Tha Bees says his near death experience shaped his trademark look

 

                                             

From his first hit song “Puma” getting him on the scene, to his recent sensations “That’s Why” , “ Today”  and his unique look that has distinguished him from other talents like Voltz JT and Holy Ten,  Tha Bees has proved that the modern wave of Zim hip hop artists is truly a force to be reckoned with. He has shown where determination and talent can get you as he keeps rising the ladder of popularity in the Zimbabwean music industry. Working closely with gifted visionary director Leovy and constantly collaborating with rapper Voltz, Tha Bees is truly out to make a name and leave an unforgettable mark in the industry. Born as Bhekimpilo Sibiya, we have caught with him in an exclusive interview to get to know more about him both as an individual and an artist.

MJ: So this is Zimbabwe, and I think the most natural reaction or question that would arise from a typical Zimbabwean and what would peak their interest is, well considering that we all know how Zimbabwe faces a number of economic challenges, and not only that, as a society it is more inclined towards the traditional careers due to safety assurances. What gave you the courage to finally make a decision to pursue a career in music despite all that and given also that you’re a mechatronic engineering graduate ,what was the turning point or moment that made you decide you were willing to take the “risks” and put in the hard work required to chase a music career in Zimbabwe?

BEES: Yeah I’m a mechatronics engineer graduate…I don’t think anyone can actually decide on doing anything. I think things just happen with time and where your interests lie. Even I worked for months after I graduated but figured out I was losing touch with reality because of the late hours and funny pay…so I just happened to flip. Though I’m looking into doing my masters (laughs).

 

MJ: You started out at high school when you were in from 3 putting together raps but it wasn’t until 2015 that you finally stepped into a booth to record your first song “We own it”. Why’s that? Was it because that was when the opportunity finally reviewed itself or maybe you know a lot of times its kind of scary to actually take that first step and try to make something to  put out there to the people , in most cases there’s that sense of vulnerability and the fear of it that comes with it. Was that the case that that’s when you finally got the courage or it was just opportunity just happened to present itself then?

BEES: Back then I didn’t even know what a studio was until I met Beav City in 2015, he introduced me to local studios and that’s when I started recording. (Laughing) and I would record one song a year.

MJ: So one thing that definitely sets you apart from rest is the bandage, a look which debuts in your music video “Chizevezeve”. You once in mentioned in another one of you interviews the origin of the look and I can say is not exactly what people would guess, in your words you describe it as due “to a brush with death”. Could you shed more light on that? I’m sure most aren’t really familiar of the origin.

BEES: Yeah I had a brush with death in 2021, I was involved in a car accident. The whole incident made me go to a dark place and I felt like the old me was gone and the new me was born thus the whole bandage look. It shows how I was almost gone and the whole new look has come as a form of rebranding and sets out a second chance.

MJ: So from your video perhaps noticeably that moment at the beginning of “Chizevezeve” you sort of rise from dead, well you pop out from the ground from which you’d be buried in almost like a grave. Such a powerful visual choice especially as a way to review you new look. I would like to think that you could have just chosen to review it by just suddenly appearing in the video with your face covered. Why that creative choice? Does the look now hold some symbolic meaning, are the bandages now some sort of a statement?

BEES: Yes it’s like a statement. Like I said when I was after the incident I felt like the old me died on that scene and the “ Chizevezeve”  visual was a way of showing the rise of the new me. I was reborn. Chizevezeve is very symbolic, it being where I reviewed my look.

MJ: Speaking of great visuals, Director Leoy V seems to be a prominent collaborator of yours, in my opinion a collaboration that has given birth to a series of amazing visual creativity and art. How did that come about? How did you two meet and what made you realize you could have a good working relationship with him. Is the fact that you’re both proud sons of Chitown that has strengthened your relationship or your creative similarities?

 

BEES: Yes director Leoy is a very creative guy, I’m sure most people will agree with me on that. I just try to think of myself as a perfect fit to the crazy creative ideas that come up. I met Leoy in Chitown (Chitungwiza), same hood, we been friends ever since, we are more like bros and we have a great working relationship.

MJ: I’m really curios on your thought process and your creative process when making videos with Leoy. To me it seems with you Leoy seems to exercise creative freedom more than most of the artists he works with and visual expression that is not limited in a box. I’d say with you that he’s created beautiful shots that linger in your head for days from the silhouettes of those kids on a hill from the “Level” music video, or that shot of you sitting in what seems to be in the middle of a snowy desert /mountain in the promo teaser for “That’s why” or the striking contrasts between the reds and the whites from that shot of you at a dinner table in “Today”. How much are you involved in coming up with the concept for your videos? Does he make videos from how you envision them when you make the song, do you meet in the middle or does he have total creative control on the visual outlook of the whole thing?

BEES: Leoy like I said is a creative person. He has freedom of creation when it comes to my videos because most of the time I like the crazy ideas that come up. When it comes to art, other people are afraid. When I have created a song, I send it to him and we just start bouncing off crazy ideas and after that we check what feasible and what I can handle. Because we have a great relationship there’s no limitations in what can be created. I’m sure if you spend a day with him you’ll realize he’s a crazy guy (laughs).

MJ: Let’s say the current Russo-Ukraine war escalates and the tension between the west and Russia rises to the point of world war three leading to a nuclear haul cost. And then there’s a time capsule and you can only put one rap album of any artist across the world so that it can be kept safe throughout time until civilization is back or maybe another one immerges like aliens or something, and that album would be a way to represent what humans of today could do, what the art of today was capable of to these new civilizations. Which album would you pick, from which artist and why?

BEES: To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. In my opinion that’s the best rap album ever created. He speaks about basically everything from race, oppression, and many stuff. When it came out it was also the same time I was hitting the studio. It became my soul food.

MJ: Again another hypothetical situation. Let’s say something would happen that would require you to get in a panic room with someone and be stuck in there for a couple of hours and make conversation with the person. The person could be anyone you look up to; or would like to spend some time with who is not in music industry or your genre at least and who’s not your friend or anyone close to you. Who would want it to be and what questions would you ask them?

BEES: I would wanna ask Lil Wayne tones of questions because I know he has crazy way of viewing things. (Laughing) but like they say, never meet your heroes, you never know. 

MJ: So I’m from chitown myself I kind of know about the artistic fire that burns there specifically for music. I’ve experienced it from high school where we’d just gather around as a group of friends or just students with a speaker on, playing a beat and anyone who wanted to would rap on them, they’d be rap battles and stuff like that. And I think it’s safe to assume that in the past 5years the hunger and ambition for hip hop has been engulfing chitwon with producers like Jamal (when he still had a studio in Unit B), KSG, Muza, giving young aspiring artists opportunities to record on affordable prices. But the problem was always getting music out there and getting people to listen, even though now there’s soundcloud ,youtube and the likes, tits still tuff to get recognition from people. So my question is which chitown underground rapper or any musician from Chitwon you feel isn’t being appreciated as much as they deserve to be or isn’t getting enough recognition that they should be getting?

BEES: Lincoln the Prez. I feel like he has fire bars. That’s one person I’d put there.

MJ: Let’s you find yourself back in time maybe 2015 or even further. What advice three pieces of advice would you give that ambitious and dreaming young version of yourself as far as music or life is concerned?

BEES: ( laughing) I wish I had hid my face was earlier when I started. I’ll definitely tell him it’s a harsh world out there, be strong and don’t let anyone tell you anything different cause you a fighter.

MJ: What future project of yours that no one knows about but you’re excited for fans to get to see and hear and how much detail can you give on the project?

BEES: I have about 3 projects that will be on the way in the next months and crazy features on the lot. Having fun creating.