Fesse Amunyela, better known as FiddyTheRapper is a Namibian born independent artist who was born in Windhoek Namibia. His passion for music began in 2005 when his Grade 5 classmate Travell Stephanus brought a Double XL magazine to school and asked if he could rap. Though he had written songs before then, he hadn’t rapped which motivated him to pick up the skill. FiddyTheRapper’s father was a drummer as well as a sound engineer, who would often bring microphones and mixers home after shows for his kids to practice on. Before his passing, his dad also started the Small Sounds record label.
Inspired by artists such as J Cole – his favorite rapper – as well as Kendrick Lemar, Black Thought, Lupe Fiasco, Joey Bada$$ and Rakim, Fiddy has since honed his skills and his latest single “Purpose” ft Micheal Pulse, Abdallah and Enchante, is his third release, and also heralds his first video-clip production. Discussing the song Fiddy, explains that it addresses the socio-cultural situation in Namibia, where the lack of any infrastructure does not allow upcoming artists to make a living out of music.
Thus affecting artistic and personal growth, in that parents in general will only invest in professions like being an engineer, doctor, lawyer or architect. Hence artistically-inclined children are hardly allowed to pursue their dreams and achieve personal happiness.
The track “Purpose”, wants to be a wake-up call to all those people who have dreams, and invokes them to pursue those dreams regardless. Listening along as FiddyTheRapper lobs uplifting syllables as quickly as the ear can catch them is a joy, and the powerful but grounded storytelling carried out in these shifting flows feels satisfying and complete.
It’s brutally honest, and that’s the thing about Fiddy, he’s not afraid to shy away from the scary, the unspoken and the strenuous. His music isn’t rap in the ‘bitches-money-club’ way, we’ve become so accustomed to hearing, and it’s why he may be seen as a poet and a visionary, as well as a rapper.
Fiddy however is not just preaching to others, as there is a lot of self-reflection going on in the track as well, which makes it feel like a stream of consciousness. Intelligent, contemplative, and intricate, the track indicates that FiddyTheRapper is one of the rappers who really matters right now in Namibia.
Fiddy comes through passionately and unflinchingly to challenge the social norms in his country. Though it should be remembered that it’s not the job of a musician to change the world. They only need to inspire whoever does. Fiddy has done so, brilliantly, every step of the way. The atmosphere combined with the thought provoking and well-executed lyrics make this project more than just a simple rap song.
