Biriwiri storms capital city for Umayitha launch
The country’s hip-hop duo, Biriwiri, will this weekend take their newly released album ‘Umayitha’ to Lilongwe where they will be performing at Umunthu Theatre on Sunday.
The trip to the capital city comes after the outfit of Kabuzi (Khumbo Munthali) and Zizwa (Ken Limwame) launched their second album during a breathtaking performance at the French Cultural Center (FCC) in Blantyre two months ago.
In an interview with Nyasa Times, Kabuzi said “This will be Umayitha album launch in Lilongwe after the first launch at FCC.”
He indicated that after the amazing show in Blantyre, people from the capital city requested Biriwiri to do anything possible to organize a performance in the central region.
“We had plans to have a show in Lilongwe though it wasn’t that earlier but because of that demand we decided to honour our fans in the central,” said Kabuzi, promising more to what they displayed in Blantyre.
He said the couple has polished up their skills ready for Umunthu Theater, where the youthful Mizati Band is expected to back them with live play.
Meanwhile, after releasing their second album on May 1, Biriwiri says the CD that has popular songs including the title track featuring JB, ‘Pompo Pompo’ featuring Young Kay and Barry One as well as ‘Kumudzi Kukulira’, is faring well on the market.
According to Kabuzi, they are yet to organize their main distribution mechanism but they are currently selling the CDs individually and through BP Filling Stations shops.
“So far we have sold out over half of the 1,200 copies that we produced. We were yet to put the CD on the market in Lilongwe because we were still waiting for the launch but by Tuesday the album will be on the market there.”
The show in Lilongwe this Sunday is part of the group’s national tour with other hip-hop artists to further promote the urban genre throughout the country.
“We’re in the process of creating a local hip-hop movement and from Lilongwe we will have another show in Blantyre, Zomba, Mzuzu and other places. We want to have these shows frequently, perhaps every two months.”
Other artists that are expected to perform at the show, which will start at 7pm, include Young Kay, Dominant 1, Q Malewezi, Gosple, Tay Grin, Phyzix, Luminous, Barry One, JB, Atumwi and many more “surprise packages to be announced at the show.”
The Biriwiri concert in the capital will come a day after another big hip-hop show by Black Rhyno Entertainment in the commercial capital at FCC on Saturday.
In a related development, Biriwiri commends mobile phone service provider Zain for the regional music awards the international company is currently running saying it is helping promoting raw talent in African music.
Tagged with: Biriwieri, hip-hop, Umayitha, Zain
Hip Hop from America is enough for us.We need creative people who can give Malawi identity on the globe.Simungakhale ngati anthu aku DRC..kwasakwasa DRc what’s a problem with you malawians?? Be proud of where you are coming from.Tikufuna nyimbo zachimalawi apa…zimenezo asiyileni anthu ku USA.Tayesani kuyimbako nyimbo zanu za gule bwaaaa…..?????
respect your views Mzika and agree with you partially[70%]. ofcourse chambachi ndichobwereka but if you have spared some time to listen to these local hip hop artists, you will note that there is a fusion of some traditional beat with the hip hop genre. Tay Grin might be a familiar example. the other thing is that, these local hip hop artists are singing in the vernacular which is a good devpt. The french artists rap in french and its somehow different from he americans.
also listen to the message propagated in the songs. for example, listen to pompo pompo by these guys. we need more positivity and not Chibade’s ‘everyday cry songs’.
ofcourse we need to come up with our own musical identity. the accoustic guys are not bad: Edgar n Davis, Giddes, the late Namoko etc.
am not quashing your views Nzika but i beg to differ a bit. we can copy the other genres and fuse it with our beats to make them sound local.
Achinyamata kuzipasa nickname mpaka kabuzi? ayi ndithu pezani lina dzina.
HIP-Hop yachi malawi ndi nyatwa.Go on guys.Ayimbe za GULE? Nzika, the youth of to day cant buy the kind of music you are talking about.Let us accept that the world is changing.How many people outside malawi do you think can buy music full of za gule zakozo.Malawian artists again please avoid producing lyrics which only target our already full local market.Look at your friends in NIgeria,Zambia etc
Nigerians are only good for ma film aufiti ndi kuba basi ndikuyankhula zizungu zawo zija zophotchoka mu devil street mukutengera amalawi ambiri..shame on you.I have got stacks of american hip hop artist…zachimalawi i won’t spend a penny.Zambian artist are good.We live in the world of competetion,always aim for the best.
I am not a hip-hop fan but the idea of fusing such with any traditional music genre is brilliant.This increases fan base (local and international) but it also shows that while we appreciate that hip-hop is liked by many,we also have our identity musically.
By the way Mbwenulady,in ‘Kabuzi’ the ‘bu” is pronounced with stress-so it’s not what you think.
wel we gettn thre slowly bt feel there z more 2 be done as far as tha song content z concerned tha lyric content gota be rich n smthn movin, tha probs in malawi u wl c tha same guy z songwriter,tha singer,producer,director etc we kinda need specialisation