in East Africa. His social awareness and political insightfulness coupled with his profound lyrical prowess has propelled him to the very upper echelons of the Rap Elites’.
One could argue that there is a form of bias towards any ‘crowning’ since fans reserve the right to choose the artist that they feel is more deserving, however, there is one accolade that you could never take away from Fid Q and that is he is and has been the most consistent Hip-hop MC in terms of nominations for multiple awards!
To gain an insight into the mind of this Lyrical Genius who possesses the nonchalance demeanour of a humble philosopher, you would have to travel back in time to well before the turn of the millennium. It is a toss between his early featured song with the Machizi wa hatari, Hard Mad, Noor Elly, Wachuja Nafaka, and the now classic Joachim ‘Master J’ Kimario produced solo ‘Huyu na Yule’ that officially introduced Fid Q to the Hip-hop world that he has dominated steadily for the past decade. Either way, revisiting his early works further solidifies the argument that this was not your average rapper; His creative process, subject matter, careful use of poetical devices and the precision and clarity of his rapid fire delivery, instantly catapulted him into the ‘one to watch’ status.
“Akupigaye ngumi ya jicho na we mpige ya sikio akikuuliza unaonaje na wewe mwulize anajisikiaje” the now infamous bars from’ Fid Q dot com’ his independent release A side single, marked the beginning of endless stream of quotes from Fid. It preceded the release of his lon awaited debut album Vina Mwanzo, Kati Mwisho (VMKM). The critically acclaimed debut album is regarded as the manuscript that has given birth to a myriad of conscious Mcs over the years and continues to do so by inspiring a new generation of fierce and sharp hiphop traditionalists.
Songs such as ‘Mwanangu’ an ode to his unborn son at the time where he envisions his son being his shield in his latter years, ‘Mwanza Mwanza’ an anthem dedicated to the city where he hails from- (forget the roof, this song is known to bring down the sky whenever he performs it live in his home town), ‘Unanijua Unanisikia’ a testament to the plausibility of a multi-lingual banger where Swahili/English are made to gel very well courtesy of 2 featured European artists, and the poignant title track which sends chills up your spine from just the way Fid dissects the philosophy of life in less than 4 minutes!
It was the use of multi syllabic rhyme scheme with such consistency that made Fid Q unique and this album a timeless classic.
If there were any doubts in the minds of the sceptics and the cynical, they were all erased with the release of Fid’s sophomore effort aptly titled ‘PROPAGANDA’. The spirituality, positivity, intelligence and thought provoking concepts cleverly fused in an eclectic selection of beats immediately reaffirmed Fid’s position. This album marked that triumphant moment that every artist dreams of; the pressures of successfully following up a classic debut is every Artist’s nightmare. Ironically, the initial title of the album was meant to be ‘Darwin’s nightmare’ as Fid’s critique’ response to a misleading independent documentary of the same name which depicted Mwanza (Fid’s home town) as a dangerous remote area of Africa to be avoided for various unfounded facts. Fid felt very strongly about this especially because it was based on fabrications but presented by a foreign director as being factual.
With ‘Propaganda’, we get to see the artistic growth in Fid and likewise the maturity. Confidence oozes out of him as he experiments with sounds outside the conventional hiphop box. In the lead single (Street report) which features none other than the legendary golden era Tanzania Musician Zahir Ally Zorro, Fid paints the perfect picture of the ills of the streets for those who are not built for the concrete jungle. Over a thumping bass and dark synths, he goes into multi story mode verses with vividness that makes them somewhat cinematic. Zahir offers the perfect hook in his own unique baritone that is reminiscent of the golden days.
This ‘old to the new’ theme is maintained very well in another album track called ‘JUHUDI’ which features the Queen and the fossil of Tanzanian artistry, Her Highness Bibi Kidude (RIP). In a sinister backdrop and barely audible drum loop, Fid trades rhyme and spoken poetry with Bibi Kidude to create one of the most poignant song of his career. With the hook provided in the form of traditional Swahili idioms, puns and riddles delivered in Bibi Kidude’s infectious coastal dialect, the effect is that of a timeless classic song that will survive the test of time!
Notwithstanding the potential for the two classics mentioned above to be contenders for the anthem song, it is the title track ‘Propaganda’ that finishes at the top! Produced by the great Marco Chali, this song is probably the most quoted Fid Q song of all time. The clever lyrics full of subliminal puns on both social and music industry politics (famously known as poli-tricks) confidently executed by Fid is simply worthy of the overwhelming endorsement by both fans and wider media channels.
