Revolver’s tributes at ump awards
The 2016 Urban Music Party (UMP) Awards, which took place at BAT Ground on Sunday, turned out to be a Revolver tribute show as artists paid homage to the rapper at any given opportunity.
Born Kenneth Muwamba, 29-year-old Revolver died after a battle with gastric cancer and news of his death started circulating on the social media while the event was in progress.
First to pay his tribute was Lilongwe-based Cholapitsa hit maker Phyzix.
He said: “We have heard the sad news. We indeed have lost one of our own. UMP will update you as the show progresses.”
Taking her turn, female rapper Rina did not waste time to address the elephant in the room.
Before her performance, she said: “Revolver is gone. We have lost a friend. Let us all remember the music that he gave us. He worked tirelessly to entertain us all. Revolver will be missed.”
Blantyre-based rapper Fredokiss asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence.
“Let us have a moment of silence for our brother Revolver. We have lost a friend and a brother. Let us celebrate his life,” he said.
The tributes continued yesterday.
The rapper’s manager Ronald Zeleza, aka Ron Cz, wrote on Facebook: “I met a friend, a wonderful friend when I was very young. We grew up together, played and went to primary, secondary and college together.
“To many, you are an idol. You paved a way for a lot of people. Those that hated you did not know you as much as I do. I have been the closest friend you ever had and I knew your heart…”
Revolver was a co-founder and member of Trap Squad Entertainment, the record label that signed the Trap Squad.
He was one of Malawi’s most popular hip-hop artists, best known for his 2011 song Sindidanda.
The rapper released his first solo mixtape in 2009 titled Hardcore Blues, a production that did not do well and its singles hardly got any radio play.
However, he gained recognition in 2010 after releasing his second mixtape, The Ridiculous LP.
The mixtape included the songs Hustle Ngati M’mwenye and the controversial Take You to Hell, both of which featured the Dare Devilz.
The Hustle Ngati M’mwenye remix also featured Rina, Jaxstar and K-Bonnie, and its video was shot and directed by Ron Cz.
Revolver later formed a record label Trap Entertainment with his manager.
He co-directed a number of music videos, including Stich Fray’s 4 minus 3, Hypa’s Otis Remix and some of his own videos such as Sindidanda Remix, Friends with Benefits and So What, among others. n
