Album review : Chanda Mbao Desiderata mixtape

“I’m so soulful and so old school, all I need is a beat and pro tools “

Chanda Mbao delivers an amazingly fresh mixtape. What stands out immediately is the production .The beats have a nice soulful/old school hip hop vibe to them. The lyrical content is fresh and inspiring at times. His delivery is smooth and straight forward.

Chanda Mbao may be a Zambian but his style of rap cannot be compared to other mainstream Zambian rappers. The first reason being, he raps entirely in English. This may make it harder to get over with Zambian fans, but once they look passed that and appreciate the music, they will get into it.  The second reason is; he has a more mature approach to his music, i.e.  He does not rap about “swag” and “the good life”; his raps are not punch line driven as he adds an element of storytelling. He does not use profanity in his songs, so everybody from your little sister to your grandmother can enjoy his music.

“No fears and no regrets, no excuses to fail each one I will forget”

Stand out Tracks:

Open your eyes: This is the first song on the mixtape and my personal favorite.  It is about opening your eyes and realizing what is happening around you.

Chief Rocka: This is Chanda Mbao’s version of the classic hip hop song Chief Rocka by Lords of the underground.

Live on: A very touching song dedicated to anyone who has ever lost a loved one. Eva Ramos sings the chorus beautifully “You know that I miss you and I will never forget you “she sings melodiously .This song will bring a tear to your eye.

“I vow before I’m 40, to be in the top 40”

The only down side to this album is that some of the featured artists just cannot match up to Chanda Mboa .The only features that added value to the songs were Eva Ramos on “Live on” and Robert Dante on “The Girl from yesterday” . The others were unnecessary.

This may be only a mixtape, but it has the feel of a mainstream hip hop album. It was professionally executed and is a great way to introduce Zambia and the world to Chanda Mbao.

contact him here:

http://www.chandambao.com/
http://www.facebook.com/chandambao
http://www.twitter.com/chandambao
http://www.soundcloud.com/chandambao

Click here for Desiderata.

BY KAPA187