Kikky Badass is “The Encyclopaedia of Zim Hip Hop!”

Let’s cut all the BS and get straight to the point. Kikky Badass is the encyclopedia of the Zimbabwean hip hop space. She has lived to this fact for quite a long time with the alleged hip hop fans not paying attention to her. I for one am guilty of that blue ticking until recently when I took some time to listen to some of her jams. If you were like me, here is why you should appreciate Kikky Badass’ pen game when it comes to hip hop.

Born Christabell Stembeni Mahlungwa on the 15th of April 1995, Kikky is a Zim based hip hop artist who is daring. She’s got some Nicky Minaj vibes to her demeanour, and she lives up to that.

She recently released a two track EP, Capsule with the tracks Blue and Pink respectively. This is by far one of the best EP projects to ever come out of Zimbabwe. Everything was well thought of and intentional, from the cover art to the track titles themselves.

In this article I will share with you some interesting insights on the EP’s song blue. I will expose to you why Kikky is the hip hop encyclopaedia in Zimbabwe. I can bet that any time any day any place, she can bag most of the usual rappers in Zim head to head.

Let’s pay more attention to the song Blue in the EP and analyse it word for word. Like I said, everything was intentional, so it requires a good analysis, grab some snacks and enjoy! Let’s begin.

The EP concept

While I am not aware of how the concept came about from the horse’s mouth. I have a theory on how it came about. And of course, my theory is fed by what was and is available to us from her socials so pay attention.

The EP is titled Capsule 💊 and everyone knows what a capsule is, and the context based on the graphics that came with the EP. It was a depiction of a capsule in the sense of pill that has two cases. One is blue and one is pink and off course, once consumed the medicine inside the capsule will come out and act on the body accordingly.

The blue part of the capsule represents the male, depicted by blue being associated with males. The pink part of the capsule represented the females as pink is synonymous with femininity. It being a capsule was a representation of the group/gang type of collabo that’s seen on both songs. Where the blue song is dominated by males and the pink song is dominated by females.

The medicine contained in the capsule of course we can’t see but we know once consumed will have a healing effect in the body that took it.  So perhaps listening to the EP is like ingesting the EP (capsule) and if you allow it to sink in, you’ll feel the effects of the project in you.

Let me not get carried away let’s get into the song Blue.

About Blue

Like I mentioned above, blue was dominated by males only and it was the hiphop cats of South Africa. The males who collaborated with her on the track are the likes of Crooger. Other South African based artists are Landrose, Robot Boi, Horid, Dougi Draco and Owtoo. It wouldn’t be a blue track for males if Kikky is there now, would it? I had the same thoughts too but hold that thought. It will make sense soon as she gets into the song.

Side note: it’s important to note that in blue Kikky was acting or gangster while in pink she was more of a diva, twerking and all. I am certain she did this intentionally to suit the character of each song blue and pink.

Kikky’s Intro

This was a well thought out EP and everything was intentional. She begins her verse by introducing herself as Kikks!

Why this is interesting is on blue, a male dominated track she called herself a more boyish short to her name, “Kikks” while on pink she embraced the feminine and introduced herself as “Kikky.” With the way she then raped on the beat, I could swear she meant Kicks as in she will be delivering some kicks as bars instead of throwing punchlines. Get it?

Bar 1: I spit like I had a raw oyster

In rap, the vocal expression of one’s lyricism is known by many phrases. “Dropping bars”, punchlines and spitting bars etc. Spitting bars would mean you have them in your mouth in abundance and you are just spitting them like saliva. However, everyone knows that you can only spit as much saliva one, two, three times on average. Beyond that, you’d need something in your mouth to constantly stimulate your buds to produce saliva. Maybe a sweet or something disgusting. In that biological fact lies the punchline in the opening bar.

Imagine having a row oyster with its slimy and cold texture to your tongue. Of course you’ll want to spit out a lot. So Kikks here tells us that she’s going to be spitting like she just had a row oyster because she’s never running out of bars anytime soon. The stimulant is just too much, and she will continue spitting bar after bar.

I also find this interesting because she has a song titled 1 000 bars which was recorded under the Zimcelebs Frosty Ridim. My plan was to tag the song here, but it seems it was removed from their YouTube. I wonder what happened?

Bar 2: When I’m on the poster, the show is packed

“You know the show packed if they put me on a poster”, are the exact words.  In this bar she is bragging about her showmanship. The ability to pack up a show just by her appearance on the show flyer or poster. This trick has been used by many show organisers. They have certain artists that they headline by making their pictures larger than others on the show poster. This is all to try and get many people to attend by riding on the popularity of the headlining artist. This works and in some cases it doesn’t but here Kikks assures us that it works with her always. It works so well that if you see her on a poster, just know the show will be packed.

