Saturday, 6 June 2020

Where is Piksy's Sendeza Genre?

We really have to give it up to Piksy, born Evans Zangazanga. Piksy and his friend Nicodemo real name Nicholas Mbonela plucked up unbelievable courage to come onto the music scene with their own genre they called Sendeza analysis through their Machitidwe a Atumwi or was it Sendeza back in in 2008.

The two, trading as Atumwi, decided to be Nthumwi Piksy and the other Nthumwi Nicodemo and got a reception so huge that soon everyone was of the view that they presented the local urban future with tracks like Chiphwirikiti.

But just before 2011, when Piksy ventured into a solo career and signed up to Nde'feyo Entertainment, he had parted ways with his partner.

Not many gave him the benefit of the doubt that he could make it on his own. Considering that the two first met in 2003 during the rap and raga competitions in Zomba before reuniting in Blantyre in 2005 when Mbonela was studying at Malawi Institute for Journalism and Piksy at Malawi College of Accountancy to record their first single Mzanga and several others that followed, those that doubted him were justified somehow.

Overtime Piksy has proven all the doubting Thomases wrong. His debut album Maso, as a solo artist, that included hits like Unamata, Yabowoka,  Ponya Mwendo, Zolapitsa, Kwakuya, Otinyoza, Moto Moto, Appetiser and Tribal Party was the testament that he was becoming a brand.

Around the same time, he also became Airtel's Brand ambassador, another huge validation that Piksy, who started out as a chorister at his church, Zambezi Evangelical Church, was to be taken seriously.

He started as a rap artist back to 2003, when he was a member of the hip hop outfit, Real Wise Crew and to show his resilience, when the group broke up the following year, he became a solo artist and recorded a solo work, Mwai Wina.

As a leading urban music rhymester Piksy, seemingly stumbled again when in 2013 he had to cut ties with Nde’feyo Entertainment for breach of contract. Apparently, he was supposed to release two albums and 2 DVDs within three years but ended up with just a single album and still no DVD.

He picked up himself a year later and formed what he called Langwani Movement Band and had told the media that he was assembling music equipment. Unfortunately, nothing is still heard of Piksy and the LMB.

What has made me discuss Piksy today is the that I came across his latest single Chonchobe where he is condemning lies some people peddle on social media. He took me back to the Sendeza days when his music obituary had already been written.

The respect that I have for Piksy is his courage with Nicodemo to introduce the Sendeza genre. In between, he also did Umakwana, of course other critics have said it failed the basic music tests as somehow it bounces off badly in uncoordinated tune - story for another day.

All I was wondering was why have we not asked him what happened to Sendeza. For me I think he has become mature, like old wine.

With his Chonchobe, he told the media that many people today pretend on social media where they will post photos and situations with the aim of making people think they are rich or are happily in love while the reality on the ground is completely different.

“Mboba Osaphweketsa/Game pamwamba osadekhetsa/Fans yavaya utsala wekha

Ukapusa sudzawapeza/Siukudabwa kumufila neba/Ndiyeno madolo aku pretender

Timawadziwa nde ndingo setter/ Kutinamiza they are doing better/Ukumva bwanji nthupi Chonchobe/Bwanji mwavala juzi/Chonchobe/Ma post timawaona mboba oh sorry

Timadziwa kuti mukunama koma chonchobe,” 

When I listened to the beat and the lyrics, I thought it is never the Sendeza analysis which as Atumwi, catapulted Piksy to fame. 

I have many questions. 

What informed them to come up with that genre? 

And what has become of it overtime? Was there an agreement that without Nthumwi Nicodema, Sendeza should not feature anywhere anymore?



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