WHICHEVER way you look at it, no other artiste has dominated 2023 as much as Silent Killer did.
JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA
This is hardly disputable.
Musically, he has been dominating the airwaves and social media, churning out hit after hit.
Silent Killer has also courted controversy for his lewd lyrics which hit the headlines, for good or bad.
And he is trending big time on social media.
Added to this, there has been no end in shows coming his way, including a few endorsements from clothing retailers, something which was never the case in the past.
He has been to the United Kingdom, South Africa and more recently Botswana where he got an escort. To cap it all, he has done a collaboration with Fungisai Zvakapano-Mashavave.
Born Jimmy Mudereri, Ngwere is enjoying a new wave of popularity, thanks to his 41-track album, Hurungwere.
And without doubt Silent Killer has had a good run in 2023 and what a way to cap the year it has been for him.
Back then, Silent Killer had almost been forgotten, even though his previous track, Locker MaStreets, became a club anthem a few years back.
Showing determiniation and resilience, Silent Killer bounced back as one of the most-sought-after acts.
He has been touring abroad and locally, taking his new music to the people.
Ngwere, whose style is different from that of any local Zimdancehall musician, thrives on controversy, lyrical venom and of course wordplay.
Some critics have likened his style to that of Jamaica’s Gully Bop who rarely sings but talks over the beats.
And the streets are warming up to his vocabulary which he delivers with reckless abandon to an extent some people do not take him seriously.
However, believers and non-believers have agreed on one thing, that he is a rare talent who knows how to gravitate fans towards his sound.
There have been new albums by several artistes, but Silent Killer’s album stands out from the rest and he is not making it a secret.
He has performed before sellout crowds in the United Kingdom, South Africa and in Zimbabwe.
Like he mentions in the song Locker maStreets, Silent Killer is now holding his own and he does not need much introduction or supporting acts.
He has been featured on DJ Ollah 7’s show twice this year and the interview has spawned several video clips trending on TikTok.
His other song making a wave is Kufa Kana Kufenda, a favourite of many especially at live performances. DJs Fantan, Levels and Rhibhe hardly skip the track either at Mashwede or Club Zeus where they are regulars.
And each time the song is played, DJs fade the lyrics and let the crowds sing for themselves.
While most of Silent Killer’s songs border on lewdness and explicit content, his defence is that sex sells and it is what fans love to hear.
And with social media playing a role in promoting his music, Silent Killer does not need self-censorship because his target is not radio but social media and perhaps commuter omnibuses.
And it is easy to see why such songs as Ngwere Inyerere, Nguva Yangu, Hatikeche Meche and Kufa Kana Kufenda are big on the club circuit.
If you have a party and there is no one who can help, maybe you can call on Silent Killer!