Bar 3: “Wangu ndinopisa kunge rasha remusasa”

This bar is interesting. It dates back to ancestral Zimbabwe. Our forefathers knew the type of tree that has charcoal that sustains a fire and heat for the longest time. And much to the indigenous species, it’s the Msasa tree. So here Kikks is alleging that there are lots of rappers who have come up in flames like a petrol fire yes. However, they fizzled out as fast as they came up because they had no substance to back their sudden rise. Here she assures us that she is and can sustain the fire and heat just like the Msasa tree’s charcoal. She’s here to stay so she means.

Bar 4: “Only money talks and hapana yamunosasa”

It’s a popular English saying that money talks, meaning the wealthy ones are the ones who dictate how things should be. The poor or less wealthy cannot overrule what the rich dictate. Here she alleges that she is richer than most rappers and, in her presence, they can’t say anything. However, she has the passport to be sassy because her words are not just empty but backed by the resources to fulfil them. In essence it was just not bars but it’s the truth about the Zimbabwe music and arts industry. There are a lot of popular figures who are famous but broke.

And as Uzinduzi Africa we are almost done cooking a solution to this disparity, click here to learn more.

Bar 5: I’m both a queen and king of hip hop

This bar is what I was referring to up there when I said its confusing why she was on both tracks blue and pink. In her words she makes it clear, “Imma Queen imma King so I spit on Blue Pink”.  Remember we established that the blue is for the kings and the pink for the queens. Here she now wipes the misty mirrors clear for us that she is a King of hiphop and its queen too that’s why she is spitting bars on both tracks. It takes great confidence backed by talent to want to take kings head on in hiphop when you’re a diva. However close attention to her lyrical masonry in past songs really qualifies her to spit this bar. On a lighter note, hiphop scholars in the future will study her lyrics like theatre studies Romeo’s poetry to Juliet.

Bar 6: I Drew the blueprints

All hip-hop MCs like to announce their presence at a show by using the phrase, “it’s X in the building” or “guess who’s in the building”.  These two phrases often highlight subliminally that, it’s my time now and I’m going to be all up in here, you’ll remember my name. In her words, Kikks says, “I’m not only in the building but I drew the blueprint”.

Now this is deep, she informs us that it’s her time now and she’s ready to take space, she’s in the building. However, she goes on a bit further to state that she is the one who drew the blueprints to the building. Blueprints are like the architectural plan to a structure or schematics to a complex engineering marvel. The fact that she says she drew the blueprints means she is saying she pioneered the Hip Hop space for the ladies, I guess.

She can’t have possibly started HipHop in Zimbabwe because obviously that wouldn’t be true. We have other ladies who took up the space way before she was even around. The likes of the late Amelia who gave us “I’m number one.” , Tashamiswa with “Wraps.” Therefore, it’s safe to assume that she probably pioneered together with other rappers the type of hip-hop we have now in Zimbabwe.

Bar 7: I’m the Best of All Time, a B.O.A.T

“You’re a black sheep, I’m the best of all time, a G.O.AT.” This one I find interesting because she starts by pointing out these other rappers. She calls them black sheep. Now a black sheep according to the might internet:

A black sheep is a member of a group who is different from the rest, especially a family member who does not fit in. The term comes from the fact that black sheep are rare and stand out in a flock of white sheep. A black sheep may be seen as an embarrassment or a troublemaker by the rest of the group.

So, what she actually means is, these rappers are an embarrassment to the Zim Hip Hop industry out there but she’s a goat. The goat is not literal but an abbreviation to the greatest of all time. A title which is fought for all over the world in different disciplines. All in a bid to establish which player, Artist, athlete etc is super above the rest.

However, she doesn’t end there, she goes on to say, “matter of fact I’m the best of all time, a boat”. At this point she just flips the tablecloth over, throwing off all the cards by abandoning this goat system and calling herself a boat.

Whilst different awards in the country have given the accolades of Best Female rapper to different ladies, I personally feel they haven’t acknowledged Kikks well enough. But does she care? Certainly not, she just continues finessing her craft hoping one day a sober awards house will recognise her properly.

Bar 8: Your favourite rapper is my super fan

In this bar, she opens up with the line “I mean it’s more than a flex.” She then adds , “I mean I had your favourite rapper looking more like a fan.”

She’s saying in reference to the previous bars about goat and boat that she’s not just flexing on us or throwing words lightly. She subsequently gives substance to the claims by informing us that she made a fan out of our favourite raper. I find this funny, who is your favourite rapper😂? Could be anyone right?

