Malawian rapper Emm Zibry links up with IKK (Mr. 4pin) on a confident new Hip-Hop and Afro-Soul record titled “Zoziwa,” produced by Awosh and Soness.
The title “Zoziwa” carries that specific weight Malawian music fans recognise – rooted in the local language but carrying a universal energy. Yet the production does not lean fully into regional sound. Instead, Awosh and Soness blend melodic Afro-Soul textures with hip-hop rhythms. So the record travels easily beyond Malawi without losing its identity.
Emm Zibry’s laid-back flow is the record’s foundation. But IKK counters with a sharper, more energetic verse that keeps the track from settling into one gear. The contrast between the two approaches is what makes “Zoziwa” work as a collaboration. Both artists sound like themselves throughout – so neither swallows the other’s personality in an attempt to match styles.
Confidence and ambition run through the writing from start to finish. Though the message stays grounded in street culture, it never gets weighed down by trying to sound hard. Instead, the record finds a comfortable space between flex and feeling – and that balance is what drove the early TikTok and Facebook traction the song picked up before wider blog coverage caught up with it.
Kante directs the visual, and the music video rollout alongside the audio release gave “Zoziwa” a more complete debut than most regional hip-hop collaborations usually get at this stage.
Watch the video, stream “Zoziwa,” and tell us if this is Emm Zibry’s best record yet – drop your verdict below!
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