Words By Phil Chard

#FeatureFridays is weekly poll where the fans get to vote on who they want us to profile on the website via a twitter poll. Last week ZImbabwean rapper GZE walked away with the win. I got hold of the husky voiced rapper to discuss his upcoming album, his new movement and what his outlook for 2016 looked like. 

AHHB: It's been awhile since we caught up with you. Why don't you tell us what you've been up to? 

GZE: Yeah I just been loud behind the scenes, I believe with with great power comes great responsibility. I just laid back trying to to get a few artists up and running, setting up our stable and label and putting out a lot of dope music. I believe that's the only way you can grow the culture. It's not on one man, it's not on two artists it's in the the whole bunch of dope rappers, just come out and  be heard and make a beautiful noise and bring that attention on Hip Hop . We did Brian G. We did Jnr Brown, now I'm up next. 

AHHB: So what's the name of your label? 

GZE: It's a conglomerate, it's a consortium of very open skilled synergies integrating to put put one big explosion. I represent Dream Catchers, Jnr Brown represent Big Boy Business and [Begotten Sun] represents Kings of a Young Nation - KYN records and we just come together to push from front different angles. These guys handle the media, we handle the studio processes and the other guys are Zezuru creatives, they do the visuals and make sure the revolution is televised. 

AHHB: So you said you working with Brian G what work has he put out this year? 

GZE: He put out Skiri at the beginning of the year, definite banger that's been doing well on charts, 4,5 weeks in the top 10. Just yesterday we were in the mixing session for his new joint featuring Guluva 7 it's called Hustlers Prayer it's a definite banger.

AHHB: What can we expect from you in 2016?

GZE: The album is definitely dropping this year. I'm just cultivating interest around the project. I just finished wrapping up shooting the Imhandu video and I got some deals lined up with Boyz Dze Tonaz, I got a joint that's meant to come out in August, they are endorsing that, they're coming out with the apparel and we'll do like a street bash barbecue in the streets out in the middle of Harare. I also got a  mini documentary and short film coming out. All those go by the title of the album so it's the Hustlemania documentary and Hustlemania short film. I wrote the script for the short film, it's gonna be shot in the neighbourhood I grew up, [Southerton Harare]. 

AHHB: When is Your album expected to drop? 

GZE: I'm looking at November, I just need to smash people with three more singles and get the documentary and short film out. I am hoping by then there will be enough pre-orders to make me want to put the album out. This time it has to make dollars not cents. We are here to set up the structures so it's right for the up and coming you know what I mean.. We have to be the torch bearers. We are all independent out here   we have to think smart and act smart.

@resilience_gze