Arcane is a creative born & raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. I’m a spoken word artist, emcee, designer, photographer & videographer. I enjoy discovering new and grand ways of expressing myself creatively.
Where did your love for music come from?
I’d like to say it was something I was born with, the culmination of words, melodies and visuals is something I’ve been VERY conscious of for as long as I can remember. From ruining socks trying to mimic Michael Jackson’s moonwalk to sitting down with older guys at the age of 11 to decipher Nas and DMX lyrics, music has always been a very intimate experience for me.
What was the first track you ever made?
It should be in 2006/7, I remember recording for the first time ever at the now defunct Nguva Yakwana Studios with my crew at time (49 Thugz). It was a song called Mind Games, which (thankfully) never got to see the light of day. The first song which got released was a House song I did with AyTee & Fluid called Crazy for AyTee’s compilation album Midnight Chroniklez in 2016.
What do you hope people will get from listening to your music?
Inspiration. I don’t intend to be a preachy artist, but I believe my mandate as an artist is divine before anything else. So, if I’m going to talk about myself, I want you to see yourself in what I’m saying and draw lessons from that. If I’m talking about love, you should be inspired to love a certain way or think about how you want to be loved a certain way. My whole thing is to talk about everyday life in a very articulate manner, a manner that sticks with you beyond just wanting to make a ‘hit song’.
What inspires your music?
Curiosity. I’m a reserved person and most times I have difficulty expressing myself in the moment. I prefer to sit down and simmer on my thoughts, feelings and imaginations before finding ways to articulate them, so my deep curiosity about everything that pertains to life inspires my music.
How do you balance your creative talents?
It’s difficult to find a perfect balance, I usually go with I feel serves me best at any given moment, in terms of personal satisfaction and/or monetary value.
Which creatives do you look up the most and why them?
Jay Z, Marc Ecko, Bobby Hundreds & Daymond John. Reason being they shifted culture refusing to be dictated to by trends & political correctness, which is the type of artist I want to be.
What makes your work unique?
Thought. There’s a lot of thought that goes into whatever I choose to put out and you’ll have to notice every time.
Which one of your songs is your favourite?
Uhm, I’d say ‘Hiwe’ with Teysean & Wishez, the vibe during the writing process for that track was something I haven’t quite been able to recreate since.
What are you currently working on and when can we expect it?
I’m working on an anthology, a mix of Spoken Word & Hip Hop, my poetry and emceeing represent different aspects of my artistry and I would like to try infusing that in the best way possible. I’m hoping for a full project release during the 2nd to 3rd quarter of 2020. The first few singles from it should drop as early as January 2020.
Who are your favourite artists?
I don’t have outright favourites because I listen to way too much music to narrow it down to a top 5 or 10. My ‘top picks’ change from season to season depending on how I’m feeling in that particular time frame.
Which artists would you like to collaborate with and why?
Mile (Zim), Simmy (SA), Poptain (Zim), ShalDo (Zim), Wretch 32 (UK), J. Cole (USA) & Lecrae (USA).
The energy these artists exude & their pen game is exciting, they would bring out the best out of me.
Where in the world do you wish to perform?
Locally, I’d love to headline Unplugged at some point. Internationally, that Coachella stage would be great.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you so far?
God got this. Always. All I’ve always been required to do was ask, listen, obey & receive.
Describe a typical day in your life.
It differs, depending on the tasks to be done on that day, I could be stuck behind a camera one minute, in a meeting the next, busy with design & editing the next, in the studio or in solitude writing the next. It’s more exciting that way, I don’t fall into the curse of monotony.
What is the soundtrack to your life?
Right now, its Wretch 32’s song Winning.
What is your favourite thing about being Zimbabwean?
The ability to adapt to different aspects of life, culture, business.
How would you like to be remembered?
As a champion of my truth. A testimony of going after EVERYTHING you want and getting it.
Social media
Twitter:
@im_so_arcane
Instagram: im_so_arcane
Facebook: ArcaneZw
YouTube: Arcane Live
SoundCloud: Arcane Zw