‘Polisi wanasapoti gangsta rap ili uhalifu uongezeke, wabana pua kuimba mapenzi je itafanya ukimwi usepe, media zinapromoti bifu wanadai wanakuza mziki, wadau wana wasanii wabovu,jua kali ntatoka vipi, hizi ni propaganda, usiulize ni nani, ni yupi, saa ngapi, ilikuaje, na nani, ili iweje, hizi ni Propaganda, utaibiwa ukicheza blanda, Yule Last King wa Scotland sio Iddi Amin wa Uganda’..
Translates to:
“Police support gangsta rap to boost up crime, RnB crooners with their love songs how is that supposed to rid of HIV, media is promoting rivalry, claiming they are growing the music, Promoters with weak artists, how am I supposed to break through, This is all Propaganda don’t bother asking Who, Which, What time, With Whom, For What purpose, this is Propaganda you will be robbed if you don’t play carefully, That was the last King of Scotland and NOT Iddi Amin of Uganda’…
The clever word play and excellent Juxtaposition captured in the translation above is an example of the greatness in Fid’s artistry. The subtle and innocuous way in which Fid manages to attack the seemingly invincible power structures through the use of suggestive dichotomies is simply unmatched by any artist in the Bongo Hip-hop scene. He possesses this incredible ability to throw these invisible darts towards adversaries with a smile and a wave without having to assume a covert sniper position.
As the die-hard fans and critics alike await for the release of Fid’s third album KITAAOLOJIA, (STREET-OLOGY) the anticipation is nothing like what has been witnessed before in the recent history. The fact that it is rumoured to be his last studio album (the completion to his Trilogy ), the buzz is simply overwhelming. There is that feeling of anxiety that is synonymous to the famous Trilogy films; Godfather, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter etc. And similar to these epic films the pressure is on to ensure that there is no anti-climax.
Fid is confident and takes it in his strides. After all he is essentially the Director and the main character to the completion of this Trilogy. In several interviews conducted in between his busy schedule ( Ambassadorship role, promoting his Cheusi Dawa Brand which includes a TV deal, Merchandise, Monthly Poetry Addiction event, Working on his autobiography, managing a non- profit organisation promoting literacy initiatives etc.), Fid has reiterated that this will be his best album yet.
He has dropped 2 huge singles to ease the pain of the anticipation for his ever demanding fans who are at the end of their tether with the wait which has lasted the best part of the past 2 years. ‘Sihitaji marafiki’ (I don’t need friends) which features Yvonne Mwale, a sensational soul vocalist from Zambia, climbed the charts rapidly within hours of being released. As always we are treated to the signature word play and multi imagery lyrics that we have come to expect of Fid Q.
The latest single from this highly anticipated album has only just dropped as this Bio was finalised and already it has come close to crushing the online Bongo Hip-hop channels with frantic demands for uploads and downloads let alone the reviews and discussions on twitter, Facebook and all major and minor blogs. Aptly titled ‘Siri ya Mchezo’ (The Game’s secret), you cannot help but admire the ingenuity of Fid when it comes to sparking the industry adrenaline rush! With an infectious beat provided by Ben Mwamba and a hook by none other than Sir Juma Nature, this is already shaping up to be a record breaking hit for Fid. Filled with more quotable lines than a Shakespeare sonnet, it is another epic release from this Hip-hop traditionalist who continues to defy all odds.
In a nutshell, Fid Q is a gift to the Bongo Hip-hop industry. He is authentic and genuine. His demeanour and disposition in life is synonymous to his music. What you see is what you get; there are no facades in his artistry. In many ways this has given him some of the most robust fan base ever witnessed. He has somehow managed to survive the pressures from the industry for so long. Where many have succumbed and compromised their artistry in pursuit of that radio hit, he has continued in his own path and refused to conform to the industry rules. It is no wonder he is known as ‘Jeshi la mtu mmoja’ (One man army). He embodies the spirit of resilience and survival that is very necessary for artist to retain their integrity and creative vision.
We continue to wait for the release of KITAAOLOJIA and there are no doubts that Fid will deliver a breath taking finale’ to this TRILOGY with no disappointments.
Please click on the links below for other relevant information on Fid Q.
ACCOLADES:
Fid Q is the only artist in Tanzania who has been nominated for an award every year for the past 10 years!
Best Hip-hop song MwanzaMwanza -- 2005 - 2006
Best collaboration song Ni hayo tu -- 2006 – 2007
Best East African song- Zero by Witness featuring Fid Q -2007 – 2008
Best Collaboration song- Ukisikia Paa- JCB featuring Fid Q 2010 – 2011
Street Award- Tuzo ya Kitaa- 2013
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