Mnangagwa's son releases hip-hop single

SON of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, St Emmo, might be finally on his path to the mainstream music arena.

This follows the release of his potentially explosive hip-hop single, Euphoria, a collaboration he did with mbira songstress Rutendo Machiridza.

Just like the proverb, "each man is the architect of his own fortune", he has defied the odds to pursue a career in music rather than politics like his father.

Euphoria is a laid back hip-hop track and an electronic fusion of R'n'B and mbira that brings out a cool and soft appeal easy for the ears.

The song speaks about the celebration of life and the euphoric feeling that culminates from living one's dreams.

Recorded and produced by St Emmo, the song is already receiving commendable airplay on several local radio stations and is even on the future hit-list on Star FM.

The 25-year-old singer and rapper is virtually unknown on the musical scene, but has enjoyed musical success in South Africa where he has worked as a music producer.

In an interview with News Day, St Emmo said this song could see him rise to the limelight on the local music arena.

"Euphoria is the song to watch. I have been in the game for a long time, but it's just that I had been away for too long. However, I am back to settle and concentrate on growing a fan base locally," he said.

NewsDay caught up with Rutendo, who is currently on a tour in Germany and said she was delighted to have worked with St Emmo.

"I am super excited about this and it is a wonderful collaboration and opportunity to have worked with this talented, young and visionary artiste," she said.

Rutendo added that the two would definitely do another single on her return to Zimbabwe and were planning to do a couple of gigs together as well.

St Emmo always had a strong passion for music and learnt how to manipulate and create abstract sounds through recording and sampling.

As a young man, he immersed himself with making and producing different music styles and this became part of his everyday life.

Over the years, he has grown to be one of the most unique producers with a touch in hip-hop, jazz, Afro-jazz, trip pop, dub step, reggae and dancehall.

In 2007, he studied music programming, production and sound engineering, a move that gave birth to his deejaying career.

To date, his music still keeps a unique blend of genres and epic production embedded within various genres of music creating curtain type of commercial sound.

Meanwhile, Rutendo's prospect to start her four-year degree in music performance in Boston is hanging in the balance since she has to raise a substantial amount of money that is not being covered by the scholarship.

Her scholarship is $47 000 shy of the $65 000 she needs for the academic year starting September.

However, Rutendo said this could change her life and was in fact the biggest opportunity she has ever had.

"Studying at Berklee is every pop musician's dream, because it specialises in pop rock and jazz. There is no better school in the world to study other than this and I will fight to see my way there," she said.

St Emmo is slated to make his major public appearance when he will team up with Rutendo on her homecoming show.