ABSTRACT Rap and hip-hop are often characterised as musical genres replete with foul language, hyper-masculinity, misogyny, violence and egocentrism. The music of two Zimbabwean rappers Outspoken Tha Humble Neophyte (Tongai Leslie Makawa) and Synik (Gerald Mugwenhi) differs considerably from this stereotypical perception of rap and hip-hop. This article argues that the music of these two rappers is transcendental in its depiction and critique of life in contemporary urban Zimbabwe. Concentrating on two albums by these artists, the article examines how the music goes beyond entertainment as it offers a socio-political and cultural critique and self-reflexive space of thinking through diverse issues afflicting modern-day Zimbabwe. In a country where the public sphere is heavily censored by the state, making open and sincere discussions impossible, the music of these two artists proposes an alternative space to think through various matters. The article contends that music has the “illocutionary force” to unsettle ways of thinking, knowing and understanding the diverse and complicated realities we so often experience.

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直言不讳的犬儒？对津巴布韦说唱和嘻哈音乐的社会意识的重新思考

摘要说唱和嘻哈音乐的特征通常是音乐风格，充满粗话，超男性气概，厌女症，暴力和自我中心主义。两位津巴布韦说唱歌手的直言不讳的Tha谦卑新手（Tongai Leslie Makawa）和Synik（杰拉德·穆格温（Gerald Mugwenhi））的音乐与这种对说唱和嘻哈的刻板印象大相径庭。本文认为，这两个说唱歌手的音乐对当代津巴布韦城市生活的描绘和批判都是超验的。本文着重介绍了这些艺术家的两张专辑，研究了音乐如何超越娱乐领域，因为它通过困扰现代津巴布韦的各种问题提供了一种社会政治和文化的批判以及自我反思的思维空间。在一个公共领域受到国家严格审查的国家中，不可能进行公开和真诚的讨论，两位艺术家的音乐提出了一个另类的空间来思考各种问题。该文章认为，音乐具有“言外之力”，可以使人们思考，认识和理解我们经常经历的各种复杂现实的方式不稳定。