The wait is over, the Hikwa king is back

Yaziza Entertainment, the brainchild of Sunny Boy, in December announced the release of Sunny Boy’s fifth album, titled “P.A.S.S THE H.I.K.W.A” a 17-track album which is already being touted as Sunny Boy’s best work yet. Sunny Boy is no new name to the local music industry, and is among few local musicians who don’t necessarily have to release new material to remain relevant. His early hit song Balance still gets people on the dance floor. Known for his thought-provoking lyrics, which have been the differentiating factor between him and some of his peers, Sunny Boy has taken a much lighter approach this time around and decided to release a fun and easy flowing album that will have listeners dancing and singing along to his tunes. Explaining how he came up with title of the album, his first since his last release in 2013, Sunny Boy says, “P.A.S.S” is his initials which stand for Panduleni Andreas Sunday Shipushu and ‘H.I.K.W.A’ is the genre of music that he specialises in which is a fusion of Hip Hop and Kwaito. “H.I.K.W.A also stands for Highly Intellectual Kid With Appeal, which is a movement or a way of life that l live by and like to call the Hikwa Lifestyle,” he says. “People who live a Hikwa Lifestyle are focused individuals who may appear shy and quiet but have a commanding presence wherever they go,” he explains. Sunny Boy explains his love for music by describing it as an integral part of who he is. “Music is literally food to my spirit and it has been nothing short of a blessing to be back in the studio to work on this album. I know people have been asking why I’m so quiet and some were even wondering if I’ve quit making music. For the past few years, I’ve just been observing, learning and perfecting my craft. I’ve never been one to release an album out of pressure or just because I need to remain relevant in the industry. I believe in taking my time, creating a product that I know can make an impact and then release the album when I feel it is ready. And now is the time,” says Sunny Boy. The Hikwa star says that with his latest offering he wanted to take it up a notch. “People always ask why I’m always so serious when making music and I would tell them that in life, we need people who are able to disentangle it and expose it for what it really is. I always tell people that we don’t all have to be doctors or teachers, and that each one of us has a unique talent and I believe in using my talent to bring about positive change,” he says. The album is a melting pot of different sounds and will no doubt take the listener on a fun musical journey with Hip Hop, Kwaito and Hikwa tracks. “Standout tracks on the album include Follow Me (Shikulako), Giving it all that I got and Woman Crush,” he said. Another highlight on the album is Sunny Boy’s Enough, on which he features songstress Sally. The stellar song which raises awareness on gender-based violence, not only reminds us of Sunny Boy’s stellar repertoire when it comes to writing music, but combined with Sally’s impeccable vocal range, you are bound to press repeat. “The song Enough is very close to my heart because I believe that violence against women and children is unacceptable in any society. In fact, violence in general should not be tolerated at all, regardless of who it is directed at,” says Sunny Boy, adding that as musicians they have the power to positively influence society through their music and he urges all artists to use the platform they have to bring about social change and contribute towards building a better Namibia for future generations. In order to create the album he calls his masterpiece, Sunny Boy teamed up with some of the best talents in the business, including producers Arrafat, Elvo, K Boz, Glo and Zambian producer Taz. He also roped in Tate Buti and The Dogg to collaborate on a song titled Permanent, while he also featured his long-time friend Tequila and KK on a track titled Thinking about you as well as Chipolopolo whom he featured on Kuwilila, which he feels will also be one of the hits off the album. “I’m very proud of this album because it shows a different, more relaxed side of me. That’s why I didn’t rush into it. I took my time producing it because I had to make sure that it’s just right. I’m very pleased with the way it turned out and I hope that my fans and the public will love it too. It is an exciting album which deserves each and everyone’s attention,” he says excitingly. He added that while most of the tracks on the album are about fun and enjoyment, there are also references to love and he tackles serious social issues that are affecting our nation and need to be exposed in order to come up with sustainable solutions. GORDON JOSEPH