Few titles scold as openly as this one, and Zenza Amanyala from AFRIKA gives its name to the whole project.
The phrase is Zulu and speaks of doing shameful things, or making a scandal. I would not stake a firm claim on every shade of the meaning, but the tone is clear. It is the kind of line said with raised eyebrows when somebody has embarrassed their family at a public event. Nigerians know it well, from the gossip after a wedding to the whispers outside church.
What stands out is that an artist would name a full album after it. That choice suggests a body of work about behaviour, temptation and consequences, the sort of subjects people talk about quietly and listen to loudly. It also carries humour, because people enjoy hearing about scandals so long as they belong to someone else.
The title track of a project often tells you what the artist wants to be judged on, and a name this direct is hard to ignore. The album shares its name with this record, so it works as a doorway into everything else. I will leave the details of the sound to the listener.
It suits a long gathering with friends, when somebody starts a story that begins with “you will not believe what happened”.
Stream and Download ZENZA AMANYALA. by AFRIKA. Below.