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Jericho is back with The Signature

Jericho

Award-winning rapper Jericho Gawanab, popularly known by his stage name J-Twizzle, has dropped his 7th 16-track studio album – ‘The Signature’.

What makes this album so significant is the fact that it was released just as the Windhoek-born best male artist at the 2011 Namibian Annual Music Awards decided to turn over a new leaf and start to live life in a more meaningful way.

“I would be the first one to admit that my life has been a little rough recently. I was controlled by alcohol and drug abuse, but that is now something of the past. There comes a time in a person’s life where you feel that you are losing yourself, but nothing is stronger than prayer,” he says.

“I found myself on the dark side of life ever since I started drinking and smoking. My life has not been the same as before for the past few years, especially when I moved to Karibib. I was in the news for the wrong reasons, but I am in control of my life now,” Gawanab says.

The popular rapper, who has now been back in Windhoek for a year and a half, says he is gradually rebuilding the best version of himself with the support of his family and childhood friends.

He describes his 16-track album as a quality product, because it comes at a time when he is growing, both as a person and artistically.

“My latest offering, ‘The Signature’, is definitely my most mature album to date. It is a far cry from my debut album ‘Check Who’s Back’ from way back in 2006 and my 2021 offering ‘The Recovery’, which was sabotaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. This time I have collaborated with more fellow artists and I have also worked with a lot of producers, including multi-platinum South African producer singer-producer Kolten Perine. The rest of the producers and singers featured are all Namibian,” Gawanab says.

Perine is featured on the track ‘I Am Thankful’, while hikwa star Sunny Boy and Page, of the afro/hip-hop duo Ethnix, perform on ‘Eye Contact’.

R&B singer Remedy can be heard on ‘Addicted’, while sought-after rapper Dice#1 Stunner is featured on the title track, ‘The Signature’.

“With ‘The Signature’ I just mean that I consider myself as the signature of the local music industry. We all in the industry, striving to become a millionaire in the industry and I simply see myself as the person to become a millionaire,” Gawanab says.

The album also has a track titled ‘Leave Me Alone’, which is dedicated to some members of his family.

The artist worked with several producers on his album, including Pro Cliff from Otavi, Otjiwarongo-based Leo Beats, DJ Chronic, Zesh, also known as Domingo Madness, Key Note (of Mazanaga) and Mr Glo, while Elvo did the final mixing and mastering.

“This isn’t a typical hip hop Jericho album. This is the matured me, because unlike the beef and personal attacks associated with rappers, I am offering love, peace and happiness on ‘The Signature’. It also offers you a sense of change or wanting to change. At the end of the day, it provides the best for me. People can relate to the album. It is a very positive album. It is a mixture of different genres like hip hop, soul, a little bit of jazz, Afro pop and a bit of kwaito as well. It is a limited edition,” Jericho says.

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