Phumzile Mkhize– South African Music Promoter and Festival Director
Zimbabwean Afro Hip-Hop artist Mellow Creme is a singer, illustrator, poet and Creative Director , plying his trade in the capital city Harare, the very heartbeat of urban art. He released his debut album Mellow Madness in 2016 followed by a mixtape called ‘Mellowdramatic Vol 1’ in 2017, with rap lyrics that touch mainly on love and pan Africanism.
Mellow is not afraid to push boundaries in his art. Poetry is his strength and a song is not just a melody to him. It is a collage, a painting, a sketch or sometimes a book. He writes, records and performs with his band so when he goes live expect a soulful live performance like never before.
Mellow’s deep hoarse voice is sometimes likened to the legendary DMX, Ja Rule and sometimes Barry White. He has grown in leaps and bounds as a performing artist experimenting with many different sounds and now he is firmly set on a fusion of Hip Hop with traditional Zimbabwean sounds. Mellow has collaborated with chart topping Fungai Nengare, Black Pearl and Vito.
He has performed at HIFA (Harare International Festival of the Arts) in 2018 and in the same year, he also released an album Theory Of Nakedivity which had a good listening session at The British Council on the 8th of December 2018.
The album is an insight into the vulnerability of an honest man in a society that expects an alpha male to be insensitive to his feelings and keep emotions bottled in. ‘Man Up’ the world says. It also explored the inner workings of our lives.
The next year Mellow went on a promotional tour across Southern Africa with the main 2019 highlight being an opening act for Cassper Nyovest, Kuzani and Samthing Soweto at GOG Soweto Gardens in Jo’burg on The Africa Day Invasion 25 May.
2020 promises to be yet another successful year for Mellow Creme as he rebrands his sound, releases new music, collaborations, shows and tours. Watch out for not only musical content but poetry and art. He is working on the remake of a couple of classic Zimbabwean songs to be released soon…so keep watching all our social media handles. Live shows and European tours are on the cards too…he may be coming to a venue near you soon.
‘Mellow Creme is an intriguing story teller with many layers to his talents. We always enjoy hosting him’
Extra-Blessings Kuchera Arts Administrator – British Council Zimbabwe
