From when he dropped those infamous 16 bars on a featured track 'Ukweli na Uwazi' on the now classic Wachuja Nafaka album, Bongo HipHop was born again through the sharp lyricism of Fareed Kubanda aka Fid Q!!
'hamjajua mtakula nini halafu nyie mnaponda mali hivi hiyo ni nini,utajiri nguzo,ubahili hivi ndo mnavyoamini,mmesahau kiama ni nini au mmesahau mafunzo ya dini...' spits Fid Q with rapid raw delivery over Pfunk's heavy boom-bap back drop. Little did Bongo Flava enthusiast know how much trouble they gonna find themselves in by letting this humble hip-hopper through the golden gates..thats until FidQ.COM dropped!!
'Akupigaye ngumi ya jicho na we mpige ya sikio akikuuliza unaonaje na we mwulize anajisikiaje...' !! That level of cadence and nonchalance delivery, mixed with witty punchlines and simple-yet complex lyricism, had not been heard in the game since the passing of the Great D-Rob(RIP)! Phone calls were ringing across the globe, hiphop pioneers nodded in agreement and smiled proudly to the arrival of Hiphop saviour!!
Here was a kid with passion for the artform. Here was a complete MC, an all rounder who didn't rely on cheesy singy-song choruses to compose a hit. Here was a guy taking the risk and using 'Multi-syllabic rhyme schemes' in the audience that was getting soo lazy to analyse the realness of Hiphop!
In the era where bubblegum rap is prevalent and sugar coated rnb hooks define a hit, Fid Q is a breath of fresh air! In this oversaturated Bongoflava artform where 'nursery' rhymes earn you the title of 'King of Rhymes', Fid Q stands like a giant that no-one comes close to even stare in the eye! Who else can rock the stage with no gimmicks but pure lyrics? Who in this game stands by themselves amongst well established artists that come on stage with hundreds of tag-alongs just to boost their confidence? The self declared 'one man army' ( 'Fid Q ni jeshi la mtu mmoja') rolls on stage for Dolo and owns the show with enough flows to confuse water down a bendy stream.
When 'Chagua Moja' dropped, all the Nay-Sayers and those who thought the Kid was a fluke, had to bite their tongues. Those 8 bars (I still replay his verse 4 times before letting the others come in. No disrespect to Rhino,Adili and Langa cause they got busy too but I wish Fid Q did this song for Dolo). Blew that beat to smithereens!
'Fanya kazi kama mtumwa ili uje uishi kama mfalme, ukae au uchuchumae,umchukie au umpende akupendae,ufiche uchi au uvue chupi uzae...' Spits Fid Q with so much charisma you almost kick yourself for not thinking of these lines before him!
After ‘Chagua Moja’ Fid Q dropped ‘Mwanza Mwanza’ A track with a heavy Majani kicks and phat beat, fid Q laced the beat with his ill lyrics and impeccable metaphors. The track addressed the fans on some matters, like his longevity in the hip hop game and industry as a whole. He begins the track by saying
‘Nilianza rap kabla mototo wa Dandu hajafu,Sugu hajatoa Album,BoneLove hamjui Falsafa mlangoni msanii analipa, Professer anajiita Nigga’
After that track it was no doubt to the audience Fid was the one doing the music that was missing in the industry for far so long, and that was Hip Hop, Real Hip Hop.
It was no longer a buzz; everyone was just patiently waiting Fid Q to drop his highly anticipated LP known by ‘Vina Mwanzo Kati Na Mwisho’. Due to his humbleness and the need to trigger the fans demand, Fid released a single called ‘August 13’ followed by ‘Vina Mwanzo kati Na Mwisho’. It was like a blessing to the real Hip hop fans as the Album was a top-notch, filled with clever, smart word-play mixed with conscious lyrics. After ‘Vina Mwanzo Kati na Mwisho’ Fid was considered as a Hip Hop Messiah in Bongo.
His grind never ceased, the doors in other countries started opening widely, as he was recognized in another countries too and enabled him to conquer some features from other Countries artists,fd from Holland and Germany respectively.
Fid Q is the one and only artist from East Africa who managed to perform in the Big Brother house in South Africa and around the same year him and Witness managed to scoop an award for the best Video with Channel O.
Fid being Ambassador of Virus Free Generation in Tanzania, he did a track with a German artist known as Prinz Pi, a song goes by a germany title ‘Zu Hart’ which mean ‘So Hard’.
On his verse he begins with so much pain by saying ‘Hana tofauti na wale sweet 16 wa kwenye movie,Hips zake hasifichwi na jeans, but she’s stupid, sasa hawezi hata kufufill what God gave her, waliodata na zake sex-appeal walitenga fedha’
December 2008, Fid Q toured Germany with Prinz Pi and managed to perform on places like Berlin, Hamburg and Duisburg. During the same tour he took some footage for his track known as ‘I Am A Professional’, A track with all Hip Hop elements, a heavy beat with massive scratches, a well sampled chorus embraced with sharp and raw delivery of plenty metaphors.
Now that Fid has released 'Usinikubali Haraka'(his latest single), fans are asking 'where is the album'? Anticipation of his 2nd album is beyond any solo artist in many years. Release date is set to be as big as Mandela's (get it?)....Real hiphop fans are hungry for those clever, thought-provoking, smart word-play mixed with so many conscious lyrics that make Fid Q almost prophetic without preaching.
Fid assured his fans that the album known as PROPAGANDA will be released on the third week of July 2009. As for the time being he is caught up with his ambassadorial duties, busy working with Staying Alive Project in the southern part of Tanzania.
Fid Q is featured on a Ngweair track known as CNN, the single in which is in heavy rotation for the moment, Fid blessed the track with a lil different flow and sharp lyrics as usual, he begins by flowing like this..
‘Usiniite halfman, niite man and a half, you think small and you remain Small for life, hatuwezi piga same instrument but we can all be in the same key son, experience makes a person better or bitter, naweza flow slow lakini brain ina speed up’
Due to highly increasing number of fans nationally and internationally, Fid has been active on his pages like Myspace ( http://myspace.com/fidq ) and his fan page in facebook under his name FID Q.
PROPAGANDA will be filled with tracks like Street Report, I Am A Professional, and Usinikubali Haraka and many others as surprises, Need i say more?...if you passionate about Hiphop try listening to those songs and wait in anticipation for 'PROPAGANDA' Fid Q's album coming out soon. Let’s wait to enjoy the benefits of leaving ahead of our time, The FUTURE is here!