Carefully without mentioning names she gives us that piece of information. In hip-hop it’s unthought of to be a hard-core rapper and yet be a super fan to another rapper. It’s the equivalence of being dominated by a competitor and enjoying it. I’m not advocating for hate among rappers no, they can appreciate each other’s music and bars but not to the point of becoming a fanatic typical fan. The “can I have your autograph” type of fan, no!

Bar 9: Ndine shot reipapo but I walk in a dress

Here in came the double entendre building up to the switch in the beat. She says, “Ndine shot reipapo but I walk in dress.”

In street lingo, “shot reipapo” refers to a solution that works for that situation. So, on this hand she means that she’s the answer to the current problem. However, when you look at the second part of the bar, “…but I walk in a dress” the meaning now changes. On the other hand the shot now means shorts as in the piece of clothing called shorts.

Completing the double entendre of the bar. So lightly you can hear it as one thing when it actually means the other thing when you use a gram of your brain.

Bar 10: Y’all rappers aren’t making progress

In this bar she calls out all the rappers who are self-defeating. One time they are progressing and the other time they are falling back. Her exact words, “…you hustle backwards like a vehicle that’s stuck in reverse.” In essence she’s calling out rappers who are inconsistent but talented. 

We’ve seen quite a lot of rappers who are like one hit wonders. They come up with very good songs that top the chats for a while. They have everyone talking about them and even corporates making remixed ads with their songs. Suddenly, then they disappear and when they come back, it’s almost as if they are starting over.  In Kikks words, they are hustling backwards like a car jammed into reverse gear.

Bar 11: I’m not Jinxing your art it’s just fact

Continuing from bar 11, she puts a disclaimer in case people misquotes her. She raps, “…I’m not with a curse, a true confession more than a verse”. I believe this is a continuation from bar 10 where now she says I’m not cursing your art fellow rappers but it’s a fact. It’s a fact that most of you are sleeping on your fans and not being consistent with your craft to keep the industry going. And closes off the line by stating that she’s confessing the truth it’s not just a verse to sound nice.

But wait! it gets more interesting as we get into the next bar. I want you to remember the second part of this current bar.

Bar 12. I’m making some good money

In this bar she raps “I make the type of money that can never fit in a purse”. In turn it means that she’s getting some good money from her bookings, features and all.  Remember that part I asked you to keep in mind? Paste it here, now and we have an intersection of bars.

The part “it’s a confession it’s the truth” connects to “I make the type of money that can never fit in a purse” bar.  

Connected it means she not just saying that she makes money but it’s a true confession. Only a few rappers can make bar intersections that are this long. Most rappers intersect singular words only.

Bar 13: I got no patience

Another double entendre here, she raps, “I got no patience I would never qualify as a nurse”. In the first part of the bar, she says she does not have patience or that’s at least what she means. The meaning of this patience is that which refers to the inner ability to wait out. However, when you hear the rest of the bar that says she can’t qualify as nurse, the bar then becomes complete. Now the patience we thought to be the ability to wait suddenly switches meaning to patients, as in a hospital patient.

These types of bars fly over a lot of people if the lyrics are not on display. If you are a Kikks fan, then you have obviously noticed this in almost all her rap verses.

Bar 14: God Did

In this bar she acknowledges that God is in the centre of her career because she sees his Grace. In total the bar is, “I know that God is really innit cause he slap me with Grace”. So not only is the grace to be a superstar or excel in her career given to her, but it is given to her in abundance. So much in abundance that it felt like a slap of grace.

Bar 15: I put the power back on your grid

Another double entendre spotted in this bar as she raps, “I’m more than a phase, I put the power back on your grid.” In the first part of the bar, she says she is more than just a phase thereby baking the bar. It means that she is not just going to be remembered as having been here and not at a specific time. Neither is she living in a moment that can be characterised as a phase, but she is long lasting. In musical terms, she is not a one hit wonder.

In the second part of the bar, she then puts the icing and says she can put the power back on your grid. Now wait! The first part of the bar now changes meaning again, it now means an electrical phase, wait she’s still cooking! Not only does she say she will bring power to your grid, notice she says bring back the power meaning currently its lights out and she bring back that power on your grid. Imagine being so electrifying that you can lift an entire grid.

Bar 16: I am coming for everything

This bar needs no interpretation, it means exactly as it says. She raps, “coming for everything they got, and they say what’s with the greed.” In this bar she is giving warning shots to all the other rappers that she is coming, and she wants everything. She is going to take over every space that the other rappers occupy and take their fans too until they start wondering why she is so greedy. Perhaps, this is reference to those rappers she mentioned before who are sleeping on their talent and fans.

