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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Reporter

AFTER the release of the video for his anti-drug abuse anthem, Pakuda Action, rapper Six Oh is set to press ahead with the release of new music, with his new EP, Chikara, during the Hip-Hop Power sessions at the Red Café on Friday.

The Power Sessions have become a hub for the genre in the City of Kings, providing a proving ground for upcoming rappers while allowing more established performers to launch their projects in front of a hip-hop-friendly crowd.

Six Oh’s release comes as he has been riding on the crest of a wave kickstarted by his single, Pakuda Action, a song that encourages youths to resist the trappings of drugs, at a time when addiction to illicit substances has become a scourge in Bulawayo and elsewhere around the country.

The launch of the EP is being bankrolled by Vollig, a Zimbabwean company that deals in borehole drilling, the installation of irrigation systems and solar systems. Baldras, a Cape Town-based clothing label, is also sponsoring the launch.

In an interview, Six Oh, who has worked with local hip-hop heavyweights such as Stunner in the past, said that the Chikara would only serve to cement his reputation as a rapper that brought both style and substance to his music.

“If you look at a song like Pakuda Action, it was basically a way of showing that we are very much aware of the bad things that are happening in the streets even though people might assume that we are only flashy rappers. If you go out there you will see that a lot of young people are addicted to substances that are not good for their health.

“It’s really sad and if you dig deeper into the issue, you will see that some of the influence comes from the music that we feed them. So, I took this song as a chance for me to put things right and plow back some positivity back into society.  That is the same vibe that we want to carry in the rest of the songs in the EP. People will have fun but we will also bring some food for thought,” he said.