8L

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8L
8L-Zim-Hip-Hop.jpg
BornBlessed Zikhali
NationalityZimbabwe
Occupation
  • Musician
Known forBeing a Musician

8L is a Zimbabwean hip hop artist. He is known for his hit song Mainini which features Zimdancehall artist Tocky Vibes.

Background

8L was born Blessing Zikhali and grew up in Kwekwe.[1]

Education

He did his high school in Kwekwe before moving to the University of Zimbabwe where he studied for his first degree in Statistics. He boasts that he is the most educated rapper with 2 masters’ degrees and works as a Research, Monitoring and Evaluation specialist for an international firm.[1]

Career

8L had his first studio session in 2004 at Tich Mataz studio in Highlands when someone asked for a verse and he did freestyle. He mentions that he was more of a freestyle artist but only started recording in 2011.At the time, 8L says he recorded a good number of songs but didn’t release them on radio. His 2013 compilation album titled Fiery Draft was a major hit on the hip hop scene and he went on to record Cypher Continues which featured Club Bangers. He has worked with the likes of Noble Styles, T Gonz, Smylie, Dobba Don and Tererai Mugwadi.[2]

Discography

Singles

  • Katarina

Scandals

Stealing Song Allegations

He was accused of ‘stealing’ and sampling his hit song Mainini from a Ghanaian artiste Sarkodie but he however denied the allegations saying that he has never heard of the popular artist. However the song by the Ghanaian artiste has the same instrumentation and beat with 8L’s hit song.[3]

Awards

The song Mainini was nominated for the Song of the Year (Best Collaboration) at the 2016 Zim hip-hop awards.

Videos

Mainini Rmx(Official Video) - 8L feat Tocky Vibes - 8L



8L - Katarina [November 2016] Afrobeats Hip Hop



8L - Tina Babie ft Nyce




References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Zim artist 8L drops hot Hip-Hop dance single, Nehanda Radio, published: July 23, 2014, retreived: December 14, 2016
  2. Nigel Pfunfde, Hip-hop is not dead – Zikhali, NewsDay, published: February 18, 2016, retrieved: December 14, 2016
  3. Nigel Pfunde, 8L denies ‘stealing’ song…singer in intellectual property storm with Ghanaian, ShowBiz, published: No Given Date, retrieved: December 14, 2016

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