Bar 17: Growing money on trees

 In this bar she raps, “I planted a seed and now we growing money on trees.” On one way of the bar, she says she planted the seed which means at some point she invested into her craft, into her talent into her music. Then she caps off the bar by saying now we are growing money on trees. Now we all know that money doesn’t grow on trees, it is actually an expression that means that money doesn’t just come. It is worked for. Here we are hit by an interesting idea that whatever seed she planted, it has turned into a fruit tree and the fruit is money growing on trees, quite interesting. This can only mean that the seed she once upon a time planted was not, so she gets so popular but that she makes money easily. That is the beauty of investing into the thing that pays you, one day when it all pays off, the money comes to you easy. Almost as if money grows on trees.

Bar 18: I don’t need a beat

Interestingly with this bar, it’s quite a popular bar with quite a lot of hip hop guns. Essentially, the bar is delivered the same in each instance that I have heard it. It always starts with the rapper going hard on the beat then the beat stops literally. Soon as the beat stops, that’s when they drop the bar that suggests that: Either they can continue dropping bars without the beat or they can still sound good without the beat.

Whatever the case maybe, what did Kikky mean when she said, “I keep on rapping acapella I don’t need any beat“ Let me point you to a reference verse in the song Musarinya which she was featured in among other rappers by her brother Crooger. In the song she raps “Def jam, no I am independent”. Using this reference, I guarantee you that this bar meant that rapping acapella implies there is no beat, the beat is representing a record label, a creative director etc.

Morever, the cap that she does not need any beat then wraps up to mean she is going to be an independent artist all the way to the top for a long time because she does not need any record label or promoter to get her to her success.

Bar 19: Handina kumira mushe

Another double entendre detected here. She raps “handina kumira mushe like they ran out of seats.” The first part of the bar is in vernacular handina kumira mushe, which is slang for I am a legend or pro with regards to… It is often used to reference someone who is exceptional at doing something. However, when you introduce the second part of the bar, then the meaning of the first part completely changes.

The second part of the bar is “Like they ran out of seats”. When combined now it literally means she is not standing properly like someone who doesn’t have a seat to sit on. In actual fact, the lack of a seat is the subject of comparison to the handina kumira mushe slang meaning.

It’s so we can relate to the depth of her prowess basing on the level of discomfort (kusamira mushe) that comes with standing when everybody else is seated.

Bar 20: I can pay for your fees

Of all the bars in the song, this one I can safely call unto her directly to come explain it to me. Not that I am blank, but the theory I have for this one is misty, though I will share it later. Kikky if you are reading this part of the post, then please respond in the comments or on our social media pages. We’d like to pick your mind on this one. Same goes to all her fans reading this, if you think you picked this bar up, hit us up in the comments or on any of our social media.

Buy 21: Give me the keys

In this bar she raps, “Now give me the keys, I’m about to drive them crazy again.” This is quite a popular bar in hip hop and other genres like R n B. Since it’s a popular bar, its impact in a song is all about the timing and delivery. She put the bar in the very end before the mic drop. All in all, the bar refers to her getting the keys and you might think she wants to drive a car away. However, we quickly learn that what she wants to drive is not a car but the minds of the people.

Driving someone crazy in this regard would probably resemble making them a wild fan of her raps. One might say I might have been driven crazy into doing this article, howbeit. I am just here to appreciate the lyrical jewel that a lot of the alleged hip-hop fans never seem to get.

Bar 22: Call me lazy again!

In this last bar she raps “Ndikunzwei muchiti kikky ari lazy again”. Translated to English, she says let me not ever hear you say Kikky is lazy again. I guess after working hard to produce such a masterpiece, demonstrating good lyricism and a dope pen game, she feels validated to be called a hard worker. Indeed, in this song she went all in to deliver a masterpiece, you can easily tell everything was intentional in this song.

The highly talented individuals based in SA who she managed to house on one track is a testament of the hard work. Also dropping the EP with full visuals is also a testament to the work that was put into the production of the two songs.

Conclusion

Like any good story, there is always an end and you have come to the end of this song review. Will I do a review of the other song “Pink”? Probably not, but we never know, they say never say never.

Anyway, as I conclude this article, I’d like to point out the fact that this song is a good song, has potential to top the chats and become an anthem. The beat is just contagious as a hip hop banger with a bass filled kick. It also has an interesting amapiano vibe to it. However, the other rappers stuck to the culture and spit a lot of words. You know the ones that make a song censored. I find this to be sad because that means it will never make it to any of our radio stations, there is just too many parts to sensor which may end up distorting the song altogether.

I would have loved to listen to the song on the hip-hop basement show with Dj Pro on Power FM. Maybe even on the Lunch Time radio with Popsy on Power FM or Dj Mox on Star FM. Perhaps there is a clean version of it that she can submit to radio stations, hopefully. But well, it is what is it is, perhaps on the next one.

*** End of Article ***

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