete his comeuppance.

Music-wise, LethuGVO said he ventured into hip-hop as he believes that Bulawayo, his hometown, is the capital of hip-hop in Zimbabwe.

He is the brains behind a hip-hop movement meant to identify, nurture and showcase local talent through virtual freestyles on social media. Every Friday morning, rappers from Zimbabwe and South Africa converge on a WhatsApp platform and engage in a “sparring session”. Rappers call it a cypher.

A popular hip-hop or trap instrumental is sent to the group for rapsters and trapsters to give an impromptu performance so as to see who can “walk the walk and talk the talk”.

Hip-hop thrives on rap battles and the show is called “lethUncxvers: Freebars Freestyle Friday”.

Together with fellow up-and-coming rapper, Kay Kay (real name Winston Muronda), LethuGVO has dropped two singles entitled, “Love me now” and “True love”.

I always find it disrespectful or rather demeaning for one to be called the other. In this instance, some call LethuGVO the “next Kwesta” because of his bassy voice, but whenever I listen to his music, the rapper sounds like no one I have ever listened to. I know this is very popular among people, but I believe this (likening artistes to one another) kills the originality that up-and-coming artistes should possess. —  @eMKlass_49.