By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Move over, giants. There is a new sheriff in town, and his name is Hulengende.
The Zim dancehall scene, long dominated by heavyweights like Winky D, Killer T, Freeman HKD, and Seh Calaz, has a fresh disruptor who is currently shattering the airplay status quo and causing absolute pandemonium on stage.
Hulengende, the man behind the chart-topping album Tsvimbo Mutauro and the inescapable hit Nhepfu Tepfu, is having a moment. But it wasn’t always this way.
Rewind a few years, and the artiste was often dismissed by critics as nothing more than a Soul Jah Love wanna-be.
Hulengende’s partner in crime Malloti
He was a talented act living in the shadows of the industry, waiting for his moment to shine. Fast forward to today, and the narrative has flipped entirely.
Hulengende hasn’t just stepped out of the shadows; he has found his own distinct formula and is riding a massive wave of popularity.
Whenever he takes to the stage, the energy is electric. Fans rush the barricades, causing absolute pandemonium just to catch a glimpse of the star and his partner-in-rhyme, Malloti.
If his recent show-stopping performance at Glamis Arena for the Hunters Dry Big Refresh Party is anything to go by, Hulengende is undeniably the man of the moment.
Mastering the Craft and the Streets
So, how did he do it? The hitmaker has single-handedly taken over the charts by adopting one of the late Soul Jah Love’s most effective strategies: consistently churning out freestyle club bangers, one after the other.
But he hasn’t just copied the playbook; he has added his own flavor. Hulengende has ingeniously tapped into the underground pulse of the ghettos. By weaving the street lingo currently dominating youth culture into his music, he has sparked fascinating debates in street corners and made his music the undeniable soundtrack of the streets.
The Evolution of “The Movement”
It hasn’t been a flawless journey. At one point, the artiste and his wife, Malloti, fumbled the bag by using verbal insults on social media to gain traction—a controversial strategy that threatened to overshadow the music. But the duo has since dumped the drama and refocused entirely on what matters: the music.
Now, alongside his producer One KCool and Malloti, “The Movement” is growing in leaps and bounds. The energy is purely about the art, the vibe, and the hustle.
With massive crowds, relentless airplay, and tours lining up, everything is finally swinging his way. As the festive season approaches, Nhepfu Tepfu is already tipped as a strong contender for Song of the Year.
Hulengende has proven the doubters wrong. The good times are rolling, and “The Movement” shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
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